The electric
guitar is the main
instrument in many
musical styles,
especially rock 275(^5) JAZZ
Jazz was born in early 20th-century America, when
elements of European music were blended with the
rhythmic music brought by African slaves to the south.
(^6) ROCK
In the 1940s and 50s, rock-and-roll music sprang
up in the United States. It was played on electric
guitars, bass guitars, and drums, and featured
exciting vocals, catchy tunes, and a strong beat.
This evolved into rock music, a group of many
diverse styles that remains popular worldwide.
(^7) POP
This type of rock music is aimed mostly at a young
audience. Pop songs can be fairly simple in their
structure, with lots of repetition in the lyrics, so
it’s easy to sing along. Today’s major pop stars
reach an international audience with their hit songs.
(^8) R&B
Rhythm and blues, or R&B, music started in the United
States in the 1940s, originally performed by and for a
mainly African-American audience. Today’s version of
the style is closely related to disco and dance music,
but is smoother and features softer vocals.
(^9) REGGAE
This style of music originated in Jamaica in the 1960s.
It has a characteristic rhythm style and a slow and
steady tempo (speed). The bass guitar keeps the rhythm
and is the most prominent instrument. Reggae is
associated with the Rastafarian religion.
(^10) COUNTRY
Mixing the traditional music of the southern states
of America with rock-and-roll and other musical
styles, country music is one of the largest-selling
music genres today, with major stars, huge record
sales, and enormously successful tours.
Touring provides a
major income stream
for today’s global
pop stars, such as
Justin Timberlake
Women singers,
such as Beyoncé, are
among the world’s
top-earning pop stars
Rock band
The Killers’s
first album, Hot
Fuss, is estimated
to have sold
over 7 million
copies worldwide
Jamaican music legend
Bob Marley is the most
famous reggae star
Many country music
stars have adopted
the cowboy image
Smartphones are
now used to store
and listen to music
7
8
9
10
Wireless speakers can
be paired wirelessly
with many devices,
such as smartphones,
to play music anywhere
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