While many performers started developing distinct music styles in the 1960s, many genres and trends were recognized only in the following decade. Music styles such as reggae were uncommon in the early 1970s and became widely popular due to their uniqueness. For the first time, the term “reggae” appeared in 1968 in Jamaica. However, later the word “reggae” came to be used to characterize different kinds of Afro-Caribbean music and American blues, which have undergone a transformation in Jamaica. The musical culture of Jamaica was greatly influenced by Rastafarianism, a religious and philosophical doctrine. Jamaican bands such as The Abyssinians, The Charmers, Burning Spear used ritual rhythms and calm chants in the music. Reggae is perhaps the most positive music after pop tunes. It has a slow tempo and a relaxed rhythm; performers often skip strong beats, emphasizing weak ones with chords (Covach and Flory, 2018). A good example of reggae is Bob Marley’s song No Woman, No Cry (1974).
By the middle of the decade, another direction appeared in pop music – disco. The formation of this genre was mainly influenced by such musical styles as funk, Latin American harmony, and soul music. Funk shares unique dynamics, strong vocals, and dance rhythms with this genre. Disco music was intended for dance floors and differed from reggae in its fast tunes and dynamics. Despite the fact that followers of older and harder rock considered disco to be too commercial and artistically primitive, the number of disco fans grew rapidly (Covach and Flory, 2018). After the Wee Gees wrote the score for Saturday Night Fever (1977), disco took over the scene for several years.
Funk is also one of the founding currents of African American music. First of all, funk is dance music, which determines its musical features: extreme syncopation of all instruments, pulsating rhythm, strong vocals, repetition of brief lyrical verses. Like disco, funk differs from reggae in its faster dance rhythm. Classic funk records date back to the 1960s and 1970s when Sly & the Family Stone and Earth, Wind & Fire gained popularity. During this period, funk strongly influenced rock and jazz, giving rise to transitional styles. This pattern shows the similarity of the musical trends of the 1970s in incorporating international traditions and sounds into the European scene (Covach and Flory, 2018). Reggae, funk, and disco, despite the difference in rhythm, message, and sound, were intended to unite the art of music into a global musical movement.
Work Cited
Covach, John, and Andrew Flory. What’s That Sound?: An Introduction to Rock and Its History. Available from: eCampus, (5th Edition). W. W. Norton, 2018.