Mr. Johnston johnstonb@yis.ac.jp Name your document file: Your Name/21TopTen Finished work should be put in your Drop Box folder. DUE DATE: Week of March 8th, the day of your class on Tuesday or Thursday First Draft for Next Weeks class (week of March 1). Give it to someone else for proof reading and peer assessment ideas. They can type their comments at the bottom of your document. Leave comments in the finished draft so they are handed in as part of the assignment. Be sure to state who did your assessment. Finished work to be completed in Two Weeks. Put in Drop Box (include the first draft with peer assessment ideas, and your final draft after you have made alterations. Name file: Your Name/21Top 10 Objective: Imagine you are all grown up and it is the year 2050. Your 13 year old son is interested in your old digital sound files for a project at school and he would like to know what you think would be the 10 albums he should listen to in order to get an understanding of the development of music in the first decade of the millennium. That would be from 2000 – 2010. What albums do you think best represent the music from this era? Who are the most influential performers of the 21st century? Madonna, Elvis, the Beatles, Marilyn Monroe, Michael Jackson, Oprah and a host of other performers defined pop culture in the 20th century. They revolutionized the entertainment industry! They all did something different. The Beatles and Elvis helped define rock & roll, Madonna and Michael Jackson revolutionized pop music and Oprah gave a voice to women across the nation. What 21st century performers will be placed in this elite club? The answer to this question is a difficult one. We live in a society where 15 minutes of fame is more common than longevity. There will be a small number of modern stars who will stand the test of time. When someone looks back at the first couple of decades of the 21st century, they will look at pop phenomenons like Beyonce, Kanye West, Alicia Keys, Justin Timberlake, and Britney Spears. Who knows, they may even look back at Miley Cyrus. These performers grab have grabbed the media with a deathly chokehold. Angelina Jolie, Scarlett Johansson, Usher and a few other performers will also be remembered for their contributions. They have denominated the pop charts, graced the big screen, and caused quite a bit of controversy. Beyonce and Britney have broken all kinds of music records, and have had their names in the tabloids quite a bit. It will be interesting to see who is remembered. Few artist s have made a creative impact this century. The entertainment industry is dominated by commercialism. Actors are no longer just actors. Singers are no longer just singers. Every entertainer these days are brands. They are crafted to make the most money possible. The most remembered performers of this century will most likely be some of the entertainers who made it big in the late 20th century. Mariah and Madonna still have hit records. U2 Still sells out arenas. Unfortunately, young performers will most likely not be remembered. Sometimes it just seems like there isn't any new ground being broken. Musicians are simply remaking the songs that made other people famous. They may have different lyrics, but the arrangements, techniques and styles are basically the same. Talent also needs to be part of the equation. The entertainment industry no longer develops raw talent. They take anyone with a pretty face and make them appear talented. Beyonce and Kanye West stand out because they have substance underneath the glitz, glamour and image. Entertainers need to also stand for something. Angelina Jolie will be remembered because she wasn't just another gorgeous face! Process: The First Week: What have been the most influential albums on the music industry over the past 10 years? What artists music best represents this era? What genres of music would you include as most important to the development of future music? IMPORTANT! The second week you will email your first draft to another student for feedback. This feedback should be typed into your first draft at the end. Then copy the first draft to the end of the document and make corrections. This way you will have your first document, assessment ideas, and your final document all in the same file. Expectations: You should write your thoughts and back them up with facts. Remember that you may not like some of the most influential albums personally. Consider which artists have sold the most albums, won more awards, or are most famous. Is there someone not as famous that delivered something new to the world of music? Which albums have made a difference. Most new genres and styles aren’t popular right off the bat. Even Elvis wasn’t well liked by many when he started. Who do you think showed us a new road for musicians to explore? An album does not neccessarily have to be in English to qualify. And it does not have to be from the United States. All albums are in the running from anywhere in the world, but which 10 are the most influential on the music industry during this time. Write your thoughts in essay form. It should be approximately 500 words (two pages of 12 point text). Assessment : I am looking for more than just who you like as artists. I want you to give some thought about an artist’s influence on music over time. What makes an artist influential? Be sure to support your argument with some hard facts. Make a Bibliography listing your resources. Your project will be assessed against the Levels of Achievement. GOOD LUCK AND ENJOY THE MUSIC! other reading for teachers  Music Technology Yokohama International School Mr. Johnston johnstonb@yis.ac.jp mailto:johnstonb@yis.ac.jphttp://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2511225/top_ten_pop_songs_of_the_decade.html?cat=33mailto:johnstonb@yis.ac.jpshapeimage_3_link_0shapeimage_3_link_1shapeimage_3_link_2