Project by Shelby Sayer 1950’ S M USIC A guitar from the 1950's.

I NTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND The 1950’s began a new age in music. Rock and roll became popular among teenagers. Other styles of music included jazz, rhythm and blues, gospel, show tunes, country, and pop. Some famous artists from all genres included Elvis Presley, Nat King Cole, Dean Martin, Ella Fitzgerald, Bobby Darin, Buddy Holly, Frank Sinatra, Ritchie Valens, and J.P “Big Bopper” Richardson, etc. Three themes that relate to music in the 1950’s are consumerism, increase in technology, and the emergence of teen culture.

C ONSUMERISM Teens were able to buy rock and roll records with the money they were receiving. Bandstand was a Philadelphia program that had music performers on it. With the increase in money, more people were able to buy televisions to watch shows like that. Rock and roll music grew in popularity and was on the radio more often. Because of this, the purchase of radios increased. People bought inexpensive and portable radios to put in cars when radio stations started to play music.

C ONSUMERISM This is a radio from the 1950’s. When radio stations began to play more music, the purchase in radios like this one increased greatly.

I NCREASE IN T ECHNOLOGY In 1950, record companies were able to adopt new ways to greatly improve sound quality in a song recording. In 1952, the Multisound track replay was presented by Cinerama, which started public interest in further research on the possibility of stereo recordings. In 1954, Companies began to provide more useful equipment for stereo recording in major studios. In 1956, stereo LP’s became accessible and new song releases became available in two types of sound: mono and stereo.

I NCREASE IN TECHNOLOGY This is a recording studio from the 1950’s. This studio marks the new technology that became available for music artists to use to record their songs.

E MERGENCE OF TEEN CULTURE Teens played a big part in making rock and roll popular. Parents didn’t like that their kids listened to rock and roll music, but teens became more rebellious in the fifties, so they listened anyway. Music was expanding and teens experienced more freedom than what their parents had, so they listened to the music they liked. Teens liked rock and roll because they liked the freedom that came with listening to it. They could express themselves, let loose, and have fun.

E MERGENCE OF TEEN CULTURE This is a Gibson E5-175 Sunburst Guitar from This type of guitar was used in rock and roll music. Teens liked rock and roll music that featured guitars like this because it made them feel like they had freedom and that they could have fun.

T WO I MPORTANT 1950’ S MUSIC FACTS According to and other websites, ‘rock and roll was developed by blending southern blues and gospel music and adding a strong backbeat.’ “The Day the Music Died”~ February 3, 1959: This was the day Ritchie Valens, Buddy Holly, and J.P. “Big Bopper” Richardson, three very famous for their time rock and roll artists, died in a plane crash after a concert.

W EBSITES /B IBLIOGRAPHY All photos from Google Images. Artists and types of music found from many different websites A guitar from the 1950's.