where does popular music originate?

Answer 1

You can trace most popular music back to the blues and gospel, which originated with call and response singing by slaves working in the fields. You can trace this even further back to Africa. Blues and gospel became further influenced by other forms of music such as European folk music, and went on to become ragtime, jazz, soul and R&B, which in turn got influenced by other forms of music such as calypso, and became ska and reggae. R&B became influenced by country music and spawned rock and roll, which spawned heavy metal, punk, and rock music of all types. According to my music teacher at school, the first real popular music was ragtime, , the most famous example being "The Entertainer", used in the film "Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid". So, The Chemical Brothers were right "It Began In Africa"... have a listen to a wide range of music and see how similar they really are. Heavy metals not that much different to some old black guy in the 1920's strumming his guitar, just louder and faster.

Answer 2

Popular music is music belonging to any of a number of musical styles that are accessible to the general public and are disseminated by one or more of the mass media. It stands in contrast to classical music, which historically was the music of elites or the upper strata of society, and traditional folk music which was disseminated orally. It is sometimes abbreviated to pop music, although pop music is more often used for a narrower branch of popular music.
Popular music dates at least as far back as the mid 19th century, and is commonly subdivided into genres. Different genres often appeal to different age groups. These often, but not always, are the people who were young when the music was new. Thus, for instance, Big band music continues to have a following, but it is probably a rather older group, on average, than the audience for rap. For some genres (for instance, Ragtime), the original target generation may have died out almost entirely.

This "generation gap" in the consumption of popular music is particularly marked since the second world war and the increased economic and social independence of younger people. Music hall and other forms before the 1940s are not so clearly marked by generation.

Answer 3

Popular music originates from Sales volumes and units shifted. To say that Lou Walsh is a musical genius because he is able to churn out shite 'popular' music in the form of westlife and boyzone et al is laughable. Unfortunatley not a lot of people would know good music if it bit them in the **** and radio stations have to play the top 20 - 40 a couple of times a day because the major labels pay their bills. Sickening but true unfortunatley.

Answer 4

Mainly from the Blues
Listen to Robert Johnson (recorded in the late 1930s)
Most pop music comes from stuff like that
Follow it back though time and it ends up, like people themselves, in Africa.

Answer 5

you wouldnt believe me if i told you,

Answer 6

out of a dead mans ***...