timeline
1960
John Coltrane forms his own quartet and becomes the voice of jazz's New Wave movement.
1961
Patsy Cline releases “I Fall to Pieces” and “Crazy.” The success of the songs help her cross over from country to pop.
1963
A wave of Beatlemania hits the U.K. The Beatles, a British band composed of John Lennon, George Harrison, Ringo Starr and Paul McCartney, take Britain by storm.
The Rolling Stones emerge as the anti-Beatles, with an aggressive, blues-derived style.
1964
Folk musician Bob Dylan becomes increasingly popular during this time of social protest with songs expressing objection to the condition of American society.
The Beatles appear on The Ed Sullivan Show.
1967
The Beatles release their break-through concept album, Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.
Psychedelic bands such as The Grateful Dead and Jefferson Airplane enjoy great success during this period with songs celebrating the counterculture of the '60s.
1969
In August, more than half a million people attend the Woodstock music festival in Bethel, N.Y. (near Woodstock, N.Y.) Performers include Janis Joplin; Jimi Hendrix; The Who; Joan Baez; Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young; Jefferson Airplane; and Sly and the Family Stone.
A Rolling Stones fan is killed at the group's Altamont, California, concert by members of the Hell's Angels.
1970
The Beatles break up. By the end of the year, each member had released a solo album.
1971
Jim Morrison dies in Paris at age 27 (July 3).
The Allman Brothers' Duane Allman dies in a motorcycle accident at age 24. (Oct. 29).
1972
Women dominate the 1971 Grammy Awards, taking all four top categories. Carole King won Record, Album and Song of the Year, while Carly Simon takes the Best New Artist award.
1973
The Jamaican film The Harder They Come, starring Jimmy Cliff, launches the popularity of reggae music in the United States.
1974
Patti Smith releases what is considered to be the first punk rock single, “Hey Joe.” Punk roars out of Britain during the late-'70s, with bands such as the Sex Pistols and the Clash expressing nihilistic and anarchistic views in response to a lack of opportunity in Britain, boredom, and antipathy for the bland music of the day.
1976
Philip Glass completes Einstein on the Beach, the first widely known example of minimalist composition.
1977
Saturday Night Fever sparks the disco inferno.
Elvis Presley dies at Graceland, his Memphis, Tenn. home. He was 42.
1978
Sony introduces the Walkman, the first portable stereo.
1979
The Sugar Hill Gang releases the first commercial rap hit, “Rapper's Delight,” bringing rap off the New York streets and into the popular music scene. Rap originated in the mid 1970s as rhyme spoken over an instrumental track provided by snatches of music from records. Over the decades, rap becomes one of the most important commercial and artistic branches of pop music.
1980
John Lennon of the Beatles shot dead in New York City.
1981
MTV goes on the air running around the clock music videos, debuting with “Video Killed the Radio Star.”
1982
Michael Jackson releases Thriller, which sells more than 25 million copies, becoming the biggest-selling album in history.
1983
With the introduction of noise-free compact discs, the vinyl record begins a steep decline.
1984
Led by Bob Geldof, the band Band Aid releases "Do They Know It's Christmas," with proceeds of the single going to feed the starving in Africa.
1985
Madonna launches her first road show, the Virgin Tour.
Dozens of top-name musicians and bands perform at the Live Aid concerts in Philadelphia and London. The shows benefit African famine victims.
1987
Though African, Latin American,and other genres of international music have been around for centuries, a group of small, London-based labels coin the term “world music,” which helps record sellers find rack space for the eclectic music.
1988
CDs outsell vinyl records for the first time.
1990
Euro dance band Milli Vanilli admits to lip-synching hits such as "Girl You Know Its True," and has its Grammy award revoked.
1991
Seattle band Nirvana releases the song “Smells Like Teen Spirit” on the LP Nevermind and enjoys national success. With Nirvana's hit comes the grunge movement, which is characterized by distorted guitars, dispirited vocals,and lots of flannel.
1992
Compact discs surpass cassette tapes as the preferred medium for recorded music.
1994
Woodstock '94 commemorates the original weekend-long concert. Green Day and Nine Inch Nails join Woodstock veterans including Santana and Joe Cocker.
1995
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum opens in Cleveland. Renowned architect I. M. Pei designed the ultra-modern, 150,000 square-foot building.
Grateful Dead frontman Jerry Garcia dies.
1996
Janet Jackson becomes the highest-paid musician in history when she signs an $80-million deal with Virgin Records.
Jazz great Ella Fitzgerald dies.
1998
Legendary crooner Frank Sinatra dies of a heart attack at age 82.
1999
The merger of two major recording labels, Universal and Polygram, causes upheaval in the recording industry. It is estimated that the new company, Universal Music Group, controls 25% of the worldwide music market.
Woodstock '99 kicks off in Rome, N.Y. Concertgoers complain that the spirit of the original Woodstock has been compromised and commercialised.
John Coltrane forms his own quartet and becomes the voice of jazz's New Wave movement.
1961
Patsy Cline releases “I Fall to Pieces” and “Crazy.” The success of the songs help her cross over from country to pop.
1963
A wave of Beatlemania hits the U.K. The Beatles, a British band composed of John Lennon, George Harrison, Ringo Starr and Paul McCartney, take Britain by storm.
The Rolling Stones emerge as the anti-Beatles, with an aggressive, blues-derived style.
1964
Folk musician Bob Dylan becomes increasingly popular during this time of social protest with songs expressing objection to the condition of American society.
The Beatles appear on The Ed Sullivan Show.
1967
The Beatles release their break-through concept album, Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.
Psychedelic bands such as The Grateful Dead and Jefferson Airplane enjoy great success during this period with songs celebrating the counterculture of the '60s.
1969
In August, more than half a million people attend the Woodstock music festival in Bethel, N.Y. (near Woodstock, N.Y.) Performers include Janis Joplin; Jimi Hendrix; The Who; Joan Baez; Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young; Jefferson Airplane; and Sly and the Family Stone.
A Rolling Stones fan is killed at the group's Altamont, California, concert by members of the Hell's Angels.
1970
The Beatles break up. By the end of the year, each member had released a solo album.
1971
Jim Morrison dies in Paris at age 27 (July 3).
The Allman Brothers' Duane Allman dies in a motorcycle accident at age 24. (Oct. 29).
1972
Women dominate the 1971 Grammy Awards, taking all four top categories. Carole King won Record, Album and Song of the Year, while Carly Simon takes the Best New Artist award.
1973
The Jamaican film The Harder They Come, starring Jimmy Cliff, launches the popularity of reggae music in the United States.
1974
Patti Smith releases what is considered to be the first punk rock single, “Hey Joe.” Punk roars out of Britain during the late-'70s, with bands such as the Sex Pistols and the Clash expressing nihilistic and anarchistic views in response to a lack of opportunity in Britain, boredom, and antipathy for the bland music of the day.
1976
Philip Glass completes Einstein on the Beach, the first widely known example of minimalist composition.
1977
Saturday Night Fever sparks the disco inferno.
Elvis Presley dies at Graceland, his Memphis, Tenn. home. He was 42.
1978
Sony introduces the Walkman, the first portable stereo.
1979
The Sugar Hill Gang releases the first commercial rap hit, “Rapper's Delight,” bringing rap off the New York streets and into the popular music scene. Rap originated in the mid 1970s as rhyme spoken over an instrumental track provided by snatches of music from records. Over the decades, rap becomes one of the most important commercial and artistic branches of pop music.
1980
John Lennon of the Beatles shot dead in New York City.
1981
MTV goes on the air running around the clock music videos, debuting with “Video Killed the Radio Star.”
1982
Michael Jackson releases Thriller, which sells more than 25 million copies, becoming the biggest-selling album in history.
1983
With the introduction of noise-free compact discs, the vinyl record begins a steep decline.
1984
Led by Bob Geldof, the band Band Aid releases "Do They Know It's Christmas," with proceeds of the single going to feed the starving in Africa.
1985
Madonna launches her first road show, the Virgin Tour.
Dozens of top-name musicians and bands perform at the Live Aid concerts in Philadelphia and London. The shows benefit African famine victims.
1987
Though African, Latin American,and other genres of international music have been around for centuries, a group of small, London-based labels coin the term “world music,” which helps record sellers find rack space for the eclectic music.
1988
CDs outsell vinyl records for the first time.
1990
Euro dance band Milli Vanilli admits to lip-synching hits such as "Girl You Know Its True," and has its Grammy award revoked.
1991
Seattle band Nirvana releases the song “Smells Like Teen Spirit” on the LP Nevermind and enjoys national success. With Nirvana's hit comes the grunge movement, which is characterized by distorted guitars, dispirited vocals,and lots of flannel.
1992
Compact discs surpass cassette tapes as the preferred medium for recorded music.
1994
Woodstock '94 commemorates the original weekend-long concert. Green Day and Nine Inch Nails join Woodstock veterans including Santana and Joe Cocker.
1995
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum opens in Cleveland. Renowned architect I. M. Pei designed the ultra-modern, 150,000 square-foot building.
Grateful Dead frontman Jerry Garcia dies.
1996
Janet Jackson becomes the highest-paid musician in history when she signs an $80-million deal with Virgin Records.
Jazz great Ella Fitzgerald dies.
1998
Legendary crooner Frank Sinatra dies of a heart attack at age 82.
1999
The merger of two major recording labels, Universal and Polygram, causes upheaval in the recording industry. It is estimated that the new company, Universal Music Group, controls 25% of the worldwide music market.
Woodstock '99 kicks off in Rome, N.Y. Concertgoers complain that the spirit of the original Woodstock has been compromised and commercialised.
Fun facts
- Listening to music while working out measurably improves physical performance.
- Warner Music collected over US$2 million in royalties in 2008 for public usage of the "Happy Birthday" song.
- None of The Beatles could read music.
- Your heartbeat changes and mimics the music you listen to.
- Flowers can grow faster by listening to music.
- Elvis Presley didn't write any of his songs.
- Barry Manilow didn't write his song called "I write the songs".
- Leo Fender, inventor of the Telecaster and Stratocaster, could not play guitar.
- The Beatles used to be called Johnny and the Moondogs.
- The world's most expensive musical instrument, a Stradivarius violin, was sold in 2011 for US$15.9 million.
- Loud music can make a person drink more in less time.
- The song Jingle Bells was originally written for thanksgiving.