History of American Pop Music
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Chapter 26: Overview

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Chapter 26 follows the expansion of rock during the 1970s as advances in FM radio, studio recording, and concert production encouraged artists to create albums as complete artistic works rather than collections of singles. Bands and performers such as Pink Floyd, Fleetwood Mac, Queen, Bruce Springsteen, Steely Dan, Toto, and Bob Marley blended earlier rock traditions with jazz, funk, blues, country, and reggae while reaching increasingly large audiences through arena concerts and album-oriented radio.

Important Terms

Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) – A radio format that emphasized complete albums and multiple tracks rather than only hit singles.

Freeform Radio – An FM radio format that gave DJs freedom to play long album tracks and a wide variety of artists.

Progressive Rock Radio – A more structured version of freeform radio that focused on album tracks while appealing to larger audiences.

Concept Album – An album whose songs are connected by a common story or theme.

Rock Opera – A rock album or stage work that tells a continuous story through music.

Deep Cut – A lesser-known album track that is not released as a single.

Arena Rock – A style of rock created for large arenas and stadiums, emphasizing anthemic songs, powerful vocals, and elaborate stage productions.

FM Radio – Frequency Modulation broadcasting known for higher sound quality than AM radio.

FCC Non-Duplication Rule – A regulation preventing FM stations from simply repeating AM broadcasts, encouraging original programming.

Progressive Rock – A rock style featuring extended compositions, complex forms, and influences from classical and jazz music.

Jazz Fusion (Jazz Rock) – A style combining jazz improvisation and harmony with rock rhythms and instrumentation.

Adult Contemporary Rock – A polished rock style emphasizing melody, smooth production, and broad radio appeal.

Yacht Rock – A smooth style of late-1970s rock blending pop, jazz, R&B, funk, and soft rock.

West Coast Sound – A polished Los Angeles studio style emphasizing layered production and vocal harmonies.

Modular Recording – A recording technique in which separate musical sections are recorded independently and assembled later.

Tape Splicing – The process of physically cutting and joining magnetic tape during editing.

Purdie Shuffle – A drum groove combining a half-time feel with shuffle rhythms and ghost notes, associated with Bernard Purdie.

Ghost Note – A lightly played drum stroke that adds rhythmic texture.

Dub – A reggae production style emphasizing bass, drums, echo, and studio effects.

Sound System – A mobile Jamaican DJ setup using powerful speakers for neighborhood dances.

Toasting – A Jamaican vocal style in which DJs speak rhythmically over recorded music.

Ska – An early Jamaican popular music style featuring upbeat tempos and offbeat guitar rhythms.

Skank Rhythm – The offbeat guitar or keyboard rhythm characteristic of ska and reggae.

Rocksteady – A slower Jamaican style that developed from ska and preceded reggae.

Reggae – A Jamaican music style centered on offbeat rhythms, strong bass lines, and socially conscious lyrics.

Riddim – A repeating rhythmic and harmonic pattern serving as the foundation for multiple reggae songs.

Rastafarian Movement – A religious and cultural movement originating in Jamaica that strongly influenced reggae.

Pan-Africanism – The belief in unity among people of African descent worldwide.

High Fidelity (Hi-Fi) – High-quality sound reproduction with minimal distortion.

Artists Discussed

Pink Floyd – Progressive rock band known for concept albums such as The Dark Side of the Moon and The Wall.

David Bowie – Rock artist associated with theatrical performance and album-oriented rock.

The Who – British rock band known for concept albums and arena performances.

Bob Seger – American rock singer whose music reflected nostalgia and working-class life.

Silver Bullet Band – Bob Seger's longtime backing band.

Aerosmith – American hard rock band blending blues and arena rock.

The Rolling Stones – British rock band whose blues style influenced 1970s rock.

The Grateful Dead – Rock band that blended folk, country, and psychedelic music.

Fleetwood Mac – British-American rock band that evolved from a British blues group into one of the most commercially sucessful bands of 1970s rock.

Peter Green – Founder of Fleetwood Mac.

Lindsey Buckingham – Guitarist, singer, and songwriter for Fleetwood Mac.

Stevie Nicks – Singer-songwriter whose image became central to Fleetwood Mac.

Boston – Arena rock band known for layered guitars and polished production.

Foreigner – Arena rock band blending rock and pop.

Queen – British rock band known for theatrical arena performances.

Freddie Mercury – Lead singer of Queen.

Elton John – Singer-songwriter and pianist known for theatrical arena performances.

Paul Simon – Singer-songwriter who blended folk, rock, reggae, and jazz influences.

Steve Gadd – Jazz drummer featured on Paul Simon's recordings.

Billy Joel – Singer-songwriter and pianist known for narrative songwriting.

Bruce Springsteen – Rock singer-songwriter known for working-class themes.

E Street Band – Bruce Springsteen's longtime backing band.

Miles Davis – Jazz trumpeter whose work helped establish jazz fusion.

Chicago – Jazz-rock band originally called Chicago Transit Authority.

Steely Dan – Rock band combining jazz harmony with sophisticated studio production.

Michael McDonald – Singer and keyboardist associated with Steely Dan, the Doobie Brothers, and yacht rock.

Christopher Cross – Yacht rock singer-songwriter.

Kenny Loggins – Yacht rock artist.

Toto – Los Angeles studio band blending rock, jazz, funk, and pop.

Hall & Oates – Pop-rock duo associated with yacht rock.

Rupert Holmes – Singer-songwriter associated with yacht rock.

Jim Messina – Musician associated with yacht rock.

The Doobie Brothers – Rock band that evolved into a yacht rock group.

Bernard Purdie – Drummer whose shuffle groove inspired Jeff Porcaro.

Harry Belafonte – Singer who introduced many Americans to Caribbean music.

Jimmy Cliff – Reggae singer who introduced the genre to many American listeners.

Bob Marley – Reggae musician who brought the genre to international audiences.

Songs Referenced

  • "Ramblin' Gamblin' Man" – Bob Seger

  • "Night Moves" – Bob Seger

  • "Against the Wind" – Bob Seger

  • "Dream On" – Aerosmith

  • "Sweet Emotion" – Aerosmith

  • "Walk This Way" – Aerosmith

  • "My Generation" – The Who

  • "Oh Well (Part 1)" – Fleetwood Mac

  • "Oh Well (Part 2)" – Fleetwood Mac

  • "Black Magic Woman" – Fleetwood Mac (written by Peter Green)

  • "Albatross" – Fleetwood Mac

  • "Rhiannon" – Fleetwood Mac

  • "Dreams" – Fleetwood Mac

  • "Go Your Own Way" – Fleetwood Mac

  • "The Chain" – Fleetwood Mac

  • "Sara" – Fleetwood Mac

  • "Gypsy" – Fleetwood Mac

  • "Everywhere" – Fleetwood Mac

  • "Little Lies" – Fleetwood Mac

  • "More Than a Feeling" – Boston

  • "Peace of Mind" – Boston

  • "Cold as Ice" – Foreigner

  • "Hot Blooded" – Foreigner

  • "I Want to Know What Love Is" – Foreigner

  • "Bohemian Rhapsody" – Queen

  • "We Will Rock You" – Queen

  • "We Are the Champions" – Queen

  • "Rocket Man" – Elton John

  • "Bennie and the Jets" – Elton John

  • "Kodachrome" – Paul Simon

  • "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover" – Paul Simon

  • "Piano Man" – Billy Joel

  • "Just the Way You Are" – Billy Joel

  • "Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)" – Billy Joel

  • "Only the Good Die Young" – Billy Joel

  • "She's Always a Woman" – Billy Joel

  • "My Life" – Billy Joel

  • "Big Shot" – Billy Joel

  • "It's Still Rock and Roll to Me" – Billy Joel

  • "New York State of Mind" – Billy Joel

  • "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant" – Billy Joel

  • "Captain Jack" – Billy Joel

  • "The Downeaster 'Alexa'" – Billy Joel

  • "Thunder Road" – Bruce Springsteen

  • "Jungleland" – Bruce Springsteen

  • "Hungry Heart" – Bruce Springsteen

  • "Born in the U.S.A." – Bruce Springsteen

  • "I'm on Fire" – Bruce Springsteen

  • "No Surrender" – Bruce Springsteen

  • "Dancing in the Dark" – Bruce Springsteen

  • "My Hometown" – Bruce Springsteen

  • "25 or 6 to 4" – Chicago

  • "Do It Again" – Steely Dan

  • "Reelin' in the Years" – Steely Dan

  • "Peg" – Steely Dan

  • "Deacon Blues" – Steely Dan

  • "Hey Nineteen" – Steely Dan

  • "Sailing" – Christopher Cross

  • "Ride Like the Wind" – Christopher Cross

  • "This Is It" – Kenny Loggins

  • "Listen to the Music" – The Doobie Brothers

  • "Long Train Runnin'" – The Doobie Brothers

  • "What a Fool Believes" – The Doobie Brothers

  • "Lowdown" – Boz Scaggs

  • "Lido Shuffle" – Boz Scaggs

  • "Hold the Line" – Toto

  • "Beat It" – Michael Jackson

  • "Human Nature" – Michael Jackson

  • "Rosanna" – Toto

  • "Africa" – Toto

  • "Jamaica Farewell" – Harry Belafonte

  • "Get Up, Stand Up" – Bob Marley and the Wailers

  • "I Shot the Sheriff" – Bob Marley and the Wailers

  • "Concrete Jungle" – Bob Marley and the Wailers

  • "Slave Driver" – Bob Marley and the Wailers

  • "War" – Bob Marley and the Wailers

  • "Exodus" – Bob Marley and the Wailers

  • "Three Little Birds" – Bob Marley and the Wailers

  • "Redemption Song" – Bob Marley

  • "Zimbabwe" – Bob Marley

  • "Survival" – Bob Marley

  • "Blackman Redemption" – Bob Marley

  • "Africa Unite" – Bob Marley

  • "Roxanne" – The Police

  • "So Lonely" – The Police

  • "Watching the Detectives" – Elvis Costello

  • "Mother and Child Reunion" – Paul Simon

  • "Police and Thieves" – Junior Murvin (covered by the Clash)

Albums

  • The Dark Side of the Moon

  • The Wall

  • Tommy

  • Sticky Fingers

  • Exile on Main St.

  • Quadrophenia

  • Workingman's Dead

  • American Beauty

  • Wish You Were Here

  • Fleetwood Mac

  • Then Play On

  • Rumours

  • Tusk

  • Mirage

  • Tango in the Night

  • Time

  • Say You Will

  • Queen II

  • Sheer Heart Attack

  • A Night at the Opera

  • Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J.

  • The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle

  • Born to Run

  • Darkness on the Edge of Town

  • The River

  • Born in the U.S.A.

  • Bitches Brew

  • Chicago II

  • Can't Buy a Thrill

  • Countdown to Ecstasy

  • Katy Lied

  • The Royal Scam

  • Aja

  • Gaucho

  • Minute by Minute

  • Silk Degrees

  • Toto

  • Toto IV

  • Catch a Fire

  • Burnin'

  • Rastaman Vibration

  • Exodus

  • Uprising

  • 461 Ocean Boulevard