The U.S. was fresh off the victory of World War II, and music reflected the times. Pat Boone and others were able to entertain suburban America with their tales of love. Rock ‘n’ roll got its start in the ’50s with Bill Haley and His Comets’ hit song, “Rock Around the Clock,” and Elvis’ rise to fame.

1960s

This decade brought an immense range of diversity. Not only did America create some of the greatest musicians of our time with the likes of Stevie Wonder and Bob Dylan, but the British Invasion brought the poppiness of early Beatles tunes and the controversial Rolling Stones. The decade of musical genius can’t possibly be summed up in short, but ultimately shaped music in a way that will never be equaled.

1970s

By 1970, rock influences had gone down the drain. Jimi Hendrix was dead and The Beatles had broken up, so new genres began to emerge. Disco was thrust upon the nation with Studio 54 and “Saturday Night Fever.” Glam rock began its ways with David Bowie. The Sex Pistols and The Clash led the way with their unique rebellious sounds of the punk movement.

1980s

Often the ’80s are forgotten musically, but many great talents came out of the decade. Madonna broke out, as did Michael Jackson. U2 and REM brought stadium rock to the forefront of many music lovers. Pop and rap took the largest leaps in the ’80s. While Duran Duran perfected the synthesizer, Run-DMC started to rhyme with the best of them.

1990s

The decade brought the most varied mix of genres since the 1960s and did it in distinct styles. While rap continued to evolve, grunge broke out of Seattle in the early years, led by Nirvana. The mid-late ’90s brought the explosion of manufactured artists. Boy bands such as ‘N Sync and Backstreet Boys sent girls to the moon, as did female vocalists such as Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera.

Source: www.myvillage.com

—Compiled by Pat Evans, The State News