Final Exam (90s - 2000s) (Part 2) Flashcards

Question

YouTube Breakout: Gangnam Style

Answer 1

First international hit created by YouTube

Answer 2

1. Cutting out the middleman = music provided directly to audience Planet Earth (Prince) = released for free - In Rainbows (Radiohead) = made available for any price Songs of Innocence (U2) = iTunes automatic purchase fiasco 2. Royalties from concert promotion companies - Ex. Madonna deal with Live Nation = profits from concerts, merch, ‘brand’ 3. Flexible release timelines (eliminating time for physical production) - System of a Down, Green Day, Justin Timberlake, Prince, Future 4. Boundaries no longer determined by record companies

Answer 3

Traditional commercial approach (radio and TV promotion) - Grunge band, country leanings

Answer 4

From All The Right Reasons album, which sold 7 million copies - Grunge = metallic guitar - Country = rhythm guitar, vocal inflection

Answer 5

Blurred genres approach (traditional publicity less relevant) - Rock band with hip-hop elements (turntables, electronic instruments)

Answer 6

From Hybrid Theory album, emblematic of rock/hip-hop hybrid - Rock chorus - Hip hop verse

Answer 7

From Rock Phenomenon album (in collaboration with DJs Rock Rayada + DJ Vlad), hip hop song combined over existing rock track

Answer 8

Experiments in sound (sampling, electronic techniques) and economics (In Rainbows, name your price album) - Blend of punk and arena rock

Answer 9

From In Rainbows album, features gradual layering of electronic techniques

Answer 10

Thematic exploration approach - Indie band which pulled on a diverse repertoire of styles

Answer 11

From The Suburbs album, music mirrors text - Theme: suburban decline, isolation felt up suburban youth - Musical depiction of good old days (70s country rock) → dissonant strings guitar riff build

Answer 12

1. The Hustler 2. The Artist 3. The Genre Blender

Answer 13

Sold first single ‘In My Lifetime’ out of friend’s car → used money to found his own record label (Roc-a-fella Records) - Clothing line (Roc-a-wear) - Def Jam Records → Roc Nation - Tidal Owner ***Most $$ had to go to sample clearance!

Answer 14

Brought back the sampling of 60s/70s soul hits that had gone out of style in the 90s - Unpredictable “spirit” (prone to public outbursts)

Answer 15

On College Dropout album - R&B ostinato (repeated pattern) - Lyric is egocentric, yet self-deprecating ***Co-written with Lauryn Hill

Answer 16

On Yeezus album More abrasive, acid house

Answer 17

Brought white working-class mid-western angst perspective to hip hop - Respected (first rapper on rock radio) yet divisive - Blended rock with hip hop

Answer 18

Story of an obsessive fan named Stan who is writing Eminem a letter (pencil scratches) - Blurs genre lines by sampling Dido’s “Thank You”

Answer 19

Embody southern rap - Rap - Live instruments/samples

Answer 20

From The Love Below, the Andre 3000 half of the Speaker Box/The Love Below dual album - Southern rap (so did not fit in any genre) but still successful! - ‘Live’ persona reflected in arena rock antics and ‘fake’ count in

Answer 21

Take on the Beatles Ed Sullivan show performance; invokes many ‘throwbacks - Call & response (James Brown) - Instrumental break reduced to drums (disco) - Synth (80s technology)

Answer 22

1. Streaming affects creation - 1,500 streams = 1 album - Artists increase album length --> Beerbongs & Bentleys, Culture II, Scorpion 2. Digital distribution allows editing post-release - Ex. Kanye edits “Wolves” off Life of Pablo; added new vocal performances but cut out Frank Ocean ending 3. Autotuned Sound - Rappers ‘sing’ their own hooks 4. SoundCloud Rap/Mumbled Rap - DIY approach allows anyone to produce music (w/o industry) - Post Malone, Travis Scott, Lil Uzi Vert, A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie

Answer 23

Business endeavors include: - OVO Sound (own record label) - Apple Music ambassador - Toronto Raptors ambassador - Virginia Black (whiskey)

Answer 24

From Views album, trap influenced (rap) - Theme: emotional games of modern relationships do not end when the relationship does!

Answer 25

From Views album, Jamaican dancehall influenced (singing) ***First Drake song to surpass 1 billion streams on Spotify

Answer 26

Hustler: deals with Pepsi, Adidas, Barbie Artist: fashion icon, stage persona with alter egos - See Pink Friday album cover

Answer 27

From Pink Friday album, embodies pop rap - Unlike other rap songs, takes a chorus/verse form - Chorus is uptempo, catchy - Verses are clever, humorous

Answer 28

Originally a ghostwriter (Bieber, Beyonce) who made it big → think Carole King! - Broke down hip hop heteronormativity with Channel ORANGE album - Inspirations include Beatles, David Bowie, Andre 3000

Answer 29

Embodies avant-garde hip hop and R&B blend - Theme: Mocks the rich, entitled youths during financial crisis ***Drum machine beat with ‘Bennie and the Jets’ chords

Answer 30

Creator of socially conscious concept albums, often featuring stylistic diversity - Juxtaposes atmospheric music with strong themes (depression, fear of failure, survivor’s guilt)

Answer 31

Name a reference to 2Pac’s well-known acronym, To Pimp A Caterpillar - The album representative of music's future!

Answer 32

Disturbing musical atmosphere (jazz saxophone with screams, siren samples) plays background for Kendrick berating himself in hotel mirror - Admits to depression, letting family down

Answer 33

Contemporary R&B/Jazz plays background to young African American men trying to keep faith despite challenges faced

Answer 34

Depicts a like Kendrick concert → fight breaks out during song → Kendrick stops concert to admonish fighters against black on black violence - Discusses reappropriating N word

Answer 35

Atmospheric sound plays background for the culmination of album themes - Contextualizes journey with that of Nelson Mandela - Features a fictional dialogue with Tupac - Kendrick reads his poem “To Pimp a Butterfly” poem → Tupac falls silent

Answer 36

Big break came during SNL performance (host = Sarah Palin) - Won a Grammy for 19 two weeks later - Sealed the deal with 21

Answer 37

Pop with 60s/70s soul influence - Colorful, gravelly voice → power ballad queen

Answer 38

1. Slowed bridge style contrasts rest of the song, builds tension 2. Energy added to chorus with claps that subdivide the beat

Answer 39

Confessional singer-songwriter who transitioned from country to pop

Answer 40

From Speak Now album, showcases country roots - Acoustic guitar, steel guitar, fiddle, twang in voice

Answer 41

From Red album, the country influence - Steel guitar, light kick drum

Answer 42

From Red album, the dipping of the toe into pop ‘waters’ - Acoustic guitar = pivot - Deep strong beats

Answer 43

From 1989 album, marks the transition into pop - Heavy synth, electronic beat

Answer 44

Symbolic of black, female empowerment - Like other great R&B divas (think Diana Ross), began career in girl group called Destiny’s Child

Answer 45

Fusion of R&B, Hip Hop, Pop (catchy hooks)

Answer 46

Released suddenly with no marketing - Ultimate independence move!

Answer 47

Visuals made to stand alone (one album length music video, divided in 11 sections) - Had the effect of strengthening fan relationships (think Tina Turner’s biography!)

Answer 48

From Lemonade album, plea with an unfaithful lover that she still loves him - From MV: plea turns to warning! --> Reads poem called ‘Denial’ before song starts

Final Exam (90s - 2000s) (Part 2) Flashcards

(72 cards)