Pop Music to Play Me
Pop Music to Play Me is a blog dedicated to helping you find the best pop music to play. We provide tips, tricks, and advice on how to get the most out of your music listening experience.
Introduction
Pop music is a genre of popular music that originated in its modern form in the United States and United Kingdom during the mid-1950s. The terms “popular music” and “pop music” are often used interchangeably, although the former describes all music that is popular and includes many diverse styles.
Pop music is eclectic, and often borrows elements from other styles such as urban, dance, rock, Latin, and country. A number of subgenres have emerged within pop music over the decades, such as power pop, heartland rock, indie pop, soul, and bubblegum pop. Additionally, cross-pollination between genres has resulted in the creation of new styles such as synth-pop and hip hop.
The Best Pop Songs of All Time
Pop music is one of the most popular genres of music today. It’s catchy, it’s fun, and it’s easy to sing along to. But what are the best pop songs of all time? This list will countdown the top ten pop songs of all time, based on popularity, sales, and critical acclaim.
“Billie Jean” by Michael Jackson
“Billie Jean” is a song by American singer Michael Jackson, released by Epic Records on January 2, 1983, as the second single from his sixth studio album, Thriller (1982). It was written and composed by Jackson and produced by Quincy Jones. The song’s lyrics describe a sexually aggressive woman who tries to claim that the narrator is the father of her unborn child. It is regarded as one of Jackson’s signature songs and one of the most popular songs of all time. The single was a commercial success; it peaked at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1983 and became the best-selling single worldwide in 1984.
The song won three Grammy Awards in 1984, including Record of the Year and Best Male Pop Vocal Performance. In 2004, “Billie Jean” was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. In 2013, the song was ranked number 24 on Rolling Stone’s list of the 500 greatest songs of all time. Additionally, a live performance of “Billie Jean” was ranked number 23 on Rolling Stone’s Greatest Moments in Music Television history list.
“Like a Virgin” by Madonna
“Like a Virgin” is a song recorded by American singer Madonna for her second studio album Like a Virgin (1984). It was released on October 31, 1984, by Sire Records as the lead single from the album. The song was written by Tom Kelly and Billy Steinberg, and produced by Nile Rodgers; Madonna recalled that she had entrusted that particular song to Rodgers while she was still finalizing the tracks for her album. Musically, “Like a Virgin” is a new wave synth-pop and dance-pop song with elements of post-disco that features instrumentation from acoustic guitars, keyboards and Spanish guitars.
The song’s lyrics are about young love and sexual innocence; however, its double entendre has been interpreted as having religious implications. A chorus line included in the song’s refrain famously declares that “I’m like a virgin”, which caused controversy among conservative groups who denounced the pop star for allegedly encouraging premarital sex and glamorizing sexuality. To address any self-censorship Madonna might have experienced due to such criticisms, Sire Records released two edited versions of “Like a Virgin”‘s radio edit: one with re-recorded lyrics, while the other one removed them entirely. The record was one of Madonna’s most controversial releases throughout her career; its music video further sparked debates on sexuality within the Catholic Church and in popular media over whether or not Madonna was mocking or paying homage to Catholicism with her iconoclastic refashioning of religious imagery and symbols.
Although generally well received by music critics at the time of its release who praised its production and commercial appeal, some commentators suggested that Madonna’s reworked version of “Like a Virgin” sounded too similar to her 1982 hit single “Holiday”. Commercially, “Like aVirgin” peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in January 1985], becoming Madonna’s first number-one single in the United States. Internationally, it also topped the charts in Australia, Canada, Ireland,[10] Japan,[11] New Zealand,[12] South Africa[13] and United Kingdom.[14] In 1993 Billboard ranked this recording as 34th on their list of 100 Greatest Pop Singles Of All Time. Downloaded more than 5 million times worldwide as of October 2017,”Like A
Madonna became an inductee into BBC Radio 1’s Live Lounge Hall Of Fame during their annual Live Lounge Week after being voted by fans as their favorite cover version ever performed in Live Lounge.
“I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)” by Whitney Houston
Released in 1987, this song was written by George Merrill and Shannon Rubicam and produced by Narada Michael Walden. It appears on Houston’s second studio album, Whitney. The song generated many awards for Houston, including a Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance at the 1988 ceremony. It also topped Billboard’s Hot 100 chart for one week in May 1987. In 2009, the song was voted as the greatest dance song of all time by readers of Rolling Stone.
“Uptown Funk” by Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars
“Uptown Funk” by Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars is one of the best pop songs of all time. It is a catchy, feel-good song that will get you dancing every time you hear it. The song was released in 2014 and quickly rose to the top of the charts, becoming one of the most popular songs of the decade. “Uptown Funk” is the perfect song to play when you want to have a good time and forget about your troubles.
“Shape of You” by Ed Sheeran
“Shape of You” is a song by English singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran. It was released as a digital download on 6 January 2017 as one of the lead singles from his third studio album, ÷ (2017). The song appears on the deluxe edition of the album. The song peaked at number one on the UK Singles Chart in February 2017, becoming Sheeran’s fifth number-one single on the chart and spending its first fourteen weeks in the top ten. It also peaked within the top ten in several other countries including Australia, Canada, France, Germany and New Zealand.
The Worst Pop Songs of All Time
We all know at least one pop song that we can’t stand. Whether it’s because of the lyrics, the artist, or the catchiness, there are some songs that just get under our skin. In this article, we’ll be discussing some of the worst pop songs of all time.
“Achy Breaky Heart” by Billy Ray Cyrus
“Achy Breaky Heart” by Billy Ray Cyrus is considered one of the worst pop songs of all time. The country-tinged song was released in 1992 and became an instant hit, reaching the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The problem with the song, according to many critics, is that it is too catchy and bubblegummy for its own good. It has been described as “mauling” and “a disgrace to music.”
“The Macarena” by Los del Rio
We all have that one pop song that we absolutely can’t stand. The one that gets stuck in our head against our will and makes us wish we could never hear it again. For many people, that pop song is “The Macarena” by Los del Rio.
This earworm of a song was released in 1996 and quickly rose to the top of the charts, where it stayed for a whopping 14 weeks. It was everywhere, and it seemed like everyone was doing the dance (including then-president Bill Clinton). But what made this song so catchy also made it incredibly annoying, and it’s still considered one of the worst pop songs of all time.
If you can make it through the entire song without wanting to rip your hair out, you’re a better person than most. But even if you’re not a fan, you have to admit that “The Macarena” is one of the most successful (and irritating) pop songs of all time.
“Barbie Girl” by Aqua
This 1997 single by the Danish-Norwegian group Aqua was a huge global hit, selling over 8 million copies and topping the charts in more than 20 countries. But its saccharine-sweet sound and cutesy lyrics about Barbie and Ken dolls quickly led to it becoming one of the most reviled pop songs of all time. The song was even parodied by “Weird Al” Yankovic in his own hit single, “Pretty Fly for a Rabbi.”
“Gangnam Style” by PSY
“Gangnam Style” is a single by the South Korean rapper PSY. The song was released on July 15, 2012, as the lead single of his sixth studio album PSY 6 (Six Rules), Part 1. The song topped the music charts of more than 30 countries, becoming the world’s best-selling single of 2012.
“Gangnam Style” is a Korean neologism that refers to a lifestyle associated with the wealthy in Seoul’s Gangnam District. The song and its music video went viral on YouTube and other social media platforms, and “Gangnam Style” became the first YouTube video to reach one billion views on October 23, 2012.
The song has been criticized for its reliance on racial stereotypes and for promoting a materialistic lifestyle.
“Baby” by Justin Bieber
“Baby” is a song by Canadian recording artist Justin Bieber. It was released as the lead single from the latter half of Bieber’s debut album, My World 2.0. The song features American rapper Ludacris. It was released on January 18, 2010, and debuted at number five on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States, making it Bieber’s highest-peaking song on the chart at the time. “Baby” peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 and became Bieber’s second number-one hit on the Canadian Hot 100. The music video features footage of young girls swooning over a shirtless Bieber, as well as an appearance from Busta Rhymes.
The video caused some controversy because of its depiction of underage girls, with some critics calling it “predatory.” Bieber was also featured in a leaked video smoking what appeared to be marijuana, which caused some additional controversy.
Conclusion
Now that you know a little more about the different types of pop music, you can start making a playlist that suits your mood and taste. Pop music is a broad genre with something for everyone, so don’t be afraid to experiment. You might be surprised at what you like.
