Post-World War Ii American Popular Music

Post-World War Ii American Popular Music



Post-World War II American Popular Music
John W. Smith
Your University

Abstract
The decade of postwar popular music can be defined by the intertwining of five important developments. These developments were 1) the rise of youth as consumer; 2) new technology; 3) the reappearance of the independent record label; 4) the break-up of the big bands; and 5) the combined effects of the Great Depression and Great Migration.

Post-World War II American Popular Music
The postwar decade saw, for the first time, the conscious targeting of youth by the recording industry as consumers of popular music. The booming postwar economy resulted in both a significant increase in disposable income and a growing segment of society–teenagers–differentiated from earlier generations by their tastes in music and clothing (Bennett, 2001). The melding of money and newfound feelings of independence helped to create a perfect storm for the commercialization of popular music.
Technological advances also played a role in an ever changing recording industry. The mass production of goods in support of the war effort was applied to postwar consumer products. This resulted in more items being produced at lower prices. The mass production of record players, radios and televisions became important mediums for the recording industry to distribute popular music.
The most important technological breakthrough of this era for the music industry was tape recording. Magnetic tapes dramatically lowered the costs for recording and producing music. In addition, tapes provided better sound quality than records. Tape allowed producers to cut and splice the best parts of several performances versus the all-or-nothing process of recording to master records (Bennett, 2001).
The change to–and acceptance of–tape from records made producers and studio owners out of businessmen who could not previously afford the equipment necessary for master recordings (Clarke, 2008). The result was the reemergence of the small,...

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