Disco, Punk, New Wave, Heavy Metal, and More: Music in the 1970s and 1980s

Although rock music continued to dominate the music scene, the sounds of the 1970s and 1980s differed greatly from the music of the preceding decades, reflecting newer social realities. The aggressive sounds of punk music began to appeal to youth, while disco reached across cultures and brought diverse crowds together in dance clubs. New Wave had a playful, chill feel, while the electronic guitar-laden sounds heavy metal were anything but. Readers examine the various styles of music that defined the 1970s and 1980s, profiling the artists who captured the spirit of rapid social and cultural change.