Comedy records, unsurprisingly, are made to make you laugh. Since there are so many kinds of humor, there are a number of different comedy records, from straight standup and comedy sketches to song parodies. Comedy records haven't so much evolved as waxed and waned in popularity. During the '50s and '60s, before pop-rock completely dominated the marketplace, they were at their popular peak, but certain albums -- from Richard Pryor in the '70s to Eddie Murphy and Robin Williams in the '80s to... [+] Read More
Key Artists: Steve Martin | Mike Nichols & Elaine May | Monty Python's Flying Circus | Richard Pryor | Bob Newhart | Lenny Bruce | Eddie Murphy | Rodney Dangerfield | Dr. Demento | George Carlin | Stan Freberg | Bill Cosby | Cheech & Chong | Redd Foxx | Tom LehrerSpoken Word records contain poems, stories and sketches as recited by authors and actors, or they're documents of interviews and speeches with historical figures. Frequently, they're enhanced with musical backdrops, but throughout it all, the emphasis remains on the spoken word.
