The Many Genres of Pop Music

This article is a collaborative effort, crafted and edited by a team of dedicated professionals.

Contributors: Andranick Tanguiane, Fred Lerdahl,

Contents

Introduction
What is Pop Music?
The Different Genres of Pop Music
Conclusion

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.

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Introduction

Generally, pop music is made up of catchy melodies, simple structures and often nationalistic or sentimental lyrics. It is usually performed by solo artists or bands and is often associated with teenage culture.

There are a wide range of pop music subgenres, which can be broadly divided into three categories:
-Mainstream pop: This includes commercially successful genres such as chart pop, dance-pop, teen pop and power pop.
-Alternative pop: This includes genres such as indie pop, synth-pop, new wave, college rock and jangle pop.
– Underground pop: This includes genres such as bubblegum pop, baroque pop and Britpop.

What is Pop Music?

The Origins of Pop Music

Generally, pop music is composed of catchy melodies and repetition of simple phrases and hooks. It is produced for mass consumption and often has little or no artistic value. It is typically derived from earlier rock and roll, rhythm and blues, or country music. Pop music often uses synthesizers, drum machines, and guitars. It tends to be softer and more melodic than rock music.

The origins of pop music can be traced back to the early 20th century, when it emerged as a distinct genre from earlier forms of popular music such as folk, jazz, and ragtime. In the 1930s, swing jazz began to influenced popmusic, resulting in a style known as “crooning”. In the 1940s, popmusic was further influenced by jazz, Rhythm and blues (R&B),and country music. In the 1950s, a new style of pop emerged called “rock n’ roll”. This style combined elements of R&B with country to create a new sound that was both edgier and more danceable than previous styles of popmusic.

In the 1960s, popmusic became increasingly experimental; artists began incorporating elements of classical music, psychedelic rock, electronic music ,and worldbeat into their work. This trend continued in the 1970s with the advent of disco , punk rock ,new wave ,and hip hop . In the 1980s ,pop artists such as Madonna , Michael Jackson , Prince ,and Whitney Houston dominated the charts with their carefully crafted mix of R&B ,dance ,and pop . The 1990s saw a return to more traditional song structures as well as an increase in boy bands and girl groups . In the 2000s (decade), popular music underwent another evolution with the rise of online piracy ; this resulted in a change in how people consume and discover new music .

Today ,popmusic is truly global ; it crosses all borders and boundaries . It is enjoyed by people of all ages , races , genders ,and cultures . While it may not always be high art ,it has undeniably become an integral part of our lives .

The Development of Pop Music

Pop music is eclectic, and often borrows elements from other styles such as urban, dance, rock, Latin, and country. Identifying factors include generally short to medium-length songs written in a format that is easy to reproduce on commercial radio. The main purpose of pop music is to make people happy and danceable tunes are its trademark. Catchy hooks and simple chorus melodies are typical of pop songs.

In the 1950s, rock and roll emerged as a major force in pop music. It was derived from a mix of genres including blues, country, jazz, and rhythm and blues (R&B). Rockabilly was another significant subgenre of rock and roll during this time. In the 1960s, British pop music saw the rise of Abrahamic singer-songwriters like Bob Dylan and The Beatles who broke away from traditional pop conventions to write more personal songs with topical themes.

The Beatles became one of the most commercially successful bands in history and are credited with helping to shape the sound and style of pop for years to come. In the late 1960s, bands like The Beach Boys brought elements of psychedelia into pop music with experimental sounds and structures. The 1970s saw further diversification in pop with subgenres like soft rock, disco, glam rock, new wave, punk rock, and synth-pop becoming popular.

The 1980s was a decade dominated by synth-pop and dance-pop with artists like Madonna, Michael Jackson, Prince, Whitney Houston achieving massive mainstream success. Pop also became more sexually explicit during this time with artists pushing boundaries on what could be considered appropriate for radio airplay. In the 1990s and 2000s (decade), boy bands like *NSYNC and Backstreet Boys brought teen pop to new heights while female solo artists like Mariah Carey , Britney Spears , Christina Aguilera , Beyoncé , Taylor Swift , Rihanna , Katy Perry , Pink , Lady Gaga , Adele , Kesha , Ariana Grande helped keep the genre relevant .

Pop Music Today

Pop music is a catch-all term for a wide variety of genres. Though the term itself is relatively new, the music to which it refers has been around for centuries. In its broadest sense, pop music can be divided into two main categories: classical pop and rock pop.

Classical pop is a genre that takes its roots from the Western classical tradition. This type of pop music typically features orchestral instrumentation and melodies that are recognizable to mainstream audiences. Famous classical pop artists include Elton John, Celine Dion, and Andrea Bocelli.

Rock pop is a genre that emerged in the 1950s and 1960s as a reaction to the increasing popularity of classical pop. Rock pop typically features electric guitars, bass guitars, and drums, as well as distorted sound effects and heavier rhythms. Famous rock pop artists include The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and Led Zeppelin.

The Different Genres of Pop Music

Bubblegum Pop

Bubblegum pop (also known as bubblegum music or simply bubblegum) is a subgenre of pop music with an upbeat sound that is considered to be juvenile, childish or adolescent. The genre was pioneered in the 1960s by groups such as The Archies.

The term “bubblegum pop” was first used in 1971 by writer Paul Williams in his book Phonoland to describe the Beach Boys’ album Surf’s Up, which Williams described as “divorced from all reality…[it] is pure Pop Art, candy-coated Bubble Gum for the Ears.”

In the 1980s and early 1990s, bubblegum pop found a second wave of popularity with groups and artists such as Tiffany, Debbie Gibson, New Kids on the Block and Aaron Carter. Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera have also been described as bubblegum pop artists.

Bubblegum pop has been criticized for its alleged lack of substance or depth, with some observers accusing it of being manufactured or formulaic.

Teen Pop

Pop music is often thought of as a catch-all genre for mainstream chart hits, but there are actually many different types of pop music, each with its own distinct sound and style. One popular subgenre of pop music is teen pop, which is targeted at, you guessed it, teenagers!

Teen pop often combines elements of other genres like hip-hop, R&B, and dance music to create a sound that is both fresh and familiar. Lyrically, teen pop songs usually focus on themes like love, friendships, and coming of age. Some popular teen pop artists include Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande, and Selena Gomez.

Dance-Pop

Dance-pop is a genre of pop music that emerged in the early 1980s. Its sound is typified by a strong beat, catchy hooks, and simple, repetitive lyrics. Dance-pop songs are usually designed for dance club play, and they often have a sleek, electronic sound. Many early dance-pop hits were created by synthesizer-based acts such as Duran Duran, Blondie, and the Police. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, dance-pop enjoyed mainstream success with hits like Madonna’s “Like a Prayer” and Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance with Somebody.”

Electronic Pop

Electronic pop refers to pop music that is produced using electronic instruments and samples. It is a subgenre of pop music that emerged in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Electronic pop typically features synthesizers, drum machines, andsequencers, and it often has a futuristic or sci-fi sound.

Hip Hop

Hip hop, also spelled hip-hop or hiphop is a rhythm-driven musical genre which developed as part of hip hop culture, a subculture defined by four key stylistic elements: MCing/rapping, DJing/scratching with turntables, break dancing, and graffiti writing. Hip hop music resides at the intersection of black oral tradition and technology. It is typified by sub-divided bars and cessation (or minimal fills) between verses and hooks and has been primarily performed with spoken word lyrics delivered over a steady beat supplied by an emcee and/or DJ. Hip hop as both a musical genre and artistic culture was formed during the 1970s when block parties became increasingly popular in New York City, particularly among African American youth residing in the Bronx. However, it did not gain mainstream popularity until the mid-1980s with the advent of commercial radio mix shows and music videos on MTV that played rap records—and highlighted their creators.

Rap, sometimes referred to as rhyming, spitting, or emceeing, is one of the four pillars of hip hop culture. Rapping is derived from the griots[disambiguation needed] of West African cultures[2] who performed lengthy narratives about history,[3] love,[4] moral conduct[5][6][7][8][9] and other important subjects. By the late 1970s, deejaying had become an increasingly prominent element in hip hop music;[10] it wassystematically included into existing disco tracks around 1977 by New York City disc jockeys such as Kool Herc—who used an amplified existent sound system to engage partygoers at hit-laden dance parties held in parks throughout The Bronx—and Afrika Bambaataa—who mixed James Brown’s drum tracks with Motown melodies to provide a solid dance backing for rap.[11][12]

R&B

R&B, which stands for rhythm and blues, is a genre of pop music that originated in the 1940s. The term was first used by record companies to describe recordings marketed to African American audiences. In the 1950s, R&B became a catch-all term for black popular music, including soul, doo-wop, and rock and roll. Today, R&B is used as a general descriptor for any popular music with a strong African American influence, regardless of genre.

Conclusion

There are many genres of pop music, and each has its own unique qualities. When you listen to pop music, you can expect to hear a wide range of sounds, from the catchy melodies of top 40 hits to the complex arrangements of indie rock. Whether you’re a fan of Lady Gaga or Taylor Swift, hip-hop or country, there’s a pop genre out there for you.

The Many Genres of Pop Music

Introduction