1. Geography and Culture: Folk to Popular Music
Mr Kuhn

2. Review: Folk vs Popular Culture
Folk Culture
Folk Culture is locally developed and formed in isolated communities
It is often handed down orally and has a strong sense of community
Traditionally practiced by small homogenous groups in rural settings
Popular Culture
Found in large heterogeneous societies
Developed largely due to increase in communication technologies and global connections

3. What is Folk Music?
Music that has been passed orally through in localized areas often though the lower classes
While most of the lower class was traditionally illiterate, Folk Songs were not written down but carried over from previous generations
Folk Music was often created for local traditions or enjoyment on a local scale, not for money or success
It is important to note that not all old music is Folk Music, Classical Music has had widespread commercial success for long periods of time

4. Folk Music in Canada
Early Canadian Folk Music was heavily influenced by its French and British heritage in terms of lyrical and musical style
Different regions within Canada were unique, however, due to the common careers of the lower class (Often determined by what resources the area they lived in supplied)
Maritimes
Thinking geographically, the Maritimes were situated in an area with and abundance of fish which led the majority of the lower class to become fishers and sailors
It was these people who created Folk music and their music was heavily influenced by their daily life
British Columbia
Abundance of wood and minerals in landscape led to elements of daily life being incorporated into folk songs

5. The Start of Popular Music
The term “Pop Music” was coined around the middle of the 1920’s
It was in this era that genres such as rhythm and blues, country, and pop folk music became popular
Pop music began to grow as modern technologies gave more people free time and communication devices began to grow
As technology replaces jobs people have traditionally done, less people are needed for a community to survive
With more freedom new occupations are created and the “common man” has more time to enjoy the luxuries of life

6. Mass Production and Popular Music
The Phonogram (Record Player) was created by Thomas Edison in 1877
Original phonogram were found in public arcades and not owned by individuals due to their price and impracticality
It was not until 1895 when German born American immigrant Emile Berliner created a flat disc record that could be mass produced that phonographs became more popular
Record players only became affordable after World War Two which led to an even bigger boost in their sales

7. Tin Pan Alley: The Diffusion of Pop Music
With the creation of records and popularization of the radio in the late 19th century, music was now a product that people could sell
Manhattan, New York became the largest publishing area in North America
People from around the world began coming to this area to sell their songs
Popular Genres at this time were country, pop-folk, show tunes, and rag time
Diffusion of American popular music started during the World War II.
English became the language of popular music

8. Key Differences Between Popular and Folk Music
Folk Music is localized, orally passed on, and not for profit (Most folk music is not protected under copyright and even today can be duplicated for free)
Pop Music is built for profit and its success depends on it being spread globally (Copyright protects Artists profits)
Folk Music is typically created and shared amongst the lower classes while Pop Music has traditionally spread through large companies owned by the upper class
While it is almost impossible to find who wrote Folk Song, Pop Music artists are idolized and celebrated

9. Today in the Text… How folk music was created
Stephen Foster steals African- American music
Music After the Tin Pan Alley Era
Memphis, Rock and Roll, and Elvis steals African-American Music
Seattle and the Grunge Music Movement