Electro music
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For other uses, see Electro (disambiguation).Electro
Stylistic origins Hip hop, boogie, disco, funk, synthpop, electropop
Cultural origins Early 1980s, New York and Detroit, USA
Typical instruments Synthesizer (keytar), drum machine, vocoder, sampler
Mainstream popularity Early to mid 1980s with a minor revival in the late 1990s
Derivative forms Miami bass - Funk carioca - Freestyle - Crunk - Techno - House - Eurodance
Subgenres
Electro hop
Fusion genres
Ghettotech, Electroclash


Electro (short for either electro-funk or electro-boogie)[1][2] is a genre of electronic music directly influenced by the use of TR-808,[3] Moog keytar synthesizers and funk sampling.[4][5] Records in the genre typically feature drum machines and heavy electronic sounding deprived of vocals in general, although if present, they are delivered in a deadpan manner, often through an electronic distortion such as vocoding. This is the main distinction of electro from previously prominent late-1970s genres such as disco and boogie, in which electronic sound was only part of the instrumentation rather than basis of the whole song.Contents [hide]
1 Definition and characteristics
2 History
3 Contemporary electro
4 Artists
5 References
6 External links

[edit]
Definition and characteristics

From its origins, the definition of the electro sound is the use of drum machines as the rhythmic base of a track; however as the style has evolved, and with the advent of computer usage in electronic music, the use of drum machines has become less and less practical and widespread. Electro drum patterns tend to be electronic emulations of breakbeats, with a syncopated kick drum, and usually a snare or clap accenting the downbeat. The difference between electro drumbeats and breakbeats (or breaks) is that electro tends to be more mechanical, while breakbeats tend to have more of a human-like feel, like that of a live drummer. The definition however is somewhat ambiguous in nature due to the various use of the term.[6] Planet Rock (sample)

Short sample of "Planet Rock", originally released in 1982 by Afrika Bambaataa and Soulsonic Force.
Problems listening to this file? See media help.


Staccato, percussive drumbeats tend to dominate electro; with beats once mostly provided by the Roland TR-808 drum machine, the advent of computers in electronic music has outdated this old school method and are now used by the majority of electro producers the world over. The TR-808, created in 1980, has an immediately recognizable sound, and through the use of samples remains somewhat popular in electro and other genres to the present day. Other electro instrumentation is generally all-electronic, favoring analog synthesis, bass lines, sequenced or arpeggiated synthetic riffs, and atonal sound effects all created with synthesizers. Heavy use of effects such as reverbs, delays, chorus or phasers along with eerie synthetic ensemble strings or pad sounds emphasize the common science fiction or futuristic theme of the lyrics and/or music. Most electro is instrumental, but a common element is vocals processed through a vocoder. Additionally, speech synthesis may be used to create robotic or mechanical lyrical content. Some earlier electro features rapping, but that lyrical style has become less popular in the genre from the 1990s onward.

About electro-funk origins, Greg Wilson claims:“ It was all about stretching the boundaries that had begun to stifle black music, and its influences lay not only with German technopop wizards Kraftwerk, the acknowledged forefathers of pure electro, plus British futurist acts like the Human League and Gary Numan, but also with a number of pioneering black musicians. Major artists like Miles Davis, Sly Stone, Herbie Hancock, Stevie Wonder, legendary producer Norman Whitfield and, of course, George Clinton and his P Funk brigade, would all play their part in shaping this new sound via their innovative use of electronic instruments during the 70’s (and as early as the late 60’s in Miles Davis’s case).[1] ”

[edit]
History

Following the decline of disco music in the late 1970s, various funk artists such as Zapp & Roger began experimenting with talk boxes and the use of heavier, more distinctive beats.

In 1982, Bronx based producer Afrika Bambaataa released the seminal track "Planet Rock", which contained elements of Kraftwerk's Trans-Europe Express and "Numbers" (from Kraftwerk's Computer World album).[2] "Planet Rock" is widely regarded as a turning point in the electro genre.[7]

In 1983, Hashim created the influential electro funk tune "Al-Naafiysh (The Soul)" which became Cutting Record's first release in November 1983.[8] At the time Hashim was influenced by Man Parrish's "Hip Hop, Be Bop", Thomas Dolby's "She Blinded Me With Science" and Afrika Bambaataa's "Planet Rock".[9] Also in 1983, Herbie Hancock, in collaboration with Grand Mixer D.ST, released the hit single "Rockit".

Bambaataa and groups like Planet Patrol, Jonzun Crew, Mantronix, Newcleus and Juan Atkins' Detroit-based group Cybotron went on to influence the genres of Detroit techno, ghettotech, breakbeat, drum and bass and electroclash. Early producers in the electro genre (notably Arthur Baker,[10] John Robie and Shep Pettibone) featured prominently in the Latin Freestyle (or simply "Freestyle") movement. By the late 1980s, the genre had parted from its initial funk influences. Baker and Pettibone enjoyed robust careers well into the house era, and both eluded the "genre trap" to successfully produce mainstream artists.[11]
[edit]
Contemporary electro This article needs additional citations for verification.
Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (November 2009)


Although the early 1980s were electro's heyday in the mainstream, it enjoyed renewed popularity in the late 1990s with artists such as Anthony Rother and DJs such as Dave Clarke, and has made yet another comeback for a third wave of popularity in 2009. The continued interest in electro, though influenced to a great degree by Florida, Detroit, Miami, Los Angeles and New York styles, has primarily taken hold in Florida and Europe with electro club nights becoming commonplace again. The scene still manages to support hundreds of electro labels, from the disco electro of Clone Records, to the old school b-boy styles of Breakin’ Records and Dominance Electricity, to the electrofunk of Citinite, and to harder more modern styles of electro of labels like Bass Frequency Productions and Nu Illusion Music.

New branches of electro have risen over the last couple of years. Florida has pioneered the "Electrocore" sound, started in the late 90's by artists like Jackal & Hyde and Dynamix II and carried on to this day. Skweee is a genre which developed in Nordic countries such as Sweden and Finland, hence its first name "Scandinavian Funk". The outlets and artists of Skweee are still mostly limited to the Nordic countries.
[edit]
Artists
See also: Category:Electro musiciansAfrika Bambaataa
Aux 88
Anthony Rother
Arabian Prince
Arthur Baker
Cybotron
Cylob
Davy DMX
DMX Krew
Dom Kane
Dopplereffekt
Drexciya
Dynamix II
Egyptian Lover
Freeez
Hashim
Imatran Voima
I-F Jackal & Hyde
Jonzun Crew
Kraftwerk (late 1970s–mid 1980s)
LA Dream Team
Maggotron
Man Parrish
Mantronix
Michael Jonzun
Midnight Star
Miss Kittin
Model 500
Mr Velcro Fastener
Music Instructor
Newcleus
Planet Patrol
Scape One
World Class Wreckin' Cru

[edit]
References
^ a b "Electro-Funk > WHAT DID IT ALL MEAN ?". Greg Wilson on electrofunkroots.co.uk. Retrieved 2009-12-23.
^ a b http://www.globaldarkness.com/articles/h...ctro%20funk.htm
^ http://www.electroempire.com/cgi-bin/art...n=details&ID=50
^ Electro itself is a musical style blending "funk & synthesizers with elements of hip-hop", according to Dent, Susie (2003). The Language Report. pp. 43
^ 'http://www.electroempire.com/cgi-bin/art...on=details&ID=3'
^ http://www.electrofunkroots.co.uk/articles/what.html
^ Sicko, D., Techno Rebels: The Renegades of Electronic Funk, Billboard Books, 1999 (ISBN 978-0823084289), p. 73.
^ Kellman, A. (2007). Hashim Biography. All Media Guide. Retrieved September 6, 2007, from [1]
^ Electro Empire. (2000). Hashim interview. ElectroEmpire Articles. Retrieved on September 5, 2007. from [2]
^ http://www.electrofunkroots.co.uk/articl...net_rocked.html
^ http://www.electroempire.com/miami.htm
[edit]
External links Look up electro in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

100 Greatest Electro Songs
Electro Funk: What Did It All Mean?
Rap meets Techno, with a short history of Electro[hide]
v · d · e
Electronic dance music • Genres

Ambient · Breakbeat · Drum and bass · Electro · Eurodance · Hardcore · Hi-NRG · House · Industrial · Synthpop · Techno · Trance · Trip hop · UK garage


Categories: African American music | Electronic music genres | Hip hop genres

Eurodance
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is about a music style. For Eurovision Dance Contest, see Eurovision Dance Contest.Eurodance
Stylistic origins House - Hi-NRG - Italo-disco - Eurodisco - Techno - Electro - Dance-pop - Hip hop - Trance - Synthpop
Cultural origins Western Europe, Early 1990s
Typical instruments Vocals - Electronic keyboard - Synthesizer - Drum machine - Sequencer
Mainstream popularity Large: Europe, Latin America, Australia, Canada, Japan and Korea

Moderate: New Zealand, Africa, Middle East, East Asia (excluding Japan and Korea) and South East Asia

Weak: United States (limited mainstream interest but can be found in major cities such as Los Angeles, Miami, Chicago, New York, Washington, & San Francisco)
Derivative forms Bubblegum dance - Euro-trance - Italodance - Happy Hardcore - UK Hardcore
Other topics
List of Eurodance artists


Eurodance (also known as Dance and Hands Up in Europe) is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in the early 1990s primarily in Europe. It combines many elements from House, Techno, Hi-NRG and especially Italo-Disco. Starting in the early 1990s and continuing to the present day, Eurodance production continues to evolve with a more modernized style that incorporates elements from Trance and Techno music.

Eurodance music is heavily influenced by the utilization of rich melodic vocals, either exclusively by itself or inclusively with rapped verses. This, combined with cutting-edge synthesizer, strong bass rhythm and melodic hooks establishes the core foundation of Eurodance music.Contents [hide]
1 Definition
2 Characteristics of the music
2.1 Vocals
2.2 Percussion
2.3 Melody
3 Characteristics of the bands and business
4 History
4.1 Hi-NRG and Italo-Disco
4.2 House music
4.3 Rap/Hip hop
4.4 In Europe
4.5 Canada
4.6 United States
4.7 2000s
5 Notable Eurodance artists
6 Classification
7 Other related and influential styles
8 See also
9 Notes
10 Radio stations and streaming audio
11 External links

[edit]
Definition

The term "Eurodance" gradually became associated with a specific style of European dance music over time. During its golden years in the mid 1990s it was just as likely to be referred to as "Euro-House" or "Euro-NRG"; in Europe it was often called "Dancefloor" or simply "Dance".[1]

While some use a much broader definition of what is considered "Eurodance",[2] over time, the term particularly came to refer to an NRG-based genre from the 1990s which included a solo vocalist or a rapper/vocalist duet and is also used to describe later European dance acts such as Cascada.[3]

Eurodance is nightclub-oriented music that is usually produced somewhere in Europe and sounds commercial enough to be played by radio stations and music television. Some of the more prominent Eurodance songs go international, especially if an act manages to score more than one hit.
[edit]
Characteristics of the music

Most Eurodance is characterized by synthesizer riffs, female or male vocals with simple chorus, male rap parts, sampling and a strong beat. Sometimes with female or male vocals singing throughout the whole song without rap.
[edit]
Vocals

Eurodance is often very positive and upbeat; the lyrics often involve issues of love and peace, dancing and partying, or expressing and overcoming difficult emotions. The early-mid 1990s Eurodance vocals were frequently done by a solo vocalist or a mixed rapper-vocalist duet.

Many projects utilized variations of the rapper-vocalist theme, such as a German rapper with American singers (Real McCoy), or the use of reggae rap as in Ice MC and Fun Factory, or scat singing as in Scatman John. Solo singing artists such as Alexia, Tess, Whigfield and Double You also contributed to the genre.

Eurodance lyrics are almost always sung in English, regardless of the artist's nationalities. However, some artists release their songs in both English and their native languages.
[edit]
Percussion

Almost all Eurodance emphasizes percussion and rhythm. Eurodance percussion is generally a "kick" bassdrum with some variations on a 4/4 time signature. While the percussion is always done by synthesizers, it is a sound more typical of dance music and not the "beat box" sound typical of rap music. The tempo is typically around 140 beats per minute, but may vary from 110 to 150 BPM.[4]
[edit]
Melody

Most Eurodance is also very melody-driven. Besides the contribution of the female vocals, there is often a noticeable use of rapid synthesizer arpeggios. This is a very distinctive feature of Eurodance that separates it from Hi-NRG disco. The synthesizer often has a piano or barrel organ but sometimes mimics other instruments, such as calliope (e.g., "Touch the Sky" by Cartouche). There is often a short, repetitive riff, while other times there is a whole tour de force of synthesizers (e.g., Close To You by Fun Factory). Some songs have a second riff cycling in between verses.
[edit]
Characteristics of the bands and business

Eurodance is widely commercialized. Some producers, like Max Martin or Larry Pignagnoli, have fronted dozens of bands. From thousands of records released, only a few bands have existed in the mainstream beyond two records. Many acts, such as Captain Jack and Jonny Jakobsen (Dr. Bombay), had a carefully planned humoristic image. A group called E-rotic received attention with sexually provocative lyrics and music videos.

While Eurodance singles regularly went to Gold, Platinum or multi-Platinum status, it had been more difficult to get a full length album to get to the same level of success. Typical problems cited include the album as a whole not up to the strength of the singles, the performers not being charismatic enough to hold the attention of millions of people past a song or two, or weak promotion of the remainder of the album after the singles have become hits.
[edit]
History

Original Eurodance is a fusion of several styles of dance music, primarily house and rap with the Hi-NRG variant of disco music.
[edit]
Hi-NRG and Italo-Disco

Hi-NRG started in the United States as an underground, faster form of disco after disco had lost mainstream popularity. In the late 1980s it became associated with British record producers Stock, Aitken and Waterman, and by the early 1990s bands such as Masterboy & 2 Unlimited were producing a Continental version of Hi-NRG.

Eurodance shows a strong Hi-NRG influence, such as the high BPM and the strong use of female vocals. Eurodance can also be seen as a more technologically advanced form of Euro disco, just as Hi-NRG is the more technologically advanced form of Disco.

Italo Disco and its later evolution, Eurobeat, are sometimes thought to be sub-genres of Eurodance, but rather they are offshoots of the European version of Hi-NRG, called "Space Disco". Italo was influential on the production of Eurodance in general, while Italian-produced Eurodance artists, such as Alexia, Cappella, CO.RO, and Double You, tended to preserve features such as operatic female vocals. Later artists such as Eiffel 65 adopted a sort of "marching" beat in their productions. The term "Eurobeat" appears to be more common in Japan, where this style of music is featured in the video game Dance Dance Revolution, as well as in some Anime soundtracks, for example the street racing scenes in Initial D.
[edit]
House music

House music, also an underground genre in the United States, had come to the UK and continental Europe with the rise of acid house and "rave" techno in the late 1980s. By the early 1990s, with the rise of the Belgian New Beat, house then became associated with Belgium and the Netherlands.

Some of the first songs with elements of what would later be called Eurodance are house music. For example, "C'mon and Get My Love" by D Mob (1989), "Strike It Up" by Black Box (1990), "Get Ready For This" by 2 Unlimited (1991) and "Rhythm is a Dancer" by Snap! (1992) all have the duet characteristic of Eurodance, and "Everybody's Free (To Feel Good)" by Rozalla (1991) has the characteristic synthesizer riff.

Not all European house music was absorbed into the Eurodance genre. By the early 2000s, it remained a style distinct from Eurodance with harder synthesis and a slower tempo, for example "Satisfaction" by Benny Benassi (2003).
[edit]
Rap/Hip hop

Rap verse has been one of the main distinguishing elements of Eurodance. While Eurodance makes use of rap vocals, it does not contain the lyrical themes of "gangster rap", nor does it follow many of the instrumental conventions of rap music, such as turntable scratching or heavy basslines. It does however focus on danceability similar to funk music which was a critical basis to the hip hop genre since many songs from that genre were sampled by hip hop artists.

Eurodance has, however, served to popularize rap music in Europe. While rap had been made in Europe at least as far back as Falco's Einzelhaft album (1982), the American variety only gained a more widespread acceptance when Technotronic landed their hit "Pump Up the Jam", followed by Snap's "The Power". The combination of house music with rap vocals in general came to be referred to as Hip house or "house rap".

Rapper Flo Rida's sophomore album, R.O.O.T.S., is heavily influenced by the Eurodance genre.
[edit]
In Europe

Some examples of "original" Eurodance acts are Eiffel 65, 2 Brothers On The 4th Floor, 2 Unlimited, Alcazar, Alexia, Bad Boys Blue, Cappella, Captain Hollywood Project, Centory, Corona, Culture Beat, Darude, DJ Bobo, Dr. Alban, E-rotic. E-Type, First Base, Fun Factory, Ice MC, Imperio, Indra, Infernal, La Bouche, Lobby, Le Click, Masterboy, Maxx, Playahitty, Real McCoy, Vengaboys and Whigfield.

These bands included emphasis of the combo female chorus together with male rap performances, leading directly to the duo revival. Each group featured their own signature sound, persona, visual imagery, and vocal approach.

Solo artists who performed Eurodance include Amber, Haddaway. Rozalla supported Michael Jackson during his European "Dangerous" tour. In 1994, Amber made history becoming the first singer in Eurodance history to be signed to a label as a solo artist, not a singer who is bound to a producer.

In late 90s, it also became a trend in Eurodance music to blend the element of Reggae. The origin was "All That She Wants" by Ace of Base. The hit of this song caused a lot of followers such as "Coco Jamboo" by Mr. President, "Sweet Sweet Smile" by Tatjana, "Help Me Dr.Dick" by E-Rotic, "Ole Ole Singin' Ole Ola" by Rollergirl etc.
[edit]
Canada

Canada was a major Eurodance market, the largest outside Europe, which produced its own variant called Canadance. From about 1993 to 1997, acts such as Capital Sound, Temperance, Jefferson Project, Emjay, Solina, Roxxy, BKS among others; originating mainly in major cities of Central Canada such as Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa were hitting the airwaves. Eurodance received significant airplay on radio stations in the Greater Toronto Area such as Energy 108 and Hot 103.5 which later became Z103.5. By the late 90s, the popularity of this genre was in decline. Today, Eurodance receives little airtime on Canadian radio stations, however Z103.5 plays the genre in rotation almost daily. Some nightclubs in the Toronto area have dedicated nights to this genre, however.
[edit]
United States

Eurodance is not well-known in the United States. A few Eurodance artists (including La Bouche, 2 Unlimited, Real McCoy, and Ace of Base) made the Rhythmic Top 40, Top 40 Mainstream and the Billboard Hot 100 during the early-to-mid 90s. However, it tended to be the more house and rap-oriented artists that received airplay. For instance, the hip-house project Snap! received quite a bit of airplay early on.

The more Hi-NRG-oriented artists were typically played during special "mix" shows if at all, and it was often necessary to go to a club to hear Eurodance music. While Eurodance did become popular with club DJ's in the United States, radio stations were cautious about playing anything that sounded too much like disco during most of the 1980s and 1990s. By the end of the 1990s, however, some of the later acts such as Blue (Da Ba Dee) by Eiffel 65 and Barbie Girl by Aqua did receive extensive airplay.

Despite lack of widespread radio play, many Hi-NRG and Eurodance songs are popular at professional sporting events in the United States, especially basketball.

Compilation albums, such as the DMA Dance: Eurodance series of compilation albums (1995–1997) from Interhit Records and Dance Music Authority magazine,[5] were popular and helped to define the genre as well as to make it accessible in the U.S. and Canada.[6]
[edit]
2000s

Techno always had an important influence on Eurodance music, which at times was basically its more commercial counterpart. From the late 1990s onwards, Trance began to take more influence from Eurodance as well (see Euro-Trance), while techno music was in decline since the late 1990s. By 2006, Trance started slowly losing popularity as quality releases that lived up to the early 2000s sound declined. Interest in Eurodance reignited. However, this time the comeback was largely helped by interests through music and video websites, which includes significant support from media sharing and online networking sites. Although this would be considered the second generation of Eurodance, the 2000s saw renewed interest in Eurodance.

Such groups as Basic Element, Alcazar, Ian Van Dahl, O-Zone, Milk Inc., Merzedes Club, Infernal, Special D, Groove Coverage, Santamaria, Cascada, Sylver, Danijay, Colonia, and solo artists such as Madonna (e.g. Hung Up single), Kate Ryan, Gabry Ponte, DJ Aligator, Scooter, Máni Svavarsson, Lucas Prata and Inna, represent some of the best of the second generation of Eurodance artists. Most of them have released hit singles and/or albums stateside.
[edit]
Notable Eurodance artists
Main article: List of eurodance artists

Some of the most recognized bands of the genre include artists such as the Dutch-Belgian group 2 Unlimited, Italian group Eiffel 65, Swedish group Alcazar and Danish group Infernal. Some of the more recent Eurodance artists to enjoy fame include Basshunter and Cascada.
[edit]
Classification

After the early 1990s, Eurodance music had split into several categories:
"Classic" Eurodance (1990s) - As noted, often a female vocalist and a male rapper were used for songs within this genre. The music features thicker and more detailed production and is slightly slower than most Eurodance that appeared afterward. This sound features arrangements, production touches, synths, and basslines unique to the early and mid 1990s, and is strongly favored by those who were fans of Eurodance during that time.
Bubblegum Dance - Essentially the Danish Eurodance version of bubblegum pop. While the instrumental style is similar to "classic" Eurodance, the lyrics tend towards a tongue-in-cheek humor very different from typical "disco" lyrics. Topics tend to be such things as toys, cartoons or video games, double-entendres, and fairytale motifs (for example, Aqua's Barbie Girl). Bubblegum may use either a chorus or a male rapper/female singer duet, though it tends not to make use of American rappers as classic Eurodance does.
Euro-Trance - Has a more open-ended structure compared to the tightly knit vocals and melodies of "classic" Eurodance. Vocals sometimes vague or repetitive without verse/chorus structure, often with echo and other effects. Often Euro-Trance has a strong synth line with ethereal chords and strong percussion.
[edit]
Other related and influential styles
Synthpop - This style emerged during the late 1970s. A type of dance music with futuristic synths and a lighter electro aesthetic resembling new wave or early electro pioneers but with a simpler pop/rock template often centering around a vocal part. Synth-Pop did lose its popularity in the mainstream by the early-1990s but has never been dormant. It continues to be a popular style seeing a major resurgence in the 2000s.
Europop - Popular music related to Dance-pop with elements of classic Eurodance or Trance but is not a lot like one or the other. Chorus and verse structure prevalent. Nearly always incessantly catchy and infectious melodies, synths and beats.
[edit]
See also
Eurodisco
Euro pop
Eurobeat
Euro-Trance
Reggae fusion (Euro Reggae)
List of eurodance artists
[edit]
Notes
^ Elixic.de: Genrelexikon: Dance Click on "weiterlesen" to see full article. Requires Javascript.
^ Allmusic: Euro-Dance
^ About.com Top 10 Lists - Eurodance Artists
^ The Eurodance Encyclopaedia - FAQ: What is Eurodance?
^ Discogs.com: DMA Dance Vol. 1: Eurodance
^ Gajarsky, Bob (May 19, 1997). "Review: Various Artists, DMA Dance Volume 3". Consumable Online (Hoboken, NJ) (109).
[edit]
Radio stations and streaming audio
Digitally Imported Eurodance Channel
Beirut Nights Radio: Eurodance Trance and Mediterranean Music since 1999
KNHC "C-89.5", Seattle WA
WMPH "Super 91.7", Wilmington DE
Shoutcast: Eurodance directory
WoED.fm Internet Radio that plays mainly "modern" eurodance music
DMOZ: Stations: Dance
Radio eXtra: 90s Eurodance
[edit]
External links
The Eurodance Forum
Hands up(EuroDance) music
The Eurodance Encyclopedia
EuroDanceHits.com
EuroDance Music Videos
Dance Artists Info
DMOZ: Styles: Euro Dance
Dancefloor '90 German speaking website about Dancefloor Music

Category:1990s in music
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Subcategories

This category has the following 22 subcategories, out of 22 total. [+] 1990 in music (12 C, 11 P)
[+] 1991 in music (13 C, 11 P)
[+] 1992 in music (14 C, 9 P)
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[+] 1995 in music (13 C, 8 P)
[+] 1996 in music (13 C, 13 P)
[+] 1997 in music (13 C, 12 P) cont.
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[+] 1999 in music (13 C, 12 P)
1
[×] 1990s rappers (71 P)
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[+] 1990s albums (18 C)
B
[+] 1990s ballet premieres (11 C)
[+] Britpop (4 C, 6 P)
E
[+] Eurodance (2 C, 12 P)
G
[+] Grunge music (5 C, 8 P) H
[+] House music (6 C, 13 P)
M
[+] 1990s music groups (2 C, 4358 P)
[+] 1990s musicals (10 C, 1 P)
N
[+] Nu metal (4 C, 3 P)
O
[+] 1990s operas (10 C, 1 P)
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[+] 1990s songs (14 C)

Pages in category "1990s in music"

The following 30 pages are in this category, out of 30 total. This list may not reflect recent changes (learn more). 1
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A
Auto-Tune
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Dáithí O'Cléirigh
E
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G
Gangsta rap G cont.
Golden age hip hop
H
Heartsfield
I
Irish hip hop
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L
List of number-one singles from the 1990s (UK)
List of best-selling singles of the 1990s (UK)
M
Music of the United Kingdom (1990s)
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New Wave of American Heavy Metal
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List of 1990s one-hit wonders in the United States O cont.
User:GeicoHen/List of 2010s Alternative one-hit wonders in the United States
P
Pop punk
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Riot Grrrl
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Salsa romántica
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Categories: 1990s | 20th century in music | 1990s fads and trends

Golden age hip hop
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Hip hop's "golden age" (or "golden era") is a name given to a period in mainstream hip hop—usually cited as being a period varying in time frames during the 1980s and 1990s said to be characterized by its diversity, quality, innovation and influence. The era is best described by two words that end in ity followed by two words that start with in. [1][2][3][4][5][6] There were strong themes of Afrocentricity and political militancy, while the music was experimental and the sampling eclectic.[7] The artists most often associated with the phrase are Public Enemy, Boogie Down Productions, Eric B. & Rakim, Beastie Boys, Big Daddy Kane, De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest, and the Jungle Brothers.[8] Releases by these acts co-existed in this period with, and were as commercially viable as, those of early gangsta rap artists such as N.W.A, the sex raps of 2 Live Crew, and party-oriented music by acts such as Kid 'n Play and DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince.[9]Contents [hide]
1 Style
2 Time period
3 Notable artists
4 References

[edit]
Style

The golden age is noted for its innovation – a time “when it seemed that every new single reinvented the genre”[10] according to Rolling Stone. Referring to “hip-hop in its golden age”,[11] Spin’s editor-in-chief Sia Michel says, “there were so many important, groundbreaking albums coming out right about that time”,[12] and MTV’s Sway Calloway adds: "The thing that made that era so great is that nothing was contrived. Everything was still being discovered and everything was still innovative and new”.[13] Writer William Jelani Cobb says "what made the era they inaugurated worthy of the term golden was the sheer number of stylistic innovations that came into existence... in these golden years, a critical mass of mic prodigies were literally creating themselves and their art form at the same time".[14]

It also provided some of the greatest advances in rapping technique - Kool G Rap, referring to the golden age in the book How to Rap says, “that era bred rappers like a Big Daddy Kane, a KRS-One, a Rakim, a Chuck D. . . their rapping capability and ability - these dudes were phenomenal”.[15][16]

Many of hip-hop's biggest artists were also at their creative peak – Allmusic says the golden age, “witnessed the best recordings from some of the biggest rappers in the genre's history... overwhelmingly based in New York City, golden age rap is characterized by skeletal beats, samples cribbed from hard rock or soul tracks, and tough dis raps... rhymers like PE's Chuck D, Big Daddy Kane, KRS-One, Rakim, and LL Cool J basically invented the complex wordplay and lyrical kung-fu of later hip-hop”.[17]

There was also often an emphasis on black nationalism – hip-hop scholar Michael Eric Dyson states, "during the golden age of hip hop, from 1987 to 1993, Afrocentric and black nationalist rap were prominent",[18] and critic Scott Thill says, “the golden age of hip hop, the late '80s and early '90s when the form most capably fused the militancy of its Black Panther and Watts Prophets forebears with the wide-open cultural experimentalism of De La Soul and others”.[19]

Stylistic variety was also prominent – MSNBC says in the golden age, “rappers had an individual sound that was dictated by their region and their communities, not by a marketing strategist”[20] and Village Voice refers to the golden age’s “eclecticism”.[21]
[edit]
Time period

Allmusic writes, “Hip-hop's golden age is bookended by the commercial breakthrough of Run-D.M.C. in 1986 and the explosion of gangsta rap with 1992's The Chronic by Dr. Dre”,[22] However, the specific time period that the golden age covers varies among different sources. Some place it square in the '80s and '90s – Rolling Stone refers to “rap's '86-'99 golden age”,[23] and MSNBC states, “the “Golden Age” of hip-hop music: The ’80s” and ’90s”.[24] Officially, the so called 'Golden Age" period of Hip Hop was the period between 1986 and 1996.

Several others place it in the late 80s to all the 90s – the New York Times describes it as “hip-hop's golden age – the late 1980's and 90's”.[25] In the book Contemporary Youth Culture, the "golden age era" is described as being "from 1987–1999", coming after "the old school era: from 1979 to 1985".[26] Ed Simmons of The Chemical Brothers says, “there was that golden age of hip-hop in the early 90s when the Jungle Brothers made Straight Out the Jungle and De La Soul made Three Feet High and Rising”[27] (though these records were in fact made in 1988 and 1989 respectively).

Music critic Tony Green, in the book Classic Material, refers to the two year period 1993–1994 as "a second Golden Age" that saw influential, high quality albums using elements of past classicism – E-mu SP-1200 drum sounds, turntable scratches, references to old school hip hop hits, and "tongue-twisting triplet verbalisms" – while making clear that new directions were being taken. Green lists as examples the Wu-Tang Clan's Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), Nas' Illmatic, De La Soul's 1993 release Buhloone Mindstate, Snoop Doggy Dogg's Doggystyle, A Tribe Called Quest's third album Midnight Marauders and the Outkast debut Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik.[28]
[edit]
Notable artists

According to a number of sources, such as; Rolling Stone, The Village Voice, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Allmusic, The Age, MSNBC, and author William Jelani Cobb, the following were key artists in the golden Age of Hip-hop[29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36]2 Live Crew
A Tribe Called Quest
Beastie Boys
Big Daddy Kane
Biz Markie
Black Sheep
Boogie Down Productions
Brand Nubian
Cypress Hill
Das EFX
De La Soul
The D.O.C.
Doug E. Fresh
Dr. Dre
DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince
DJ Quik Eazy-E
EPMD
Eric B. & Rakim
Gang Starr
Geto Boys
Heavy D & The Boyz
Ice Cube
Ice T
Jungle Brothers
Kool G Rap & DJ Polo
Kool Moe Dee
KRS-One
LL Cool J
Main Source
Masta Ace
MC Lyte MC Shan
Naughty by Nature
N.W.A.
Pete Rock & CL Smooth
Public Enemy
Queen Latifah
Run-D.M.C.
Salt-N-Pepa
Schoolly D
Slick Rick
Special Ed
Stetsasonic
The Notorious B.I.G.
Too $hort
Tupac Shakur
Ultramagnetic MCs

[edit]
References
^ "Slick Rick: Behind Bars"
^ Cheo H. Coker, "Slick Rick: Behind Bars", Rolling Stone, March 9, 1995.
^ http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5430999/
^ Green, Tony, in Wang, Oliver (ed.) Classic Material, Toronto: ECW Press, 2003. (p. 132)
^ Jon Caramanica, "Hip-Hop's Raiders of the Lost Archives", New York Times, June 26, 2005.
Cheo H. Coker, "Slick Rick: Behind Bars", Rolling Stone, March 9, 1995.
Lonnae O'Neal Parker, "U-Md. Senior Aaron McGruder's Edgy Hip-Hop Comic Gets Raves, but No Takers", Washington Post, Aug 20 1997.
^ Jake Coyle of Associated Press, "Spin magazine picks Radiohead CD as best", published in USA Today, June 19, 2005.
Cheo H. Coker, "Slick Rick: Behind Bars", Rolling Stone, March 9, 1995.
Andrew Drever, "Jungle Brothers still untamed", The Age [Australia], October 24, 2003.
^ Roni Sariq, "Crazy Wisdom Masters", City Pages, April 16, 1997.
Scott Thill, "Whiteness Visible" AlterNet, May 6, 2005.
Will Hodgkinson, "Adventures on the wheels of steel", The Guardian, September 19, 2003.
^ Per Coker, Hodgkinson, Drever, Thill, O'Neal Parker and Sariq above. Additionally:
Cheo H. Coker, "KRS-One: Krs-One", Rolling Stone, November 16, 1995.
Andrew Pettie, "'Where rap went wrong'", Daily Telegraph, August 11, 2005.
Mosi Reeves, "Easy-Chair Rap", Village Voice, January 29th 2002.
Greg Kot, "Hip-Hop Below the Mainstream", Los Angeles Times, September 19, 2001.
Cheo Hodari Coker, "'It's a Beautiful Feeling'", Los Angeles Times, August 11, 1996.
Scott Mervis, "From Kool Herc to 50 Cent, the story of rap -- so far", Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, February 15, 2004.
^ Bakari Kitwana,"The Cotton Club", Village Voice, June 21, 2005.
^ Cheo H. Coker, "Slick Rick: Behind Bars", Rolling Stone, March 9, 1995.
^ Jake Coyle of Associated Press, "Spin magazine picks Radiohead CD as best", published in USA Today, June 19, 2005.
^ Jake Coyle of Associated Press, "Spin magazine picks Radiohead CD as best", published in USA Today, June 19, 2005.
^ Scott Mervis, "From Kool Herc to 50 Cent, the story of rap – so far", Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, February 15, 2004.
^ Cobb, Jelani William, 2007, To the Break of Dawn, NYU Press, p. 47.
^ Edwards, Paul, 2009, How to Rap: The Art & Science of the Hip-Hop MC, Chicago Review Press, p. vii.
^ http://rapradar.com/2009/12/03/how-to-ra...g-rap-foreword/
^ http://www.allmusic.com/explore/style/d12014
^ Dyson, Michael Eric, 2007, Know What I Mean?, Westview Press, p. 64.
^ Scott Thill, "Whiteness Visible" AlterNet, May 6, 2005.
^ http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5430999/
^ Mosi Reeves, "Easy-Chair Rap", Village Voice, January 29th 2002.
^ http://www.allmusic.com/explore/style/d12014
^ Cheo H. Coker, "Slick Rick: Behind Bars", Rolling Stone, March 9, 1995.
^ http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5430999/
^ Jon Caramanica, "Hip-Hop's Raiders of the Lost Archives", New York Times, June 26, 2005
^ Steinberg, Shirley R., 2006, Contemporary Youth Culture, Greenwood Publishing Group, p. 361.
^ Will Hodgkinson, "Adventures on the wheels of steel", The Guardian, September 19, 2003.
^ Green, Tony, in Wang, Oliver (ed.) Classic Material, Toronto: ECW Press, 2003. (p. 132)
^ Cheo H. Coker, "KRS-One: Krs-One", Rolling Stone, November 16, 1995.
^ Mosi Reeves, "Easy-Chair Rap", Village Voice, January 29th 2002.
^ Scott Mervis, "From Kool Herc to 50 Cent, the story of rap – so far", Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, February 15, 2004.
^ http://www.allmusic.com/explore/style/d12014
^ Andrew Drever, "Jungle Brothers still untamed", The Age [Australia], October 24, 2003.
^ http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5430999/
^ Cobb, Jelani William, 2007, To the Break of Dawn, NYU Press, p. 47.
^ Steinberg, Shirley R., 2006, Contemporary Youth Culture, Greenwood Publishing Group, p. 361.[hide]
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Hardcore hip hop
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Not to be confused with Rapcore or Horrorcore. This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page.
It needs additional references or sources for verification. Tagged since February 2009.
It may require general cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. Tagged since February 2009.


Hardcore hip hop, also referred to as hardcore rap, is a sub-genre of hip hop music that developed through the East Coast hip hop scene in the 1980s.[1] Pioneered by such artists as Schoolly D, Spoonie Gee, Boogie Down Productions, and Kool G Rap, it is generally characterized by an aggressive sound and confrontational lyricism reflecting the urban black male experience. Following a breakthrough in the early 1990s, hardcore hip hop became a popular crossover style during the mid-1990s.
History

Hardcore rap began in East Coast hip hop during the 1980s when artists such as Run-D.M.C., Schoolly D, Boogie Down Productions, Spoonie Gee, Public Enemy, and Kool G Rap began eschewing the themes of partying and bragging.[1] Their music reflected the often harsh and grim experiences of the rapper's urban surroundings. Run-D.M.C. have been credited as the first hardcore hip hop group.[2] Before a formula for gangsta rap had developed, artists such as the New York City-based Boogie Down Productions and Los Angeles native Ice-T implemented detailed observations of "street life", while the chaotic, rough sounding production style of Public Enemy's records set new standards for hip hop production.[1] In the early 1990s, hardcore rap became largely synonymous with West Coast gangsta (gangsters) rap, as exemplified by N.W.A, until the Wu-Tang Clan emerged in 1993. Wu Tang Clan's minimalistic beats and piano-driven sampling became widely popular among other hip hop artists of the time.[1]
Characteristics

Gangsta rap has been associated with the style; however, hardcore hip hop does not generally revolve around "gangsta" lyrical themes, even though there is a great deal of overlap, especially among hardcore rappers of the 1990s.[1] Allmusic stated that hardcore hip hop is characterized by "confrontation and aggression, whether in the lyrical subject matter, the hard, driving beats, the noisy sampling and production, or any combination thereof."[1] Russell Potter wrote that while hardcore rap has been associated with a "monolithic 'gangsta' outlook" by the popular press, hardcore rappers have "laid claim to a wide variety of ground".[3]
References
^ a b c d e f Hardcore Rap. Allmusic. Accessed May 22, 2008.
^ Thomas Erlewine, Stephen. allmusic ((( Run-D.M.C. > Biography ))). Allmusic. Accessed January 14, 2008.
^ Potter, Russell A. (1995). Spectacular Vernaculars: Hip-hop and the Politics of Postmodernism. p. 130. SUNY Press. ISBN 0-7914-2626-2.[hide]
v · d · e
Hip hop

The Four Core Elements Breaking · DJing · Graffiti · MCing

Culture Dance · Fashion · Music · Production · Theater

History History · Golden age · Old school · New school

Subgenres Acid rap – Alternative hip hop – Bounce music – Chicano rap – Chopped and screwed – Christian hip hop – Conscious hip hop – Freestyle rap – Gangsta rap – Hardcore hip hop – Horrorcore – Instrumental hip hop – Native American hip hop – Nerdcore hip hop – Political hip hop – Pop rap – Snap music – Turntablism – West Coast

Fusion genres Baltimore club – Country rap – Crunk – Crunkcore – Cumbia rap – Electro hop – G-funk – Ghetto house – Ghettotech – Glitch hop – Hip hop soul – Hip house – Hiplife – Hyphy – Industrial hip hop – Jazz rap – Merenrap – Neo soul – Rap metal – Rap opera – Rap rock – Rapcore – Wonky

By continent African · Asian · European · Latin American · Middle Eastern

By country Albanian · Algerian · Australian · Azerbaijani · Belgian · Bosnian/Herzegovinan · Brazilian · British · Bulgarian · Burmese · Canadian · Chinese · Cuban · Czech · Danish · Dominican · Dutch · Egyptian · Filipino · Finnish · French · Georgian · German · Greek · Greenlandic · Haitian · Hong Kong · Hungarian · Icelandic · Indian · Indonesian · Iranian · Irish · Israeli · Italian · Ivorian · Japanese · Kenyan · Korean · Lebanese · Macedonian · Malaysian · Mexican · Moroccan · Native American · Nepalese · New Zealand · Nigerian · Pakistani · Palestinian · Polish · Portuguese · Romanian · Russian · Salvadoran · Senegalese · Serbian · Slovak · Slovenian · Spanish · Swedish · Swiss · Taiwanese · Tanzanian · Togolese · Turkish · Ukrainian · Zimbabwean

Lists &
Categories Albums · Beatboxers · Collectives · DJs · Genres · Groups · Musicians · Rappers · Producers · Singers