What is doo-wop?

Doo-wop is a genre of music that emerged in the United States in the late 1940s and early 1950s. It was characterized by simple harmonies and lyrics, often about love and romance, as well as distinctive vocal techniques such as falsetto and vibrato. The style originated with African American vocal groups, but it quickly spread to other ethnic and racial groups, and it became one of the most popular forms of American popular music in the 1950s. Doo-wop groups typically consisted of four to six male singers, with one or two lead vocalists. The lead singers would sing the verses, while the other members would provide backing vocals, often using the doo-wop syllable as a refrain. Doo-wop songs were often accompanied by simple instrumentation, such as piano, guitar, bass, and drums. The genre was closely related to rhythm and blues, and many doo-wop groups recorded songs that were both R&B and doo-wop. Some of the most famous doo-wop groups include the Platters, the Penguins, the Drifters, and the Orioles.