Woodstock|

In August 1969, the Woodstock Music & Art Fair took place on a dairy farm in Bethel, NY. Over half a million people came to a 600-acre farm to hear 32 acts (leading and emerging performers of the time) play over the course of four days (August 15-18). Jefferson Airplane, Jimi Hendrix, the Grateful Dead, the Who, Janis Joplin and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young were among the line-up. Woodstock is known as one of the greatest happenings of all time and –perhaps- the most pivotal moment in music history. Joni Mitchell said, “Woodstock was a spark of beauty” where half-a-million kids “saw that they were part of a greater organism.” According to Michael Lang, one of four young men who formed Woodstock Ventures to produce the festival, “That’s what means the most to me – the connection to one another felt by all of us who worked on the festival, all those who came to it, and the millions who couldn’t be there but were touched by it.” By Wednesday, August 13, some 60,000 people had already arrived and set up camp. On Friday, the roads were so clogged with cars that performing artists had to arrive by helicopter. Though over 100,000 tickets were sold prior to the festival weekend, they became unnecessary as swarms of people descended on the concert grounds to take part in this historic and peaceful happening. Four days of music… half a million people… rain, and the rest is history.

The 70's|

The 1970s was a decade rich in music from many genres, including jazz, funk, pop and rock. During the '70s, other styles become popular in America, including disco and reggae. By looking at some of the highest-charting singles and critically acclaimed albums from the '70s, you can gain an understanding of popular music during that time in American history.

According to Mademan.com, the biggest selling artist of the '70s was Elvis Presley, even though he passed away in 1977. The rest of the top 10 selling artists, in order after Elvis, were Elton John, Barbra Streisand, Neil Diamond, Chicago, The Rolling Stones, Bee Gees, John Denver, Paul McCartney, and Bob Dylan.

Both Bob Marley and Peter Tosh reached the top of the U.S. singles charts during the '70s, creating a new audience for reggae music. However, according to 70smusicmayhem.blogspot.com, the highest-charting reggae songs were compositions by Marley recorded by other artists, including "I Shot the Sheriff" by Eric Clapton and "Stir it Up" by Johnny Nash.

Disco music became widely popular in the dance clubs of America during the '70s. Disco is a blend of soul and funk music incorporating Latin beats and classical strings, according to Wisegeek.com. The Bee Gees were one of the most notable disco groups, creating the soundtrack to the popular film "Saturday Night Fever" in 1977.

The Beatles, who remained one of the most successful acts in rock and pop, released their final official album, "Let it Be," in 1970. New bands that embodied more '70s aesthetics, such as dance beats and synthesizers, emerged, such as Blondie and David Bowie. Blondie's "Heart of Glass" topped the charts in 1979, while Bowie's "Fame" was his first No. 1 hit in the United States in 1975.

During the '70s, jazz began to incorporate elements of rock and funk music, relying on powerful electric rhythm sections instead of traditional acoustic instrumentation, which is now called fusion. Miles Davis released his landmark fusion album "Bitches Brew" in 1970. Mahavishnu Orchestra, a popular jazz/rock group, released a string of albums in the '70s, including "Birds of Fire" and "The Inner Mounting Flame." More traditional funk bands such as Sly and the Family Stone enjoyed popularity with albums such as "There's a Riot Goin' On," and James Brown produced the popular "Get on the Good Foot" and "The Payback."

The 60's|

Nothing would ever be the same again, the 1960's was the period of time which changed everything. The sixties decade was the most incredibly exciting, influential, inventive and vibrant period for popular music in the 20th century. The 3,653 days belonging to the sixties are unforgettable and still lend a rich dimension to our lives today. It was the era where skirts kept getting shorter, hair kept getting longer and the youth of the day were liberated from the wartime hardship and the prim attitudes of the fifties. There was an awakening renaissance for the arts where painting, dance, sculpture, fashion and especially music changed all the rules . Some of the music of the 1960’s really was the definition of rebellion or the standing up to the establishment culture. Protest songs written and performed by the artists themselves “God On Our Side "and “Blowing' in the Wind” Bob Dylan, “I Ain't Marching Anymore” Phil Ochs, “Universal Soldier” Buffy Sainte-Marie, “A Change is Gonna Come” Sam Cooke, and “Give Peace A Chance” John Lennon's Plastic Ono Band. The words put to the music giving everybody a message which we all would sing along to.

Looking back through blurred glasses we see an explosion of colour, images of youth Jean Shrimpton, Britt Ekland, Twiggy, Julie Christie, Diana Ross, Mick Jagger and of course The Beatles, all expressing an exuberance and panache which we later related to the sixties decade. Swinging London was underway by the mid-1960s, fashionable shopping areas had developed such as Carnaby Street, and the Kings Road where fashion boutiques were selling their latest gear to the (Mods) Modernist youth revolution. The Kinks 1966 single "Dedicated Follower of Fashion" epitomized the dandyness of the time.