Pop Music Arrangements: The Top 10

Do you want to know what the top 10 pop music arrangements are? Check out this blog post to find out!

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 characteristic of most pop music is that it is designed to appeal to a wide audience, and often does so by creating a catchy tune or hook.

In addition to the tuneful hooks and easy-to-remember melodies that are characteristic of pop songs, another important element of pop music arrangements is the use of instrumental accompaniment. This can be anything from a simple rhythm section made up of drums and bass to a full orchestra.

While some purists may argue that any use of instruments other than the human voice constitutes “cheating,” there is no denying that instrumental accompaniment can greatly enhance the listening experience for many people. In fact, some of the best-known and most beloved pop songs would not be nearly as effective without their intricate arrangements.

Here are 10 examples of pop songs that feature exemplary arrangements:

What is an arrangement?

An arrangement is a musical adaptation of a previously composed piece. In an arrangement, the original piece is rearranged to fit the performer’s or band’s style, instrumentation, or needs. Arrangements can be simple, such as a piano reduction of an orchestral work, or they can be complex, such as a jazz arrangement of a pop song.

The top 10 arrangements of pop songs

There are countless ways to arrange a pop song. But which arrangements are the best? Here are the top 10, according to us.

10. “We Will Rock You” by Queen

This arrangement is simple, yet effective. The iconic opening riff is played by the whole band, with the rest of the instrumentation joining in later. This arrangement would be perfect for a live performance, as it gets the crowd going from the very beginning.

9. “I Will Always Love You” by Whitney Houston

This ballad is brought to life by its simple piano accompaniment. The lyrics are front and center here, with the piano providing just enough support to make the song shine. This is a great example of how less can be more when it comes to arranging pop songs.

8. “Billie Jean” by Michael Jackson

This arrangement features one of the most iconic basslines in pop music history. The rest of the instrumentation is sparse, allowing the bassline to take center stage and drive the song forward. This arrangement is perfect for any band that wants to put their own spin on a pop classic.

7. “Smells Like Teen Spirit” by Nirvana

This grunge anthem features a unique arrangement that makes use of dynamics and silence to create an unforgettable listening experience. The intro starts off soft, before building up to the chaotic chorus. This contrast creates a sense of dynamics that keeps listeners engaged from beginning to end.

6. “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen

This operatic epic features one of the most complex arrangements in pop music history. It expertly combines multiple genres, including rock, classical, and folk, to create a truly unique listen.” Bohemian Rhapsody” is a perfect example of how creative arranging can take a song to new heights.”
5.”Rolling in the Deep” by Adele

Expertly blending elements of gospel and soul, this arrangement takes Adele’s already powerful vocal performance to new heights.” The driving piano accompaniment and soulful backing vocals create an unforgettable listening experience that will leave you wanting more.” 4.”Don’t Stop Believin'” by Journey

This classic rock anthem features one of the most iconic keyboard intros in pop music history.” The keyboard drives the song forward, withthe rest of

“All of Me” by John Legend

1. “All of Me” by John Legend

2. “Let It Go” by Idina Menzel

3. ” Royals” by Lorde

4. “Take Me to Church” by Hozier

5. “Uptown Funk” by Bruno Mars

6. “Shake It Off” by Taylor Swift

7. “Stay with Me” by Sam Smith

8. “A Thousand Miles” by Vanessa Carlton
9. “I Will Always Love You” by Whitney Houston
10. “(Everything I Do) I Do It for You” by Bryan Adams

“Say Something” by A Great Big World

“Say Something” is a ballad recorded by American duo A Great Big World for their debut album, Is There Anybody Out There? (2013). The song was written by the duo members—Ian Axel and Chad Vaccarino—and produced by Dan Romer. The song talks about a failed relationship, with the protagonist saying that he would ” rather have never loved at all than to lose your love”.

The song achieved commercial success in 2013, peaking at number 3 on both the Billboard Hot 100 and the UK Singles Chart. In 2014, it won the Grammy Award for Song of the Year. In 2015, a version of the song featuring Christina Aguilera was nominated for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance.

“Let It Go” by Idina Menzel

“Let It Go” is a song from Disney’s 2013 animated feature film Frozen, with music and lyrics composed by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez. The song was performed in its original version in the film by American actress and singer Idina Menzel.

The track was first released on the soundtrack album for Frozen on November 19, 2013. A pop single version of the song, performed by actress Demi Lovato, was released on iTunes on January 26, 2014. The singles for both versions were commercially successful; in the United States, “Let It Go” peaked at number five on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming Menzel’s highest-charting single to date and Lovato’s second top-ten single after “Here We Go Again” (2009). “Let It Go” reached number one in sixteen countries including Sweden and China.

“Let It Go” won the Academy Award for Best Original Song at the 86th Academy Awards. Additionally, at the 57th Grammy Awards, “Let It Go” won both Best Song Written for Visual Media and Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media.

“Happy” by Pharrell Williams

“Happy” is a song written, produced, and performed by American singer Pharrell Williams, from the Despicable Me 2 soundtrack album. It was released on November 21, 2013, as the lead single from the album. The song has been highly successful, peaking at No. 1 in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand and 19 other countries.

The arrangement of “Happy” is simple and upbeat, featuring Pharrell’s trademark falsetto over a four-chord progression. The song’s hook is built around a repeating melody based on the I–V–vi–III chord progression.

“Counting Stars” by OneRepublic

OneRepublic’s “Counting Stars” has a unique arrangement that starts with acoustic guitar and piano before transitioning into a full-blown pop track. The song features intricate harmonies and a catchy hook that makes it one of the catchiest pop songs of recent memory.

“Royals” by Lorde

“Royals” is a song by New Zealand singer Lorde. The song was released as a digital download on 8 June 2013 as the lead single off her debut extended play The Love Club EP (2013). The song attracted international attention, peaking at number one on various national record charts, including Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, Scotland and the United Kingdom. In November 2013, “Royals” was ranked number two on the Australian year-end chart. In January 2014, “Royals” was declared ‘Song of the Year’ for 2013 at the 56th Annual Grammy Awards.

“Pompeii” by Bastille

“Pompeii” by Bastille is a song that has become popular in recent years for its unique arrangement. The song is written in the key of D minor and features a particular chord progression that many people find catchy. The arrangement also includes a number of different instruments, including drums, piano, and guitar.

“Wake Me Up” by Avicii

As one of the most popular songs of 2013, “Wake Me Up” by Avicii was played on radios all over the world. The original version of the song featured vocals by Aloe Blacc, but there were many different versions and remixes that were created. One of the most popular versions was an arrangement that was created for a cappella group Pentatonix.

Pentatonix is an a cappella group that creates arrangements of popular songs using only their voices. They have won 3 Grammy Awards and their covers have been viewed millions of times on YouTube. Their arrangement of “Wake Me Up” is one of their most popular videos, with over 100 million views.

In the arrangement, the lead vocalist sings the main melody while the other members of the group sing harmony and create percussion sounds with their mouths. The effect is an interesting and unique take on the original song that has made it one of the most popular a cappella arrangements of all time.

“Dark Horse” by Katy Perry

“Dark Horse” is a song recorded by American singer Katy Perry for her fourth studio album, Prism (2013). It was released on September 17, 2013, as the third single from the album. The song was written by Perry, Sarah Hudson, Katheryn Hudson, and Max Martin, while being produced by Perry and Dr. Luke. A trap-influenced pop and hip hop ballad, it features a minimalist production that doubles as a data compression exercise. “Dark Horse” became Perry’s then-third consecutive number-one single on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart, where it held the top position for three weeks; it tied with “California Gurls”, featuring Snoop Dogg (2010) and “Roar” (2013) as Perry’s longest-running Hot 100 chart topper thus far.

The song also reached number one in Canada as well as number two in Ireland and New Zealand while peaking within the top five in seventeen other countries such as Australia, Austria, France, Germany and the United Kingdom. It has sold over 10 million copies worldwide making it one of Katy Perry’s most successful singles to date. The music video for “Dark Horse” was directed by Matthew Cullen and features hip hop artist Juicy J along with animated scenes. It won Favorite Pop/Rock Video at the 2015 American Music Awards becoming Perry’s fourth video to do so and led to a Vevo certification of 10 million views becoming her twentieth Vevo certified video tying her with Taylor Swift for the most among female artists.

Conclusion

In conclusion, these are the top 10 arrangements of pop songs that we believe to be the most interesting and unique. We hope you enjoyed listening to them as much as we did!