The document discusses the author's interest in the pop music genre. The author became interested in pop music due to listening to radio stations that play pop music, hearing pop music in TV shows, and being influenced by friends and the TV show X Factor, where most of the songs performed are pop. The author also notes that pop music has changed over time, mixing with other genres and spreading between countries like from Italy to America. Technology also influences the pop genre through social media where people frequently discuss pop artists online.

2. I have chosen to research the pop genre. I am interested in
the pop genre as I like that style of music. I became
interested in pop music because of the radio station that I
listen to which is 'Heart' where they play more pop music
than any other genre. I also was influenced by the pop music
as it is played more often in the background in TV Soaps
such as on Corronation Street and Eastenders than any other
genre; this is because it is catchy and recognisable. I was also
influenced by it because of the TV show X-Factor where
most of the music that the ‘wanna be’ musicians sing is pop
music and the winning and running up contestants always
end up having a pop album because they know the record
labels know that it will sell well as there is always room for
another pop artist/ group. I also think that I was influenced
by friends because when they find a song that they like, they
would ask other peoples opinion on that song or band and if
I was to like it then I could be influenced by them and if it
interested me and I liked it a lot then I would be more
inclined to go and look for other songs in that style or other
songs by that artist.

3. Pop music has been around since the early 1680. The pop genre began in Napoli,
Italy, when Alessandro Scarlatti composed his first opera. Pop music has been around
in America since the mid 1920s, when it began with the publication of sheet music.
But in 1979 when Michael Jackson went solo and did his first solo performance the
style of pop changed. He reinvented it so that it became a lot more catchy and more
people started to enjoy it. In the 1980's Michael Jackson became the biggest and
most popular pop star. This is shown as he was referred to as 'The King Of Pop‘.
The pop genre has changed over time because when it started of in 1680 it is not in
the 21st century. This has changed because pop music has come over from different
countries. Such as the pop genre has gone over to America.

4. Frank Sinatra-
Sinatra-
Became an
unprecedentedly
successful solo
artist from the
early to mid-
1940s
Billy Cotton- The Billy Cotton Band Show was a popular
Sunday lunchtime radio programme on the BBC Light
Glen Miller- Was an American big
Programme from 1949 to 1968.
band musician, arranger, composer,
The band leader, Billy Cotton, was a larger-than-life
and bandleader
Cockney character who started each show

5. Elvis Presley- An American singer and
actor. A cultural icon, he is commonly
known by the single name Elvis. One of the
most popular musicians. He is commonly
referred to as the ‘King’. Elvis Presley is
regarded as one of the most important
figures.
Buddy Holly- Buddy Holly, was an American
singer- songwriter and a pioneer of rock and role
and later pop. His works and innovations inspired
and influenced contemporary and later
musicians, notably The Beatles, Elvis Costelello,
The Rolling Stones. Holly was among the first
group of inductees to the Rock and Roll Hall of
Fame.

6. The Rolling Stones- English
band that were formed in
1962. Became popular in
Europe and then in North
America.
The Beatles- Were an English band
that became popular in the 1960’s.
who became the most commercially
successful in the history of popular
music.
Dave Clark Five- Was
an English pop/ rock
The Kinks- An English rock group who became
band categorised in the widely popular in the
United States as a British 1960’s.
Invasion band, the Kinks are
recognised as one of the
most important rock groups
of the era.

7. The Osmonds- An T- Rex- British band formed in
American family music 1967 and they were classed as
group with a long and glam rock.
varied career. Their
music genre was; R&B,
Pop, Disco, Country,
Soft rock and funk.
The Bay City Gary Glitter- An English
Rollers- were former glam rock singer-
a Scottish pop songwriter and musician.
band whose His genre was rock ‘n’
popularity roll, pop and glam rock.
was highest in
the 1970s.
Their music
genre was
pop and
alternative
pop.

8. Duran Duran- They Culture Club- An
were a pop rock English pop band
band. They were an who were big in
English new wave the 1980’s.
band and one of the
most successful
bands in the 1980’s. The Smiths- The Smiths who were
from Britain music genres were
alternative rock and pop. In the
Madonna- An 80’s they became very big and
American made their way to America.
singer, songwriter,
actress, director, d
ancer, and
entrepreneur. She
focused on four
different genres in
her music that
were; pop, rock
electronic and
dance.

9. Take That- A British five-piece vocal
pop group comprising Gary
Barlow, Howard Donald, Jason
Orange, Mark Owen and Robbie
Williams.
The genres that they focussed on
were; pop. Pop rock and dance.
Their biggest years were 1990-
1996.
Oasis- Band formed in
Manchester in 1991. The genre
that the focus on is pop rock and
rock. E17- Were a pop
boy band. The
members included
Anthony Michael
Mortimer, Terry
Blur- They are an alternative rock
Coldwell, John
band who have recently
Hendy and Brian
reproduced some of their previous
Harvey.
songs.

11. In the 20th century the pop genre has changed dramatically as other genres have been
linking their style into the pop genre this is also because artist have been collaborating
with each other to change the style of their music.
For instance Taylor Swifts music has changed over the last few years as she started of her
music career with a country approach. And recently she has made her style of music
more pop based. Her music gas now become a lot popular for the younger generation
but before hand her music appealed to a bigger variety of people including the older
generation as they tended to like that country genre approach.
The wanted who released their first album in 2010 have become largely popular as their
albums include pop music which is popular for the younger generation although their
fanbases average age has dropped as children like their style of music more now than
other types of people.
Artists such as Jessie J show that pop music is one of the biggest genres out there and
shows that it is popular in other parts of the world rather that just in Europe. She has
proven this as she has made her mark in the states and has become big over there.

12. Technology influences the pop genre in a variety of ways. Firstly social networking sights such
as Facebook influence it because people talk about the pop genre and the artists of the pop
genre a lot on there. You see a lot more pages that people have made that are dedicated to
pop celebrities more than you do about rock and roll bands. An example of this is for One
Direction. There are more pages linked to them then there are pages linked to bands such as
You Me At Six. Other forms of technology such as Twitter has a major influence on the role of
technology. For instance Twitter is a major form of technology that has an impact on the pop
genre because Twitter users can follow all different celebrities. This has had an effect on the
pop genre because people have become more involved in the lives of the celebrities. This
shows that it has had an impact on the pop genre and shows how big it has become because if
you look at the followers on Harry Styles Twitter who is from a pop boy band who has around
seven million Twitter followers compared to a boy band from a rock genre such as You Me At
Six who has under two hundred thousand you can see the difference in the popularity of the
genres. Other forms of media such as YouTube have an affect on the pop genre, this is shown
when the adverts are showed before the video begging, this attracts peoples attention and gets
more people involved in what they are trying to show. This also makes people watch the
advertisement because YouTube very rarely allows you to skip the advent until you have
watched 20- 30 seconds of it and by then you become interested in the advert so you don't end
up skipping it anyway.

13. TV shows such as X- Factor and the voice has influenced the pop genre as most acts
that audition on the X- Factor are pop acts where they perform a pop song and if they
don’t sing a pop song then they are more likely to sing another song from a different
genre and make it there own or change it slightly to make it more of a pop song. More
people would find it enjoyable as the pop genre is one of the biggest genres. Also the
winning acts and runner up acts always sing pop songs and they turn into pop artist
for instance; Olly Murs, JLS, One Direction, Leona Lewis, Alexandra Burke and so on.
This shows that there is always room for another pop act in the music industry. Older
TV shows such as Pop Stars the Rivals focused on the pop genre as Girls Aloud was
formed on there and had a successful pop career.
In fashion magazines the clothing within them is normally modelled on celebrities that
are from the pop genre such as Cheryl Cole or Rihanna. This shows that they are
recognisable people because the music genre that they sing is popular and well known
by the majority of the public. Also most gossip magazines involve stories about
celebrities who are in the pop genre for instance there are a lot of stories about arists
such as Cheryl Cole, Rihanna, Ed Sheeran and Beyonce. In a gossip magazine you
don’t see them talking about rock artists or artists such as You Me At Six or Two Door
Cinema Club

14. The micro elements are the small parts that make a particular thing up and the macro
elements are large things that makes something up like a magazine or a particular genre. The micro
elements of the pop genre are the things like pace, tempo, pitch, lyrics, the pattern of the lyrics and
the style of the music.
Firstly, in the pop genre the music has a fast pace which makes it catchy and repetitive. This is one of
the reasons that it makes the pop genre so popular.
Secondly, the pitch in the pop genre is a lot more higher than it would be in a heavy rock band as
that is a lot lower because that style of music is seen as a lot duller. The pitch makes the pop song
catchy as most pop songs are usually happy songs or turn into happier songs if they start of
depressingly such as some of Taylor Swift’s songs.
Thirdly, the lyrics in a pop song are a lot more happier and shorter. This works well in a pop song
because it is easier to sing along to whereas if long worse that aren't used very often were used in
the majority of the song it would make it more difficult and people would loose interest in it.
I would link this to my music magazine because I want my magazine to match the style of the music
so I would link this to it by making it look catchy as the music sounds catchy I wild also make it look
colourful because if pop music was to me a colour than it would be bright and colourful. In the same
way I wouldn’t add long complicated words in it as they aren't in pop songs.
Also fashion makes up the pop genre and that has changed over the years. In the 40’s- 60’s the colours in
the clothes that they wore were dull and only a few colours were worn at once but since the 1960’s more
colours have been worn and the outfits that they wear now are much more stylish but they have also
become a lot more revealing which many people don’t like and many people believe that it isn't
acceptable- especially the older generation.