Week Sixteen: Eighties/ MTV/ Rap

By almost any standard, the 1980s were a disappointing period for rock and roll. In the late 1970s, punk bands like the Sex Pistols, the Clash, and the Talking Heads had tried to bring new life to rock music by replacing the slick, formulaic music of disco and arena rock with their own simpler, more aggressive performances.

In the early 1980s, however, a new wave of British and Amer­ican bands began climbing the charts with a lighter, more accessible version of punk. For many listeners, bands like the Cars, R.E.M., U2, and the Cure were no longer challenging the tastes and values of the music establishment; they were the music establishment. Their highly successful recordings and tours proved that even the fury and simplicity of punk rock could be made into a marketable formula.

"Rock 'n' roll," wrote music critic Greil Marcus in 1980, echoing the opinions of his fellow music critic Ed Ward, "which used to be about breaking rules, now seems to be about learning them."

To make matters worse, rock-and-roll fans were shocked on December 8, 1980, by the news that former Beatle John Lennon had been shot to death by a disturbed fan outside his home in the Dakota apartment building in Manhattan. It was hard for many people to disagree with John Lydon's pronouncement at a news conference that "rock and roll is dead." Of course, Lydon's state­ment was made during the same interview in which he announced that he had just formed a new rock-and-roll band, Public Image Ltd., or PiL. Rock and roll may have died during the late 1970s, but Lydon and a host of other rock and rollers still had a lot invest­ed in its survival.

Following Lydon's example with PiL, a few young U.S. bands began making music that was so loud, so harsh, and so poorly pro­duced that there was little, if any, possibility of mainstream accep­tance. Recording for small independent labels like Rough Trade, SST, and TwinTone, these new "alternative" bands produced some of the finest—and least heard—music of the decade. Among the highlights were the Replacements' Let It Be, Sonic Youth's Day­dream Nation, Husker Dii's Zen Arcade, and the Minutemen's Double Nickels on a Dime. At their best, these new bands com­bined hard, aggressive rhythms and pure, irresistible melodies as successfully as Little Richard, Jimi Hendrix, and the Clash had done before them. At their worst, they simply made noise.

While Sonic Youth and the Replacements were playing their music for a small, devout following in clubs and small concert halls, the majority of rock-and-roll fans were sitting quietly in front of their television. In 1980, the 24-hour music network MTV began broadcasting music videos by mainstream rock and pop artists on televisions across the United States. Not only did MTV give fans a chance to see their favorite performers on television each day; it also changed the way most people looked at and lis­tened to rock and roll. As MTV became more popular throughout the decade, the way musicians looked and acted on-screen became arguably more important than how they sounded on their records. Soon the recordings of groups like Duran Duran and Aha, known more for their good looks than their good music, began to rise to the top of the pop charts.

During the mid-1980s, MTV also helped launch the solo careers of two of the decades most popular and controversial recording artists: Michael Jackson and Madonna.

In 1978, 19-year-old Madonna Louise Veronica Ciccone dropped out of the University of Michigan's School of Music to pursue a career as a dancer in New York. After arriving in New York, Madonna quickly became a part of the city's hip art and music scene. She spent much of her time in fashionable dance clubs like Danceteria, Hurrahs, and CBGB in the company of friends like artists Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat. During this period, Madonna also began to sing. In the same clubs where she once went just to dance, she began performing her own energetic dance tunes using a style that combined disco's light grooves and the tough, street-smart attitude of punk.

A tireless self-promoter, Madonna gained the attention of a Warner Brothers talent scout while she was performing at Dancete­ria. The label immediately signed her to a contract, and in July 1983, her debut album, simply titled Madonna, was released.

Neither the album nor its first single, "Holiday," gained much attention at first. Madonna believed in her recording, however, and she allowed nothing—not even the lackluster promotion by the record label—to discourage her. During the next few months, she promoted her record on her own, singing and dancing in local clubs and discos almost every night.

After "Holiday" reached Billboard's top 100, MTV agreed to screen videos of Madonna's next two singles "Borderline" and "Lucky Star," which would establish the image that would follow Madonna throughout her career—a proud, defiant street kid deter­mined to get what she wants. With the national exposure from MTV, Madonna's records began to climb higher in the charts. By the end of 1983, "Lucky Star" had reached the top 10, an achieve­ment Madonna would repeat with her next 15 singles. Only Elvis Presley had ever put together such an impressive streak of hit records. The next year, 1984, was the most important of Madonna's career. Her second album, Like a Virgin, quickly rose to the top of the charts, along with singles of the title cut and "Material Girl." During the year, Madonna also appeared in her first feature film, costarring with actress Rosanna Arquette in Susan Seidelman's Desperately Seeking Susan. Both the movie and Madonna's perfor­mance drew rave reviews from the critics.

During the remainder of the decade, Madonna's movie career would falter. Probably the worst experience of her career came in 1986, when she starred along with her husband, Scan Penn, in Shanghai Surprise. The film was a complete disaster, both commer­cially and critically. In addition, rumors of her offscreen quarrels with Penn began to gain more attention in the press than her recordings or performances.

Madonna thrived on controversy, however. In addition to her ongoing quarrels with Penn, whom she divorced in 1989, she shocked the public with her revealing outfits and her controversial opinions on sex and religion. In 1989, she followed the release of her most musically accomplished album, Like a Prayer, with a video of the title cut that managed to offend just about everyone. The video presented religious images, such as the crucifixion and the Virgin Mary, along with the singer's typically seductive dancing and dress. Many religious groups protested the video, and MTV briefly refused to air it. Madonna, however, claimed that she had made both the song and the video in good faith. She told the press that she had not meant to offend anyone. To prove her point, Madonna dedicated the song and the album, "to my mother, who taught me how to pray."50 Fueled by the controversy, both the song and the album quickly soared to the top of the charts.

Since Like a Prayer, Madonna has been taken more seriously by the mainstream music establishment as both a singer and a songwriter. In his review of the album for Rolling Stone music crit­ic J. D. Considine hailed Madonna as "one of the most compelling voices of the eighties."51

Even after she had established herself as both a commercially and critically successful artist, Madonna still went out of her way to shock the public. Her 1990 video "Justify My Love" was so sex­ually explicit that MTV refused to show it. And in her 1991 docu­mentary film, Truth or Dare, she offended many viewers with her open discussions of her relationships with her father and her past and present lovers. Predictably both the video and the film were enormously successful.

As Madonna candidly confessed in Truth or Dare: "I know I'm not the best singer. I know I'm not the best dancer. But I'm not interested in that. I'm interested in pushing people's buttons."52

Pop singer Michael Jackson first gained national recognition singing with his older brothers in the Jackson Five during the early 1970s. In 1969, the Gary, Indiana, band made their nationwide debut on the Ed Sullivan Show, amid the same type of fanfare that had previously been reserved for Elvis Presley and the Beatles. Mil­lions of teenage listeners were impressed by the group's tightly choreographed dance routines and Michael's sweet preadolescent voice.

With heavy promotion from the band's label, Motown, the Jackson Five's first single, "I Want You Back," rose quickly to the top of the charts. By early 1970, their second release, the frantic dance tune "ABC," had risen all the way to number one. "ABC" was immediately followed by another number-one hit, the soft bal­lad "I'll Be There."

By this time, Michael and his brothers had outsold bands like the Beatles and Creedence Clearwater Revival to become the most popular recording group in the nation.

During the 1970s, Michael divided his time between his own recording projects (including the number-one single "Ben"), sever­al tours and recordings with his brothers, and an appearance in the movie, The Wiz, as the scarecrow. Set in Harlem and with an African-American cast The Wiz was a remake of The Wizard of Oz in which Jackson starred with his old friend and mentor Diana Ross, who played Dorothy. Although the film was neither a com­mercial nor a critical success, it gave audiences their first good look at Jackson's considerable skills as a dancer.

In 1979, Jackson made his first serious attempt at a solo career with the release of the album Off the Wall. With spirited sin­gles like "Rock with You" and "Don't Stop Till You Get Enough," the recording was a huge success. By the end of the year, it had sold a remarkable seven million copies.

In response to the recording's success, Jackson also began to exhibit the type of shy, withdrawn behavior that would make him such a mystery to his fans. "I may want to just go walking or sit in a tree," he explained to a reporter from the seclusion of his family home, "but everything we do is on TV or in the newspaper. When you're a performer, people want everything. ... It can be very scary."53

Not even the phenomenal success of Off the Wall could pre­pare Jackson or his fans for what happened next. In October 1982, Jackson released his second solo recording, Thriller. The album was produced by Quincy Jones and featured a duet with former Beatle Paul McCartney on "The Girl Is Mine." The album sold well from the start, but things really began to take off in May of the following year when Michael appeared with his brothers on the "Motown 25: Yesterday, Today and Forever" television special. More than 50 million viewers watched in awe as Michael debuted his new music and his new dance, the "moonwalk." Following the television appearance, Thriller and its first two singles, "Beat It" and "Billie Jean," began to sell at a remarkable pace. Soon MTV, which had earlier refused to air the video of "Beat It," began to include "Billie Jean" in its lineup. By the end of the year, Thriller had outsold the sound track to Saturday Night Fever to become the most successful recording of all time. It would continue to remain on the charts throughout the decade, eventually selling more than 40 million copies worldwide.

Three years passed before Jackson released a sequel to his record-breaking album. Bad (1987) was another impressive record­ing of slickly produced ballads and dance tunes. It immediately rose to the top of the album charts. By the time the album was released, however, rumors concerning Jackson's strange behavior off the stage had begun to overshadow the public's response to his music. There were reports that Michael had purchased the bones of the Elephant Man, that his best friend was a pet chimpanzee, and that he slept in a "hyperbaric chamber" to preserve his youth.

Most of the talk concerned Jackson's appearance, which had changed noticeably in the three years between Thriller and Bad. After a series of plastic surgery procedures, including the bleaching of his hands and face to conceal a chronic skin condition, Jackson looked more like his idol Diana Ross than the young man who danced the moonwalk in the "Billie Jean" video.

The rumors and controversies hardly seemed to matter to Jackson's fans, however. Bad sold almost 20 million copies before it disappeared from the charts. Jackson's worldwide tour at the end of the decade was one of the most highly attended performing events of all time.

Unlike Madonna, Jackson was hurt by some of the news sto­ries, especially those concerning his appearance. He withdrew even further from the public. In 1991, Jackson suffered a stunning blow to his public image when he was accused of fondling a young male fan. The charges against Jackson were soon dropped, and a lawsuit filed by the boy's parents was settled out of court. Jackson's reputa­tion was badly damaged, however, along with the quality of his music. His next album, Dangerous, released the following year, replaced the contagious enthusiasm of his earlier recordings with a coldness and bitterness that far fewer listeners could relate to. Though the album sold well by most people's standards—more than five million copies in its first year of release—it was a terrible disappointment compared to Thriller and Bad.

Apart from Michael Jackson's unprecedented success, African-American music had a number of other rock-related high­lights during the 1980s. Among the most impressive and influential performers was the Minneapolis singer-guitarist Prince. On his best recordings, such as Purple Rain, Prince combined Jackson's skills as a rhythm-and-blues singer with the wild, big-guitar showmanship of George Clinton's funk ensembles.

Reggae also continued to play an important role in rock during the 1980s. Following the example set by bands like the Clash and the Specials, biracial English bands like General Public, English Beat, and the Fine Young Cannibals successfully combined the best elements of rock and roll and Jamaican music on their recordings.

The biggest impact on African-American music and culture, however, was the emergence of rap music, or hip hop, as a major musical force during the late 1980s. Rap music was inspired by the near-spoken cadences of reggae and the muted rage of 1970s urban street poetry. It combined hard, repetitive rhythms; rhymed, harsh­ly spoken verses; and an innovative style of sampling the recordings of other artists. Rap musicians placed the stereo needle in the groove of a vinyl recording and then spun the disk back and forth on the turntable with their fingertips in order to play back parts of the original recording in a broken, rhythmic style. The rough spo­ken lyrics and rhythmic sampling gave rap music a unique and powerful sound. The best rap musicians were able to capture the feeling of African-American urban life in the same way that musi­cians like James Brown, Sly Stone, and George Clinton had done more than a decade earlier.

Following the group Run-DMC's hugely successful duet in the late 1980s with the hard-rock band Aerosmith on "Walk This Way," rap music also began to gain a huge following with young black rock-and-roll fans.

Rap music was responsible for some of the most powerful and innovative musical performances of the late 1980s and early 1990s, including KRS-One's By Any Means Necessary, Public Enemy's It Takes a Nation of Millions, and Ice Cube's The Preda­tor. During the same period, a new wave of rap artists, such as the Digable Planets, P.M. Dawn, and Gang Star's Guru, began to intro­duce the more gentle melodies of jazz, rhythm and blues, and pop music into the performances.

Another important movement during the late 1980s was "world music." Established artists like David Byrne, Peter Gabriel, and Paul Simon released recordings that combined their own rock styles with elements of Brazilian, African, or Afro-Caribbean music. Simon's Graceland, which paired the singer's own lyrics with the rhythms and melodies of South African street music, was among the most highly acclaimed releases of the decade. World music quickly became a phenomenon, and recordings by artists like Milton Nascimento, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Youssou N'Dour, Black Uhuru, Caetano Veloso, and King Sunny Ade could be found in record stores across the nation.

Michael Jackson’s bio began when he was born on the 29th of August 1958 in Gary, Indiana. He was the 7th of nine children. (brothers: Sigmund "Jackie", Toriano "Tito", Jermaine, Marlon, Steven "Randy", and sisters Rebbie, Janet and La-Toya Jackson.

Michael began his musical career at the age of 5 as the lead singer of the Jackson 5 who formed in 1964. In these early years the Jackson 5, Jackie, Jermaine,Tito,Marlon and lead singer Michael played local clubs and bars in Gary Indiana and moving further afield as there talents grew and they could compete in bigger competitions. From these early days Michael would be at the same clubs as big talented stars of there days, such as Jackie Wilson and would be learning from them even back then. In 1968 the Bobby Taylor and The Vancouvers discovered the Jackson five and from there they got an audition for Berry Gordy of Motown Records. The Jackson 5 signed for Motown and moved to California. Their first 4 singles, "I Want You Back", "ABC", "The Love You Save", and "I'll Be There" all made US No1 hits. The Jackson 5 recorded 14 albums and Michael recorded 4 solo albums with Motown.

The Jackson 5 stayed with Motown until 1976, wanting more artistic freedom they felt they had to move on and signed up with Epic. The group name Jackson 5 had to be changed as it was owned by Motown, so they reverted to The Jackson's as they had be known in the early days. Brother Jermaine married Berry Gordy's daughter and stayed with Motown. Youngest brother Randy joined in his place. The Jacksons had a number of hit recordsand in total made 6 albums between the years of 1976 and 1984.

In 1977 Michael made his first film debut when he starred in the musical 'The Wiz' playing Scarecrow with Diana Ross in the lead role of Dorothy. It was at this time Michael met Quincy Jones who was doing the score for the film.

Michael teamed up with Quincey Jones as his producer for his first solo album with Epic Records. The album titled "Off The Wall" was a big success around the world and the first ever album to release a record breaking 4 No1 singles in the US.

In 1982 Michael Jackson released the world's largest selling album of all time, 'Thriller'. This album produced 7 hit singles, breaking yet again more records, and went on to sell over 50 million copies worldwide. Michael was keen to use music video or short films as he called them to promote his singles from the album. He worked with the best directors and producers, using the latest technology and special effects.for the hit song 'Billie Jean' The short film 'Thriller' used the latest make-up artists technolgy combined with fantastic dancing and cherography, to produce a 14 minute video, with a start, a middle and an ending. So successful was this video that 'The Making Of Michael Jackson's Thriller' became the world's largest selling home video combined with soaring album sales. In 1983 Michael performed the now legendary moonwalk for the first time on the 'Motown 25 years' anniversary show. This performance alone set Michael undoubtable into the realm of a superstar. In 1984 Michael won a record breaking 8 Grammy awards in one night. The awards were for his work on the 'Thriller' album and his work on the narrative for the 'ET Storybook'.

In 1987 Michael released his much awaited third solo album, titled 'Bad', and launched his record breaking first solo world tour. 1988, Michael wrote his first autobiography talking for the first time on his childhood and his career. At the end of the 1980s Michael was named 'Artist Of The Decade' for his success off of his 'Thriller' and 'Bad' albums.

In 1991 Michael signed with Sony Music the largest ever recording contract and released his fourth solo album, 'Dangerous'. He toured world again in 1992, taking his concerts to countries that had never before been visited by a pop/rock artist. Also Michael founded the 'Heal the World Foundation' to help improve the lives of children across the world.

In 1994 Michael married Lisa Marie Presley, daughter of rock legend Elvis Presley. The marriage only lasted for 19 months, as they divorced in 1996.

1995 saw Michael release a fifth solo album, 'HIStory', which was a double album, first half new material and second half half greatest hits. Michael toured again over a legs covering a 2 year period. In between legs of the tour on November 14th 1996, Michael married for his second time to Debbie Rowe who was a nurse that Michael had met in the treatment of his skin pigment disorder. Together they had their first child Prince Michael Joseph Jackson Jr. born on February 13 1997 and a daughter Paris Michael Katherine Jackson born on April 3rd 1998. In 1997 Michael released the remix album 'Blood On The Dance Floor' which also contained 5 new song linked with a 38min film "Ghosts". This film Michael played 5 roles using the latest special effects and make-up artistry, combined with his dance and music.

In September, 2001 Michael celebrated his 30th anniversary as a solo artist with two concerts to be held in New York, USA. Many artists such as Whitney Houston, Usher, Destiny's Child, Shaggy and many more performed there own and Michael Jackson's past songs. Michael then reunited with all of his brothers performed there biggest hits. Michael then went onto perform solo some of his biggest hits. In October 2001 Michael released the album 'Invincible' so far releasing only 2 singles including the big hit "You Rock My World". Since the release of this first single the album has been surrounded by rumours of a rift with Sony Music and a clear lack of promotion of the album.

Madonna: Without a doubt, one of the most internationally known and recognized stars of contemporary history, Madonna has achieved an unthinkable amount in the past 20 years of her career. She has dominated the music charts, she has hit the silver screen, she has entered the publishing industry, and she is probably one of the most publicized celebrities of the 20th century. To say that she is a celebrity would be an understatement; she is a veritable pop icon.

Née Madonna Louise Veronica Ciccone, the Material Girl was born August 16, 1958, in Bay City, Michigan. The eldest of 8 children, she lost her mother to cancer when she was 6 years old, leaving her engineer father to raise their eight children.

Madonna's star quality was evident at an early age, which prompted her to participate in school shows, be a school cheerleader, as well as take piano and ballet lessons.

She attended the University of Michigan on a dance scholarship, but she put aside her studies after two years of student life to head for New York City and pursue her dreams of becoming a star.

In the Big Apple with hardly any cash, Madonna barely earned a living by working several minimum wage jobs, one of which was at a Dunkin Donuts counter at Times Square. She joined the Alvin Ailey dance troupe, where although she gained experience, she was not gaining much exposure as one of many dancers in the troupe.

Madonna was itching to become famous, and this was not the way to achieve her pursuit of stardom.

Developing more of an interest in music, Madonna joined her then boyfriend's band and had the opportunity to be backup singer and dancer for a well-known disco star. With more of a taste for pop music, Madonna began writing songs and performing at local dance clubs. She was beginning to receive the exposure she was aiming for and audiences were beginning to take notice of the confident, untamed singer.

DJ Mark Kamins played one of Madonna's demo singles "Everybody" and it became a popular club hit. Kamins is responsible for the relationship between Madonna and Warner Bothers, since he introduced the two in 1982. She was immediately signed for a record label and well on her way.

In 1983, Madonna's debut album was released and spawned the America Top 20 chart hit single "Holiday". The album itself was not a tremendous success on the Top 40 radio stations, but it was a hit in the nightclubs. More singles such as "Lucky Star" and "Borderline" were released and were accompanied by music videos that, if anything, showed off Madonna's first "look", which has almost come to be representative of 80's pop culture.

While her debut album was still on the charts, Madonna released her second album in 1984, Like A Virgin. The album, as well as the title track, both reached the number one spots of the music charts.

Already breaking music records in 1985, Madonna embarked on another dimension of her career -- as an actress. Her manager, Freddie DeMann, who was also pop icon Michael Jackson's manager in his Thriller days, negotiated some film roles for Madonna. She appeared as a nightclub singer in the film Vision Quest and as the lead in Desperately Seeking Susan.

Susan may have had to be "seeked", but it was clear that the pop star Madonna had been found. Her single from the Vision Quest soundtrack had become a hit, as was the Desperately Seeking Susan soundtrack, giving Madonna simultaneous hit singles and hit albums.

Madonna then tried her hand at stage acting, performing in Goose and Tom-Tom, where she met actor Sean Penn. The couple got married, co-starred in the forgettable film Shanghai Surprise and got divorced after less than four years of wedded misery. By this point, Madonna had become a star and had already caused controversy for her "boy toy" image. Now she was causing more controversy with her 1986 single "Papa Don't Preach", about women getting pregnant out of wedlock.

Her video for the 1989 single "Like A Prayer", which featured burning crosses in the background and Madonna, wearing nothing more than a slip, kissing an African-American eroticized saint. The Vatican censured the video and Pepsi backed out of their endorsement with Madonna. Still, the album Like a Prayer spawned 5 Top Twenty hits.

In 1990, Madonna appeared in Dick Tracy with Warren Beatty (who she was dating), released the soundtrack for the film and had hit singles such as "Vogue", which had everyone "voguing" to the song; "Rescue Me"; and "Justify My Love", which was also controversial and initially banned from the MTV airwaves.

The early 90's were marked with scandalous projects by Madonna, such as the documentary Truth of Dare, a behind-the-scenes account of her Blonde Ambition Tour; the X-rated coffee-table book Sex; her album, Erotica; and her speaking out about the AIDS epidemic.

In 1992, Madonna sowed her entrepreneurial oats and founded the record company Maverick with her manager, which was part of a $60 million dollar, 7-year deal with Time Warner.

Taking a step away from her scandalous days, Madonna released a softer, more R&B tinged album, Bedtime Stories, spawning a hit duet with Babyface entitled Take A Bow. She returned to the movies with a role in A League of Their Own, Four Rooms and Blue in the Face.

In 1996, she starred in the title role of the movie version of the musical Evita, which not only earned her a Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy, but also made audiences gain a new found respect for her remarkable portrayal of Eva Peron. That same year, Madonna entered a new stage in her life -- motherhood -- with the birth of daughter Lourdes Maria Ciccone Leon.

Madonna returned to the music scene in 1998 with the introspective, meditative, and electronic-influenced Ray of Light. With the help of producer William Orbit, Ray of Light spawned such hits as "Frozen" as well as the title-track, as the world was introduced to a more relaxed, more spiritually in-tune Madonna. We heard Madonna last summer on the Austin Powers 2: The Spy Who Shagged Me soundtrack with "Beautiful Stranger"; this year with the remix of the 60's hit American Pie (which also caused controversy); and in a starring role in the disappointing film The Next Best Thing, co-starring real-life pal Rupert Everett and Benjamin Bratt.

With a new single entitled "Music", her new album of the same title is slated for release this fall, and a second baby is on the way with current boyfriend Guy Ritchie -- we would think that Madonna has done it all.

From mesh-wearing, fish-net stocking Material Girl, to pointy-cone bra, tuxedo wearing diva, to sex-crazed woman, and finally to Zen and yoga-practicing mother, chances are we probably haven't seen half of what this pop icon has yet to achieve.

Rap:

1980: Rappers Delight" by the Sugar Hill Gang was one of the first rap recordings. It became a huge international hit and went on to become the best selling 12inch record ever, selling over 2 million copies world wide. This is where the term "hip hop" was coined. They used beats and base lines from the disco track "Good Times". Utilizing beats from a wide variety of sources such as old gospel, jazz, James Brown/Motown soul, funk, disco, drum machines, and remixing them became known as sampling - the musical core of hip hop.

1982: Grand Master Flash, the founding father of scratching and quick mixing offered a demo to a group called the Furious Five which consisted of five mc's - Melle Mel, Cowboy, Rahiem, Mr. Ness and Kid Creole. At the time the furious five weren't convinced the demo was worth recording but they did and in just over a month "The Message" sold over a million copies. The Message was the first rap record to break away from typical rap lyrics boasting about being the "biggest" and the "baddest" describing the hopelessness of the American Black ghetto's.

1983: The hard hitting anti-cocaine single "black Lines (don't do it)" recorded by Grand Master Flash and Melle Mel became a classic rap anthem and an international hit. In only a few years hip hop came from the underground and hit the mainstream.

Afrika Bambaata's style was strongly influenced by a German band called Kraftwork. Inspired by the single "Trans-Europe Express" Afrika Bambaata Assim took their electronic sound and added rap. He joined forces with Soul Sonic and gave birth to synthesized electro rap sound. "Planet Rock" was a huge hit selling 620,000 copies in the US alone. Not only was dance music shifted into another gear but a whole new dance culture was born. Along came hip hop crews, graffiti artists and break dancing and hip hop began to spread into other forms of music.

1984: 14 year old Roxanne Shante released her first single "Roxanne's Revenge", her reply to U.T.F.O's "Roxanne Roxanne" which criticised Roxanne for turning down their advances. With its funky back beat this single was a massive hit selling over 1/4 million copies in the New York area alone. It wasn't untill five years later she cut her first album "Bad Sister".

RUN D.M.C exploded into the rap scene with their new style of rap, gold chains and sportswear, they created a individual street style. They even wrote a song dedicated to their shoes "My Adidas". It was such a huge part of their image, Adidas paid the band a six figure sum to wear their clothes making RUN D.M.C the first band to be sponsored by a clothing company.

1985: Miami based rappers 2 Live Crew portrayed their themselves as macho and extremely sexist. They hit the headlines when they released their album "As Nasty As They Wanna Be" becoming the first album in the US to be deemed obscene in the Law courts. They appealed on the grounds of free speech.

1986: Def Jam released RUN D.M.C's debut album "Raising Hell". It sold 3 million copies in the US alone and was the first rap band to cross rap with rock (Aerosmith - "Walk This Way") and feature on the front cover of Rolling stone.

"Fight for your right to party" by the Beastie Boys became an anthem for rebellious youth all over the world. They made Volkswagon pendants their symbol and soon fans were stealing them from cars across Europe and America. Ironically the three middle class black boys who started out supporting Madonna on tours went on to become one of hip-hop's biggest selling acts. Their debut album "License to Ill" sold over 4 million copies and topped the US charts for 7 weeks.

1987: LL Cool J which stands for Ladies Love Cool James (just in case you wanted to know!) was discovered by the Beastie Boys in 1984 when he was just 15 years old. Influenced by RUN D.M.C, LL created his own identity with the beat box and street style raps. Adding a sexy element to rap, "I Need Love" was the first ever rap ballad and gave LL his first European top 10 hit. LL later earned his heavyweight title as raps longest lasting superstars, continuously updating his rap style, he still maintains his original appeal.

Rapper KRS-1 meet DJ Scott La Rock at a shelter for the homeless in the Bronx. Working under the name BDP the two recorded the contraversial album "Criminal Minded" which centred around gun culture. It sold over 1 million copies and it was instrumental in starting the gangster rap movement. During a street dispute which didn't even involve him, DJ Scott La Rock was shot dead. KRS-1 went solo releasing "My Philosphy" as a retaliation to end the violence. To this day KRS-1 continues to campaign raising money and creating an awareness of the plight of America's inner city ghetto's and violence in the community.

1988: Eric B and Rakim were responsible for a more refined and relaxed style of rap. "Follow the Leader" at the time was musically totally orginial. With its grumbling bass, flutes and strings its influence can still be heard today. On the opposite end of the scale their debuting single "Paid in Full" used heavy sampling, infact over 30 remixes, resulting in James Brown and Boby Byrd taking legal action for using their material without payment or permission. As a result, organisations have been set up to pay the orginial musicians for their material. Now, the average rap album costs an extra $30,000 just to pay for the samples.

With a hardcore controversial stance and sociopolitical edge, Public Enemy caused a sensation with their revolutionary and politically charged style of rap. Up until this point in hip-hop's short life-span, it had been centrally a party-based style of music, Public Enemy changed that forever. Taping into the real life hardships and frustrations of America's black community, their continous themes of black rage and alienation caused a wave of media criticism. "Don't Believe the Hype" was Public Enemies response to the media's negative portrayal of the groups supposedly violent, anti-semitic and sexist image. Taking only 30 days to complete, Public Enemy released their second album "It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back" which went Platium.

Unlike Public Enemy, EPMD never felt the need to provide political rap and believed music was strictly business. It took just 6 weeks for their album "Stirctly Business" to hit number 1 in the US. They built a small rap empire on the strength of 3 gold albums and a serious approach to music.

NWA comprising of Dr Dre, DJ Yella, MC Ren, Eazy E and founding member Ice Cube based their lyrics on violence, drugs and guns receiving instant media coverage. They gave voice to urban alienation and black rage. Giving a grim account of the rising death toll amoung young blacks as a result of feuding gangs and crack dealers, NWA bought America's inner city ghetto's to the attention of the American people. Singles like "Fuck the Police" aggrivated the FBI accusing the group of encouraging violence and hatred towards the police but NWA claimed to be "reporters" on what was really happening on the streets of Los Angeles. Radio and television stations kept playing their music and "Straight Outta Compton" went gold after just 6 weeks. Their reputation as the worlds best known gangsta rappers still continues after the group spilt up to pursue solo projects.

Backed by DJ Spinderella rap duo Salt-N-Pepa, released 'Push It' which started out on the B-side of the single "Tramp". DJ's started playing "Push It" instead of "Tramp" and it had an immediate impact on the New York rap scene. Their debut album "Hot, Cool and Vicious" stayed in the American charts for over a year, and the single sold over 1 million copies confirming Salt-N-Pepa as the first female rappers to do so. A year later the Grammies created a new category in their awards - Best Rap Act. Salt-N-pepa were nominated but refused to attend the ceremony when they discovered that this particular award would not be televised. The Ladies took this stance to show solidarity with hip-hop's growing status. In 1991 Salt-N-Pepa released 'Lets Talk About Sex' successfully turning around the tables on men treating them like sex objects. This single went gold making Salt-N-Pepa the most commercially successful rap duo of all time.

Rapping since he was twelve years old, Wil Smith met Jeff Townes at a party. They soon began performing together as DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince. They spun a new brand of hip-hop, devoid of politics or exclusionary rhetoric. They provided more playful lyrics and a different form of scratching called "transforming" on their debut album "Rock The House". DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince were awarded the first ever "Best Rap Performance" Grammy for "Parents Just Don't Understand". Subsequently in 1989, they where nominated for "I think I can Beat Mike Tyson", from the album "And in This Corner". In 1991 they won yet another Grammy and in 1992, they were honored by the NAACP Image Awards for Outstanding Rap Artists.

1989: Public Enemy began to base their style on the Afro-American organisation - The Black Panthers. Complete with berets, camouflage fatigues and and on stage military manoeuvres this added to the negative media hysteria. "Fight the Power" was one of Public Enemies many rap anthems which lead to an FBI report examing its effects on national security.

Marvin Young, better known as Young MC was born in London, raised in New York and educated at the University of California. He became known as the maestro of "articulate" rap. "Busta Move" was a top ten smash and later his debut album "Brainstorm" earned him a grammy for best rap record. He later collaborated with LA based rapper Ton Loc on "Wild Thing". The video cost $500 which was a satire of Robert Palmers "Addicted to Love". It sold over 2 million.

Queen Latifah stands for delicate and sensitive in Arabic which contradicts her lyrical style. Opening doors for other female rappers and leading the way for them to respond to their sexist counterparts she broke through a male dominated rap scene to become known as "Raps First Lady". She won a Grammy for Best Solo Rap preformance in 1994. Tracks like "Dance for me" promote themes of unity rather than competition amongst black women.

1990: Ice Cube lauched his solo career and joined forces with Chuck D of Public Enemy. The result was the album "Amerikkka's Most Wanted" which went gold in ten days and sold over 1 million copies. Ice cubes outspoken attacks on black America upset many extreme right wing organisations who targeted him on an assassination list which was discovered by the police in 1993.

MTV: MTV (Music Television) is the oldest and most influential American cable network specializing in music/related programming. It was launched on August 1, 1981, with the words "Ladies and gentlemen, rock and roll," spoken on camera by John Lack, one of the creators of MTV. This introduction was immediately followed by the music/video clip Video Killed the Radio Star, featuring a band called the Buggles. The title proved somewhat prophetic as MTV greatly transformed the nature of music?industry stardom over the next several years. At the same time, MTV became a major presence in the cable?TV industry and in fact in the overall American cultural landscape.

One of the earliest and greatest cable success stories, MTV was established by Warner Amex Satellite Entertainment Company (WASEC) after extensive marketing research. The key to MTV's viability, at least initially, was the availability of low-cost programming in the form of music videos. Originally these were provided free by record companies, which thought of them as advertising for their records and performers.

MTV presented one video after another in a constant "flow" that contrasted with the discrete individual programs found on other television networks. Clips were repeated from time to time according to a light, medium, or heavy "rotation" schedule. In this respect, MTV was like Top 40 radio (it even had video jockeys, or vjs, similar to radio djs). Moreover, it soon became apparent that MTV could "break" a recording act (move it into prominence, even star status), just as radio had done for decades.

A music video (also called a clip or promo clip) is a brief (usually three? to five?minute) television segment, usually shot on film but intended to be shown only on a TV set. The foundation of a video clip is the soundtrack, which is a recorded song, the sale of which is promoted by the video. In some cases, other material such as sound effects or introductory dialogue may also appear on the soundtrack.

The visual portion of a video usually consists of live concert footage or, more commonly, lip synching and pantomimed instrument playing by the recording artist(s). Dancing is also very common. In many cases there is also a dramatic or narrative concept, sometimes grounded in the song lyrics. The "acting" in a concept video is usually done by the musician(s), although in some cases (e.g., Crazy and other recent videos by Aerosmith) the video cuts away from the band to actors who act out a drama inspired by the lyrics. This is increasingly the case with clips previously used as sound-tracks for films. In these instances footage from the film, with the original actors, may be used. In some cases outtakes or re-shot sequences from these films are used to create a narrative link to the filmed musicians. (In these cases the video serves as an advertisement for the film as well as for the soundtrack album or the single track used in the clip.) The combination of elliptical storylines, record/as/soundtrack, lip sync, and direct address to the camera seemed so novel in the early 1980s that music video was often referred to as a new art form. The content of the new art was sometimes bold (and controversial) in its treatment of sex, violence, and other sensitive topics.

Many of the earliest MTV videos came from Great Britain, where the tradition of making promo clips was fairly well/developed. One of the earliest indications of MTV's commercial importance was the success of the British band Duran Duran in the American market. This band had great visual appeal and made interesting videos but was not receiving radio airplay as of 1981. In markets where MTV was available, the network's airing of Duran Duran's videos made the band immediately popular. Ultimately MTV proved to be immensely important to the careers of numerous artists, including Madonna, Michael Jackson, Prince, Peter Gabriel, and U2, as well as Duran Duran.

Andrew Goodwin identifies three phases in the history of MTV. The real ascendance of the network began in 1983 with phase two, the so-called "second launch" when MTV became available in Manhattan and Los Angeles. Phase three began in 1986, following Viacom's purchase of MTV from Warner Amex and the departure of Robert Pittman as President and CEO. Pittman had been largely responsible for leading MTV down the programming path of flow and narrowcasting. By 1986, however, MTV's ratings were in decline as a result of a too?narrow musical palette.

Throughout its so-called third phase, MTV has diversified its musical offerings, most notably into rap, dance music, and heavy metal. To some extent these genres have been segregated into their own program slots (Yo! MTV Raps, Club MTV, and Headbangers' Ball, respectively). At the same time, the move toward discrete programs has increasingly become a move away from music video. In the process, MTV has become more like a full?service network, offering news, sports, sitcoms, documentaries, cartoons, game shows, and other traditional TV fare. Often these programs are also musical in some sense (Beavis and Butt-Head), but sometimes they are not (reruns of Speed Racer).

Some of the displaced musical content of MTV, especially soft rock and other "adult" music, has landed on VH1 (Video Hits 1), a second video channel owned by MTV. Launched in 1985, VH?1 (hyphenated until 1994) quickly acquired a reputation as "video valium" for yuppies. Otherwise, the channel has had an indistinct image and has languished in the shadow of MTV. Makeovers in 1989 and (especially) 1994 raised the network's profile. By 1994 VH1 was playing slightly harder music and "breaking" recording artists, most notably Melissa Etheridge.

MTV and VH1 are by far the most important outlets for music?video programming in the United States. Many competing services have fallen by the wayside, while BET (Black Entertainment Television), CMT (Country Music Television), and TNN (The Nashville Network) are probably the most important survivors as of 1995. These networks specialize in black programming and country and western, which means that they compete only in a limited way with MTV and VH1.

Music video and MTV are major ingredients of television programming internationally. MTV Europe, launched in 1987, was followed by an Asian service in 1991 and MTV Latino in 1993. VH1 seems poised to follow a similar course, having established a European service in 1994. Both economically and aesthetically, MTV has wrought major changes in the entertainment industries. By combining music with television in a new way, MTV has charted a path for both industries (and movies as well) into a future of postmodern synergy.

Heavy Metal

Aerosmith: When Aerosmith blew out of Boston in the early 70s, lead lips Steven Tyler and guitar-slinger Joe Perry drew unfavorable comparisons to the "Glimmer Twins" of the Rolling Stones. But constant, impartial touring and their third record, the incomparable Toys in the Attic, catapulted the quintet into the pantheon of classic rock ensembles. Throwing off immortal sparks like "Sweet Emotion" and "Back in the Saddle," Aerosmith soon ruled the stages, airwaves and stereos of the States. But, life began to merge with art, and the Beantown boys’ priority was scoring and soaring, as they sleepwalked through the dizzying heights they strove so hard to reach. Yet each Aero release has its merits: "Dream On" and "Mama Kin (Steven’s tattoo)" off the ’73 self-titled debut are each on par with any rock standard. "SOS," from their second Get Your Wings (74), is a tight dirt-ball that many have tried to emulate, but only Aerosmith can deliver. "Seasons of Wither (quoted by Motley Crue in ‘Shout at the Devil’)" shows the surprising depth of introspection behind the band’s superior playing. The aforementioned Toys (75) and its follow-up Rocks (76) are finely-cut documents of hard-rock: Toys features the funky standard "Walk This Way," as well as the career summarizing "No More No More" and the immaculate "You See Me Cry." Rocks contains the jerky "Last Child (quoted by Motley Crue in "Too Young to Fall in Love")," along with the decadent "Combination," and the shimmering "Sick as a Dog." Aerosmith was flying high as the greatest American band.

But substance began taking over with the obviously titled Draw the Line (77), a vicious blooze-fest with chunks of greatness ( "Hand That Feeds") and a dangerously wasted vibe. The kegger Live Bootleg (78) followed before Night in the Ruts (79), which also seemed aptly titled; but though the band was losing to their lifestyles they still delivered the long-playing goods, with "Bone to Bone" standing as one of their best. Joe and rhythm guitarist Brad Whitford went their own way as Steven, bassman Brad Hamilton and drummer Joey Kramer soldiered on three years and two new members later with the fascinating oddity Rock in a Hard Place (82). All original members gathered for Done with Mirrors (85), a satisfying return to form. But although they never released a bad record, Aerosmith now teetered on the brink of irrelevance, nearly top-sided by the plethora of dirty party bands they inspired. Change came in the mid 80s with a different producer, new management and outside songwriters as the band beat their demons. But when the smoke cleared, Aerosmith was a sleek commercial commodity, still capable of sublime moments, but rarely reaching the standard of their first nine records, each a vital addition to any collection of boss rock.

VanHalen: With their 1978 eponymous debut, Van Halen simultaneously rewrote the rules of rock guitar and hard rock in general. Guitarist Eddie Van Halen redefined what electric guitar could do, developing a blindingly fast technique with a variety of self-taught two-handed tapping, hammer-ons, pull-offs, and effects that mimicked the sounds of machines and animals. It was wildly inventive and over the top, equaled only by vocalist David Lee Roth, who brought the role of a metal singer to near-performance art standards. Roth wasn't blessed with great technique, unlike Eddie, but he had a flair for showmanship that was derived as much from lounge performers as Robert Plant. Together, they made Van Halen into the most popular American rock & roll band of the late '70s and early '80s, and in the process set the template for hard rock and heavy metal for the '80s. Throughout the '80s, it was impossible not to hear Van Halen's instrumental technique on records that ranged from the heaviest metal to soft pop. Furthermore, Roth's irony-drenched antics were copied by singers who took everything literally. One of these was Sammy Hagar, an arena rock veteran from the '70s who replaced Roth after the vocalist had a falling out with Van Halen in 1985. Hagar stayed with the band longer than Roth, helping the group top the charts through the late '80s and early '90s. However, the group's sales began to slide in the mid-'90s, just as tensions between Hagar and Eddie began to arise. In one of the most disastrous publicity stunts in rock history, Hagar was fired (or quit) and Roth was brought back on, seemingly as a permanent member, but only for two songs on a greatest-hits album. He was subsequently replaced by Gary Cherone, a former member of Extreme.

Through all the upheaval over lead vocalists, Eddie Van Halen and his prodigious talent remained the core of Van Halen. The son of a Dutch bandleader, Eddie and his family moved from the Netherlands to Pasadena, CA, in 1967, when he was 12 years old and his older brother, Alex, was 14. As their father supported the family by playing in wedding bands, Eddie and Alex continued their classical piano training. Soon, both boys were enraptured by rock & roll. Eddie learned how to play drums and Alex took up the guitar, eventually switching instruments. The brothers began a hard rock band called Mammoth and began playing around Pasadena, eventually meeting David Lee Roth. At the time, Roth, who had been raised in a wealthy Californian family, was singing in Redball Jet. Impressed by the Van Halen brothers, he joined forces with the group. Shortly afterward, bassist Michael Anthony, who was singing with Snake, became a member of Mammoth. After discovering that another band had the rights to the name Mammoth, the group decided to call themselves Van Halen in 1974, rejecting the proposed Rat Salade. For the next three years, Van Halen played throughout Pasadena, Santa Barbara, and Los Angeles, playing both clubs and hotel bars.

The band's repertoire covered everything from pop and rock to disco, but they eventually worked in their own original material. Within a few years, they had become the most popular local band in Los Angeles, and Eddie became well known for his groundbreaking technique. In 1977, Kiss' Gene Simmons financed a demo recording session for Van Halen after seeing them at the Starwood Club. On the strength of Simmons' recommendation, Mo Ostin and Ted Templeman signed Van Halen to Warner Bros., releasing the band's debut the following year. Van Halen became a hit due to strong word of mouth, constant touring, and support from AOR radio. Within three months the album had gone gold, and five months later it went platinum. It would eventually sell over six million copies, thanks to the album rock staples "You Really Got Me," "Jamie's Cryin'," and "Runnin' With the Devil." Van Halen II, released in 1979, continued the band's success, as "Dance the Night Away" became their first Top 20 single. Women and Children First (1980) didn't have any charting singles, but was a success on the album charts, reaching number six. The band supported the album with their first headlining, international arena tour, and the group was quickly on their way to being superstars.

Released in 1981, Fair Warning wasn't quite as popular as their previous records, yet it still peaked at number six. Diver Down, released in 1982, was a huge hit, spawning a number 12 cover of Roy Orbison's "(Oh) Pretty Woman" and reaching number three. While all of their previous albums were successful, Van Halen didn't become superstars until 1984, when their album 1984 became an across-the-board smash. Released on New Year's Day, 1984 rocketed to number two on the strength of the number one single "Jump." Like many songs on the album, "Jump" was driven by Eddie's new synthesizer, and while Roth was initially reluctant to use electronics, the expansion of the group's sound was widely praised. Throughout 1984, Van Halen gained steam, as "I'll Wait" and "Panama" became Top 15 singles and "Hot for Teacher" became a radio and MTV staple. Despite the band's breakthrough success, things were not well within the band. During their 1984 tour, each member played separate solo sets and were physically separated on the stage. Roth was unhappy with Eddie's appearance on Michael Jackson's 1983 hit "Beat It," and Van Halen grew tired of the comic antics of Roth. In 1985, Roth released a solo EP, Crazy From the Heat, which spawned hit covers of "California Girls" and "Just a Gigolo/I Ain't Got Nobody." When Roth delayed the recording of Van Halen's follow-up to 1984, he was fired from the band.

Most observers were taken by surprise when Van Halen named Sammy Hagar as Roth's replacement. The former lead singer of Montrose, Hagar's solo career had been sporadically successful, highlighted by such arena metal hits as "Three-Lock Box" and "I Can't Drive 55." Though many critics suspected Hagar wouldn't be able to sustain Van Halen's remarkable success, his first album with the band, 1986's 5150, was a huge hit, reaching number one and spawning the hit singles "Why Can't This Be Love," "Dreams," and "Love Walks In." Released in 1988, OU812 was just as successful, earning stronger reviews than its predecessor and generating the hits "When It's Love" and "Finish What You Started." For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge, released in 1991, was another number one hit, partially due to the hit MTV video for "Right Now." Van Halen followed the album with their first live record, the double album Van Halen Live: Right Here, Right Now in 1993. By the spring 1995 release of Balance, tensions between Eddie Van Halen and Sammy Hagar had grown considerably. Eddie Van Halen had recently undergone well-publicized treatment for alcoholism, and Hagar was notorious for his party-hearty ways, even writing a paean to Amsterdam's hash bars with "Amsterdam" on Balance. Furthermore, the band had become subject to criticism that they simply repeated a formula. While Balance was successful, entering the charts at number one and selling two million copies shortly after its release, it stalled quickly afterward. The band wanted to release a greatest-hits collection, but Hagar balked at the idea, escalating tensions even further.

Following a skirmish in 1996 over the recording of a song for the Twister soundtrack, Eddie decided to make a change by switching singers. Van Halen began recording new material with Roth without informing Hagar, who went ballistic upon learning of the group's reunion. According to Hagar, Eddie fired him shortly afterward; Van Halen claimed Hagar quit. Roth proceeded to record two new songs for Van Halen's Best Of, Vol. 1, and once the reunion became public, the rock media reacted positively to the news; MTV began airing a welcome back commercial days after the announcement. However, the reunion was not to be. Following an appearance at the MTV Music Awards, Van Halen fired Roth from the band, claiming that he was only on board to record two new songs. Roth said that he was duped into recording the songs, believing that the reunion was permanent. Former Extreme vocalist Gary Cherone was announced as the band's new lead singer. Though the resulting Best Of, Vol. 1 was a success, Eddie Van Halen's reputation as a nice guy was tarnished once the entire affair was over.

Cherone's long-awaited debut with Van Halen, entitled Van Halen III, was finally released in March of 1998.

Although the album debuted high on the charts, crashing in at number three, it quickly slipped down the charts, since the reception to the album from fans, critics, and radio was mixed.

After Van Halen III proved to be the worst-selling album of Van Halen's long and illustrious career (the ensuing world tour was poorly attended as well), Cherone was dismissed from V.H. in 1999. Immediately, rumors began to swirl once more of an impending David Lee Roth/Van Halen reunion. Things were kept completely hush-hush in the V.H. camp until early 2001, when David Lee Roth went public on his website with an update, confirming that he had recorded several new songs with the band (tracks that Roth described as amazing, phenomenal, and astonishing), but hadn't heard back from them since the previous summer. Only a few days after Roth's news, Eddie Van Halen admitted to the public that he was battling cancer, but was told by his doctors that chances were good for a complete recovery. In the summer of 2001, Eddie told MTV News that V.H.'s remaining members had penned a total of three albums worth of new material and that they were still unsure of who their next singer would be. Months later, fans were shocked to hear that the band parted ways with Warner Brothers, their label since 1979. The band blamed the label for promoting younger bands, while also admitting that they had not yet found Cherone's replacement and were no longer considering Roth.

AC/DC: AC/DC's mammoth power-chord roar became one of the most influential hard rock sounds of the '70s. In its own way, it was a reaction against the pompous art rock and lumbering arena rock of the early '70s. AC/DC's rock was minimalist -- no matter how huge and bludgeoning the guitar chords were, there was a clear sense of space and restraint. Combined with Bon Scott's larynx-shredding vocals, the band spawned countless imitators over the next two decades.

AC/DC was formed in 1973 in Australia by guitarist Malcolm Young after his band, the Velvet Underground, collapsed (Young's band has no relation to the seminal American group). With his younger brother Angus as lead guitarist, the band played some gigs around Sydney. Angus was only 15-years-old at the time and his sister suggested that he should wear his school uniform on-stage; the look became the band's visual trademark. While still in Sydney, the original lineup (featuring singer Dave Evans) cut a single called "Can I Sit Next to You," with ex-Easybeats Harry Vanda and George Young (Malcolm and Angus' older brother) producing.

The band moved to Melbourne the following year, where drummer Phil Rudd (formerly of the Coloured Balls) and bassist Mark Evans joined the band. The band's chauffeur, Bon Scott, became their lead vocalist when their singer, Dave Evans, refused to go on-stage.

Previously, Scott had been vocalist for the Australian prog rock bands Fraternity and the Valentines. More importantly, he helped cement the group's image as brutes -- he had several convictions on minor criminal offenses and was rejected by the Australian Army for being "socially maladjusted." And AC/DC was socially maladjusted. Throughout their career they favored crude double entendres and violent imagery, all spiked with a mischievous sense of fun.

The group released two albums -- High Voltage and TNT -- in Australia in 1974 and 1975. Material from the two records comprised the 1976 release High Voltage in the U.S. and U.K.; the group also toured both countries. Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap followed at the end of the year. Evans left the band at the beginning of 1977, with Cliff Williams taking his place. In the fall of 1977, AC/DC released Let There Be Rock, which became their first album to chart in the U.S.

Powerage, released in spring of 1978, expanded their audience even further, thanks in no small part to their dynamic live shows (which were captured on 1978's live If You Want Blood, You've Got It). What really broke the doors down for the band was the following year's Highway to Hell, which hit number 17 in the U.S. and number eight in the U.K., becoming the group's first million-seller.

AC/DC's train was derailed when Bon Scott died on February 20, 1980. The official coroner's report stated he had "drunk himself to death." In March, the band replaced Scott with Brian Johnson. The following month, the band recorded Back in Black, which would prove to be their biggest album, selling over ten million copies in the U.S. alone. For the next few years, the band was one of the largest rock bands in the world, with For Those About to Rock We Salute You topping the charts in the U.S. In 1982, Rudd left the band; he was replaced by Simon Wright.

After 1983's Flick of the Switch, the band's commercial standing began to slip; they were able to reverse their slide with 1990's The Razor's Edge, which spawned the hit "Thunderstruck." While not the commercial powerhouse they were during the late '70s and early '80s, the '90s saw them maintain their status as a top international concert draw. In the fall of 1995, their 16th album, Ballbreaker, was released. Produced by Rick Rubin, the album received some of the most positive reviews of AC/DC's career. Ballbreaker entered the American charts at number four and sold over a million copies in its first six months of release. Stiff Upper Lip followed in early 2000.

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