GENRE RESEARCH
Pop
Introduction
Pop music is a genre that had originated and was ‘founded’ in the 1950’s and although not a sub-genre, it derived and first came about as a result of the genre Rock and Roll. Pop/Popular music was first a genre which consisted of any style of music, nowadays the term Pop is associated with music that contains qualities of mass appeal.
Pop in itself can include styles and elements that have been borrowed/copied from other genres and sub genres such as; Urban, Dance, Rock etc.
Introduction (Continued)
Although elements are taken from the different types of genres, pop has core elements that define and seperates the genre from others. These elements are things such as; short-to-medium length songs, songs written in basic format, and often consist of the verse-chorus structure. (Along with repeated choruses and melodic tunes)
Origin of Pop _ The Term
The first recorded use of the term ‘pop song’ tracks back to 1926 – it was used to define a piece of music having ‘popular appeal’
The Oxford Dictionary of Music defines pop being a non-classical music, being performed by artists/bands such as the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, ABBA etc.
History
The most significant feature of the emergent popular music industry of the late 18th and early 19th centuries was the extent of its focus on the commodity form of sheet music
It was made possible for music to be disseminated to a wide audience of amateur music-makers
History (Continued)
another factor was the increasing availability during the late 18th and early 19th century of public popular music performances in "pleasure gardens and dance halls, popular theatres and concert rooms
History (Continued)
One of the early popular music performers to attain widespread popularity was a Swedish opera singer Jenny Lind
History (Continued)
During the late 19th century the Tin Pan Alley music publishers developed a new method for promoting sheet music – incessant promotion of new songs
By the early 1900s, the big trends in popular music were the increasing popularity of vaudeville theaters and dance halls and the new invention—the gramophone player
History (Continued)
In the late 1920s and throughout the 1930s, there was a move towards consolidation in the recording industry which led several major companies to dominate the record industry
In the 1950s and 1960s, television began to play an increasingly important role in disseminating new popular music
History (Continued)
The development of new technologies in recording such as multi-track recorders gave sound engineers an increasingly important role in popular music in the 1960s
The Beatles
An English Rock band formed in Liverpool – 1960
One of the most commercially successful bands in the history of pop/popular music
Band – John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr
Active between 1960 - 1970
The Rolling Stones
English Rock band formed in London – 1962
Genres within pop – Rock, Blues, Blues Rock, Rock and Roll
Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
22 albums released in the United Kingdom
Active from 1962 – present
ABBA
Swedish pop/rock band formed in Stockholm – 1972
Topped the charts on numerous occasion, world renowned group
Active from 1972 – 1982
Sold over 370million records worldwide, still selling millions every year
Electric Guitar
In popular music, the electric is often used for two main reasons; as a rhythm guitar (Provides the chord sequence), and as a lead guitar (Performs the melody lines)
Top 5 Female Pop Artists/Bands
Britney Spears
Avril Lavigne
Janet Jackson
Kylie Minogue
Madonna
Britney Spears
Born December 2, 1981
American recording artist and entertainer
Signed with Jive Records in 1997
Debut album Baby One More Time – 1999
^ Which became the best selling album by a teenage solo artist
Instruments – Both vocal and piano
Janet Jackson
Born May 16, 1966
American recording artist and actress
A prominent figure in popular music for over 25 years
Began her career with The Jacksons in 1976
Signed a recording contract with A&M – 1982
Active from 1973 - present
Madonna
Born August 16 – 1958
American singer, songwriter, actress, dancer and entrepreneur
Sold more than 300million records worldwide
Signed an unprecedented US $120million contract with Live Nation
Active from 1979 – present
Top 5 Male Pop Artists/Band
Ricky Martin
The Killers
Green Day
Kanye West
Eminem
Ricky Martin
Born December 24 - 1971
Pop singer and actor who achieved prominence, first as a member of the Puerto Rican boy band Menudo
Then as a solo artist since 1991
He was the founder of the Ricky Martin Foundation
Green Day
A California based punk rock/pop band
Formed in 1987
Early releases were from the Lookout! Records
They sold over 10million copies in the US
Active from 1987 – present
Eminem
Born October 17 – 1972
Brought to fame by rapper and producer Dr. Dre
American rapper, record producer, songwriter and actor
Sold more than 42million tracks and 41.5million albums