2. What is Pop Music?
Pop music a term that originally came
from the word ‘Popular’. It’s a genre of
popular music which originated in its
modern era of the 1950s. It has come to
be said that it initially originated from
rock and roll. As a genre, pop music is
very diverse, as it often borrows aspects
from other genres including urban,
dance, rock, Latin and country as well as
being played worldwide. However there
are some key aspects that define pop
such as choruses, melodic tunes, and
catchy hooks.
3. What is Pop Music’s target
audience and who are they?
It’s targeted towards the younger
generation, both genders but probably
more typically female as they’re more
likely to buy a music magazine, as they
also use singers as idols or inspiration.
Female singers have had a big influence on
the Pop music industry, such as Madonna,
especially in the nineties, this has also
shown to reflect the point being made
about females being majority of the
audience. Studies show since 2008, pop
music has become the most popular style
of music of the youth culture, as we see it
played everywhere. In conclusion, the
target audience of pop music would be
both genders around the ages of 16 – 20,
Madonna in her early days. as the youth seem to listen to it most.
4. Sub genres of Pop Music
Arab pop Japanese pop
Austropop Korean pop
Balkan pop Latin pop
Baroque pop Levenslied
Bubblegum pop Louisiana swamp pop
Classical crossover Mandarin pop By looking at all the sub
Chinese pop Mexican pop genres of pop, you can tell
Country pop Motorpop it’s a worldwide genre as it
Dance-pop Nederpop
Disco polo New romantic
comes in many languages.
Electropop Operatic pop We also see a combination
Eurobeat Pop rap of genres, such as country
Europop Psychedelic pop and pop and rap and pop.
French pop Russian pop
Hong Kong and Cantonese pop Soft rock This links back to Pop
Hong Kong English pop Sophisti-pop being a diverse genre.
Indian pop Space age pop
Indonesian pop Sunshine pop
Iranian pop Surf pop
Italo dance Synthpop
Italo disco Taiwanese pop
Jangle pop Teen pop
Vispop Thai pop
Wonky Pop Traditional pop music
Turkish pop
5. Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson often referred to ask
‘MJ’ or ‘King of Pop’, started his
career at a very young age. He first
featured in Jackson 5, a band with his
brothers in 1964. He then started a
solo career in 1971. In the early
1980s, Jackson became a dominant
figure in popular music. He was also
known for his creative music videos
which gave him more fame, such as
‘thriller’. Michael Jackson has been
really inspirational to many new pop
singers as well, such as Justin Beiber
who found him very inspirational.
6. Madonna
Madonna who has been in the
media as well as the music
industry since 1977, she first
started of dancing and then
performed in the music groups
Breakfast Club and Emmy. She
attained huge popularity by
pushing the limits of lyrical
content in mainstream popular
music and her image in music
videos, which became a
permanent position on MTV.
She’s a massive icon in the music
industry especially when it
comes to pop.
7. Justin Bieber
Justin Bieber is one of the most
famous pop stars out there right
now in the new generation of pop
music. Being discovered on youtube
at the age of 16, with the help of
another Pop star, Usher. Despite
being around for a couple of years
Justin's music videos gain more
than 100,000,000 views, this makes
other artists competitive towards
him. Being a pop star, a majority of
Justin’s fans are young teenagers
and mostly female. This links back
to the Pop genre mostly being for
the younger generation and
preferably girls.
8. One Direction
One Direction originally became
famous on the TV show X factor,
where they gained most of their
fans. Though they didn’t win they
gained millions of views on their
first music video. Pop music, being
their preferred genre they are loved
by all their fans. Mostly girls, which
again links to the idea of pop music
fans being girls and the younger
generation. Though there are some
males that are fans of One
Direction, the majority of them are
girls.
9. Is Pop a popular genre?
Pop music is very popular, especially among the younger
generation as they seem to listen to it the most and are the
targeted audience. A lot of pop music is played on the radio
where a majority of teenagers look for good music. Legend
pop stars like Michael Jackson, referred to as ‘king of pop’,
inspired many other artists to get their pop music out there.
Pop music has developed massively around the years
originally generally generation from the 1960’s.
10. Record Labels
Many pop artist are collaborated within the same music group, as they
all work in the same genre. Island, is a massive recording label as it
holds all types of genres, such as pop, hip-hop and r’n’b.
11. Cross Media Pop music is seen everywhere nowadays,
it is mainly shown in kids/teens TV
programmes; for example on Disney
Channel, pop music is promoted by
showing their characters music videos.
Another way Pop music is advertised
is by the radio, where a majority of
people tune in to, to listen to music
and find new tunes. This leads to the
two step flow theory; as people who
may listen the music on the radio may
tell their friends and act like Opinion
leaders and spread the word.
Influencing others to listening to it.
Lastly, on of the biggest ways Pop
music is advertised is the internet as
you see ads on website about latest
music videos and social network sites
like facebook and Twitter promote
them. As well as youtube which most
artist use to distribute their music
videos.
12. Internet
The internet in the last few years have had a
massive impact on the music industry
itself. Such as social networking sites like
Facebook and Twitter have made it easier
for artists to connect to their fans, as well
as allowing them to promote themselves.
The internet has allowed them to share
their music videos worldwide, allowing
them to have a wider audience. Not only
has the internet promoted artists but it
has also found artists; like Justin Bieber
who was originally seen on youtube. Also
it’s allowed fans to buy music online
aswell as certain singles they may want,
as in the 90’s CD’s were bought where
you had to buy all of it even if you liked
one song.
13. TV
Back in the 90’s TV channels like
MTV were really popular since
the internet wasn’t a major spot
for music as it was a recent thing.
All the latest music would be on
MTV and that’s how teenagers
would find out the latest change.
But now there has been a massive
change in the music industry,
now music can be found
anywhere and shows like X
Factor help promote it, as they
look for the latest stars in an
ordinary audience. Again linking
to music and promoting it as
there are many stages to the
process.
14. Radio
Radio hosts are the people who try to
make sure that the latest music is
played on the radio. Putting a song on
the radio could be the difference
between a single becoming a hit or a
flop and between a band having a
successful career or just disappearing.
Radio hosts are the link between
bands/labels and radio station
managers, producers and DJs. As many
people listen to the radio on the go,
they pick up new tracks on the way
also picking up the artists name
making them a little more famous.
15. Future for Pop
A lot of people have said the hip-hop influence of pop music will fade out
around 2013, along with the R&B influence around 2016, replacing it with
more of a Euro-style dance influence and country. But music like, Disney
pop will continue to be the leading genre, especially because a lot of
younger children watch things like Disney channel. Though we see
negative views about pop music not living on, some also believe that it
will live on, as it has been around for more than 30 years, but in different
ways as there’ll be aspects of pop in other genres as we are seeing now.
For example Taylor swift who does country pop has merged the two
making it a new kind of pop or a new kind of country.
17. Vibe
Vibe is a music and entertainment
magazine found by producer
Quincy Jones, launched in 1993. It
mainly focuses on genres like
pop, hip hop and r ‘n’ b. The
magazine's target demographic is
predominantly young, urban
followers of hip-hop culture
between the ages of 18-34. Vibe’s
circulation statistics show that in
2007 is was approximately
800,000.
18. Billboard
Billboard is one of the oldest music
magazines out there since 1894. In 1936
The Billboard published its first music
magazine, and in 1940, it was the first
Popular music chart that was
calculated. Since August , 1958, the top
100 has been published, combining
single sales and radio airplays. In 2008
achieved a circulation of 18,385 in the
US. It’s targeted at the younger
generation from the ages 13-21, who
like to know the latest artists.
19. Q
Q magazine was first published in
1986, it was known as a different
music magazine back in the late
80’s as it had good quality pictures
as well as a good layout. It was also
targeted at an older audience. But
now it does feature new artists
such as Jay-Z and Lana Del Ray,
showing how times have changed.
It’s circulation figures are 103,017,
with in the months of July and
December. It is sold at a price of
£3.90 per issue, showing us, it’s a
bit pricey.
20. Competition
In music magazines the main
seller would be who you
feature in the magazine as it
attracts people. Many
magazines like Billboard, Vibe
and We (heart) pop, compete
with each other on getting the
best music artist to feature in
their magazine. The next thing
people look for is what they
put in the magazine like the
latest songs and top albums as
well as quantity. If the
magazine is worth it or not.