Description
Book SynopsisIn Leaders of the Pack: Girl Groups of the 1960s and their Influence on Popular Culture musician and music historian Sean MacLeod surveys the hundreds of girl groups that appeared not only in the United States but also in Great Britain during the early 1960s. This study corrects the neglect of their critical contribution of popular music history by exploring the social and political climate from which the girl groups emerged and their effect, in turn, on local and national music and culture. MacLeod organizes his argument around seven leading girl groups: The Shirelles, The Crystals, The Ronettes, The Marvelettes, The Vandellas, the Supremes and The Shangri-Las. These seven sister groups serve as the basis for a broader look at the many girl groups of the period, offering a roadmap through the work of the many stakeholderthe singers, songwriters, producers, and record labelsthat the girl group phenomenon made possible. MacLeod also reviews the significant influence girl groups had on
Trade ReviewA British songwriter and producer, MacLeod has compiled a detailed history of the early 1960s girl musical groups—in both the US and Great Britain—and their legacies. Drawing on a range of sources (some primary but most secondary), MacLeod begins with a history and an analysis of the Shirelles and moves on to the Crystals, the Ronettes, the Marvelettes, the Supremes, the Vandellas, and the Shangri-Las. He also discusses such producers as Berry Gordy and Phil Spector. With the arrival, in the mid-1960s, of the Beatles and other British groups (who were significantly influenced by the girl groups), the musical scene changed significantly. MacLeod follows the story through the remainder of the 20th century and into the 21st, discussing The Beach Boys, The Who, The Rolling Stones, the Ramones, Blondie, Madonna, the Spice Girls, Lady Gaga, and Britney Spears—all seemingly influenced by the earlier girl groups. There are lengthy notes and a detailed bibliography, demonstrating the author’s wide range of sources, but few illustrations. With its wide chronological coverage, this is a useful addition to the literature. Summing Up: Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates through faculty; general readers. * CHOICE *
MacLeod has done a commendable job researching this topic.... [H]e presents some unique and important thoughts on the 1960s girl groups and their bearing on the music and culture that followed. I recommend this book for either public or academic libraries, because it deserves wide readership and makes important contributions to the discourse on feminism, popular music, and cultural history. * Music Reference Services Quarterly *
[A] superb book…. Leaders of the Pack is exhaustively researched and so filled with details that anyone interested in the era, or popular music in general, will surely appreciate it. * Journal of American Culture *
Table of ContentsChapter 1: Teenagers, Rock ‘n’ Roll and Post War Liberation Chapter 2: The Shirelles and the Beginning of The Girl Group Era Chapter 3: Phil Spector Girl Groups: The Crystals and the Ronettes Chapter 4: Motown Girl Groups: The Marvelettes, The Supremes, and The Vandellas Chapter 5: The Shangri-Las and the End of The Girl Group Era Chapter 6: Girl Groups, Girl Bands, and 60s Pop Chapter 7: The Girl Groups’ Legacy: The 70s Chapter 8: The Girl Groups’ Legacy: The 80s Chapter 9: Material Girls Madonna Chapter 10: Modern Girls: The Spice Girls to Lady Ga Ga Notes Bibliography Index
