Elvis Presley's Popular Music Analysis

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Popular music, "music written and marketed with the intention of achieving mass distribution and sales now principally in the form of recordings" (Merriam-Webster.com), played a significant role in the daily life of people of the 20th and 21st centuries. From psychedelic to rock, modern music encompassed it all. As time progressed, the quality and genre adapted to the people 's interests. Some artists decided to go against the grain and change popular music for the better. These five artists- Michael Jackson, Elvis Presley, The Beatles, Pink Floyd, and Mariah Carey- should be classified as a snapshot of industry change due to sales, influence, Billboard chart rankings, and awards.
Michael Jackson should be considered one of popular music 's
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He was the first rock’n’roll artist to have 108 Hot 100 hits (Billboard, Elvis Presley Chart Records). Of those 108 songs, 80 made it to number 40 or above. Elvis 's music spent 67 weeks on the Billboard 100 charts (Trust). That was 16 weeks more than Michael Jackson! Presley won three Grammy Awards: Best Inspirational Performance, Best Inspirational Performance (Non-Classical), and Best Sacred Performance (The GRAMMYs, Elvis Presley). Along with his other awards, Presley won the Guinness Book of World Record’s Best-Selling Solo Artist with 1,000,000,000 units sold worldwide (Guinness Book of World Records). He has made over $27 million due to album sales and Graceland profits in 2016 (O’Malley). Even today, Elvis continues to have a loyal …show more content…
Michael Jackson should be included due to his fantastic albums, Thriller and Bad, both gaining worldwide acclaim. The Beatles, a four-man rock group, shaped the music of the ‘60s and ‘70s while influencing other genres. Elvis Presley combined country and rock and roll to create his distinct sound. While most people were listening to the tried-and-true genres, Pink Floyd was creating their own by adding electronic sounds. Last but not least, Mariah Carey shocked the world with her wide range, philanthropic works, and overall talent. These five artists changed popular music, and their legacy continues to aspire

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