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How Did Frank Sinatra Impact The Music Industry

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Chapter Three: Sinatra and his Impact on the Music Industry The third and final way that Frank Sinatra influenced popular music was through setting new trends within the music industry, which continue today. The industry acquired two trends which later became the mainstream: the first was the decision for a vocalist to start a solo career, and the second being the popularization of the American Popular Songbook. The Chairman of the Board, as Sinatra was commonly known, decided to start his solo career in 1942, after a brief period singing with Harry James and the Tommy Dorsey Band. Many well-known singers preceded him, such as Billy Holiday and Bing Crosby. None of these performers, however great, led completely self-sufficient careers of their own. Gardner attests that “Sinatra’s success cemented the notion of the interpretive singer as an autonomous musician – in service to the song but also owning it, at least for the duration of the performance”. Given the type of personality he possessed, this was not surprising. Frank had the “street-smarts”, the intelligence, drive, and talent to sustain a solo career. …show more content…

Sexual appeal is a common thread with celebrities, including musicians. Musicians like Tom Jones, and actors like Brad Pitt create a huge following because their audience thinks they are physically attractive. Consequently, their physical image holds just as much influence as their talent. Giddins remarks, “…Sinatra remained white America’s last completely satisfying definition of masculine style…no comparably compelling image of male conduct has emerged to replace it”. Masculinity remains a common image projected by celebrities, and has been a recurring theme in musicians and actors since Sinatra projected it to the youth culture of the early

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