The Teen Market

Marketing to a Generation• The word “teenager” can be traced back to

approximately 1951– “Teener” used in the late 19th century.

• The marketing idea was to distinguish adults from children and capture the large teen market– 50s & 60s teens were more independent– Had more freedoms that past teens– Did not want to listen to the music of their parents– Experienced a prosperous post World War

economy

Dick Clark

• America’s oldest teenager• Hosted a new television format

in Philadelphia which presented local high school students as they danced to pop hits– Bandstand

Dick Clark

• American Bandstand -1957 when it was televised nationally

• He brought a new respectability to rock and roll– Boys = Jacket and tie or sweater and tie– Girls = no pants, right sweaters, shorts, or low-necked tops– No smoking, no hats, no gum chewing– Banned certain sexually suggestive dances

• The goal was to reassure parents of this new music and this new breed of teenager

• American Bandstand remained on air until 1989

Payola

• Literally “pay for play”– A common practice since vaudeville in the late

19th century

• Began with television game shows– Contestant admitted he was given answers

• Congress wanted to eliminate rock music– Claimed R&R would not last without payola

• Many DJs lost their jobs and entire careers– Alan Freed “What they call payola in the disc

jockey business they call lobbying in Washington.”

• Dick Clark remained clean, at least on paper

Don Kirshner (1934-2011)

• After the payola investigations songwriters gained a greater spotlight

• Kirshner wanted to shape rock music through the songwriters– Aldon Music

• Neil Sedaka, Carole King - songwriters

– The Brill Building• An office building housing music industry

producers, writers and studios

Girl Groups• Kirshner modeled girl groups in the doo wop

teen style• The first major rock/pop style for women

– Began with groups in the 50s - rarities– 60s an explosion of girl groups

• Girl groups provided a voice for a generation of women– Songs addressed

• Romance• Heartache• Search for true love

The Shirelles

Girl Groups

• 1961 The Shirelles – The first girl group to top the singles

charts with “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow” written by Carole King and Gerry Goffin

• They became role models for successful girl groups to come

Phil Spector

• Phil Spector – record producer – created a distinct “wall of sound” for Aldon Music’s girl groups– Huge echo sound – Full instrumentation – doubling– Special echo chambers

The Ronettes

• Produced by Phil Spector– Sang Aldon Music songs

• Members came from a gospel background– Lead singer Veronica Bennett married Spector

• Changes name to Ronnie Spector

• “Be My Baby” captures the early Spector wall of sound

Girl Groups

• The Shangri-Las provided a voice of angst and melodrama

• “Leader of the Pack” hit number 1 in the U.S. - 1964– Its melodramatic theme of death caused it to be

banned in the U.K.

• There image was radical for the time– Instead of matching dressed they wore

streetwise, hip clothing• Pants, go-go boots, “tough” look