2. Pop Music (Information)
Cultural origins: 1950s, United States
Stylistic Origins: Rock and roll, jazz, dance, rhythm and blues
Typical Instruments: Keyboards, Piano, sequencer, guitar, drum machine and
synthesizer
Subgenres: Traditional pop, Teen pop, Synthpop, bubblegum pop.
Purpose of Pop Music?
It’s generally believed that Pop music is a genre which is commercially
recorded and has to desires to have a mass audience appeal. It has to be
a pleasure to listen to.
3. Pop Music
Definition: A body of music which is distinguishable
from popular, jazz and folk music. It is often
characterized as a soft alternative to rock and roll.
4. Artists
Both Michael Jackson and Madonna are worldwide recording artists
associated with the Pop genre and have a massive visual appeal.
Michael Jackson: Nicknamed the “King of Pop” Michael Jackson popularized a
number of complicated dance techniques such as the ‘robot’ and the ‘moonwalk’
which attracted mass audiences and is a convention of pop music. It’s estimated
that he earned about $750 million in his lifetime and he and both Madonna helped
to make MTV as they helped give rise to pop stars such as themselves.
Madonna She started her musical career with songs that she described
as ‘soulful pop music’
5. Conventions of Pop
Characteristics of the pop music genre:
1.It aims to appeal to a general audience rather than to a particular ideology
or sub-culture
2.There is an emphasis on recording, production and technology over live
performance
3.A tendency to reflect existing trends rather than progressive developments
4.Most Pop music is intended to encourage dancing and may use danceorientated beats or rhythms
5.An emphasis on craftsmanship rather than formal “artistic” qualities
6. Conventions (2)
1. The lyrics from modern pop songs typically focus on simple themes
such as love and romantic relationships.
2. The main medium of pop music is the song which is often between two
and three and a half minutes in length.
3. Common variants include the verse-chorus form and there is a focus
on melodies and catchy hooks.
4. The beat and melodies tend to be simple with limited harmonic
accompaniment.
7. Conventions (2)
1. The lyrics from modern pop songs typically focus on simple themes
such as love and romantic relationships.
2. The main medium of pop music is the song which is often between two
and three and a half minutes in length.
3. Common variants include the verse-chorus form and there is a focus
on melodies and catchy hooks.
4. The beat and melodies tend to be simple with limited harmonic
accompaniment.
