Pop Music

In the 1940s, improved microphone design allowed a more intimate singing style and, ten or twenty years later,

inexpensive and more durable 45 rpm records for singles "revolutionized the manner in which pop has been

disseminated", which helped to move pop music to "a record/radio/film star system".[34] Another technological change

was the widespread availability of television in the 1950s with televised performances, which meant that "pop stars had

to have a visual presence".[34] In the 1960s, the introduction of inexpensive, portable transistor radios meant that

teenagers in the developed world could listen to music outside of the home.[34] By the early 1980s, the promotion of pop

music had been greatly affected by the rise of music television channels like MTV, which "favoured those artists such as

Michael Jackson and Madonna who had a strong visual appeal".[34]