Early British popular music

Among the topics were love, religion, drinking-songs, legends and early journalism, which included disasters, political events and signs, wonders and prodigies.

[5] Arguably, brass bands were an expression of the local solidarity and aspirations of newly formed or rapidly growing communities.

Many of the earliest parlour songs were transcriptions for voice and keyboard of other music, such as Thomas Moore's Irish Melodies, which comprised traditional tunes with new lyrics.

Songs became more complex and sophisticated in their melodic and harmonic vocabulary and, in addition to their continuing use in the parlour, were also often sung in public recitals by professional singers.

Characteristic and popular parlour songs include "Home, Sweet Home" by Henry Bishop with lyrics by John Howard Payne, "The Old Arm Chair" by Henry Russell, "The Lost Chord" composed by Arthur Sullivan with lyrics by Adelaide A. Proctor and "Take Back the Heart" by Claribel (Mrs. Charlotte Barnard).

By the turn of the century, music hall was dominated by song-writing companies and theatre chains, such as that of Sir Oswald Stoll.

Typically, a music hall song consists of a series of verses sung by the performer alone and a repeated chorus, which carries the principal melody and in which the audience is encouraged to join.

Leading music hall stars included: Marie Lloyd, Harry Champion, George Formby, Vesta Tilley, Gus Elen, Little Tich, Gracie Fields and Flanagan and Allen.

Fans tended to divide them into "Sweet" (Ambrose, Geraldo and Victor Silvester) and "Hot" (Harry Roy and Nat Gonella).