Popular music in the 20s and 30s, especially dance music, had the violin as an essential ingredient. At least 2 or 3 violins could be heard in a typical dance orchestra. Society bands would often include as many as 6 or 7. But in the mid 1930s, the Swing sound had arrived in the US, and soon all stringed instruments including the violin became surplus to needs. Since the 1960s, of course, the guitar and bass guitar has reigned supreme in pop and rock music. But the merging of folk with rock sounds in the late 1960s and early 1970s,meant that once again the sound of violin strings became part of the mix. Since then and over time in the 1970s, the arrival of disco also meant the inclusion of strings in the overall sound. But with advent of synthesiser in the 1980s, the violin lost its way for a time, whilst emulated string sounds reigned supreme.
But now the violin has made its comeback, and is being increasingly part of a new wave of mainstream pop. Independent artists such as Final Fantasy (aka Owen Pallett - example here) and Andrew Bird have developed a focused style, creating a subcategory of indie rock called “violindie”.
A favourite for me: Andrew Bird and “Danse Caribe on the album Break it Yourself
