Traditional Pop Music: From Bach to the Beatles

Traditional pop music is a genre of popular music that includes songs originating from any time period.

Introduction

Traditional pop music encompasses a wide range of styles, including classical, jazz, swing, and Broadway musicals. In the United States, the term “popular music” is used to describe a wide range of genres including country, blues, folk, R&B, hip hop, and rock. In Europe and other parts of the world, the term “pop music” typically refers to chart-topping contemporary hits.

Despite its name, traditional pop music is not necessarily tied to any specific era or geographical location. In fact, many of the most popular traditional pop songs were actually written in relatively recent years. Some examples include “Over the Rainbow” (1939), “White Christmas” (1942), and “The Way We Were” (1973).

While traditional pop music often draws from older styles, it is not always easy to categorize. For instance, some artists who are commonly associated with traditional pop music, such as Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra, also recorded Jazz and Rock-influenced tracks. Similarly, many popular traditional pop songs have been covered by artists from other genres, such as Stevie Wonder’s version of “My Funny Valentine” (1967) and David Bowie’s take on “The Girl from Ipanema” (1974).

Ultimately, the best way to understand traditional pop music is to listen to it yourself! Below is a playlist of some of the most popular traditional pop songs of all time.

Classical Pop

Classical pop music is a genre that combines classical music and pop music. It is also sometimes called art pop or pop standard. This type of music is usually performed by symphony orchestras or piano ensembles.

Origins

Traditional pop music is music that was written in a popular style between the 1920s and 1950s, typically for mass audiences of listeners from various cultures. It covers a wide range of genres including Tin Pan Alley songs, show tunes, Big Band tracks, and crooner ballads. While the term “popular music” is broad enough to encompass virtually any style of music created for commercial gain, “traditional pop” more narrowly refers to a musical tradition continually evolving from the common practice era through the present day.

Characteristics

Traditional pop music is music produced in prior decades and contains elements of classical music. It is generally performed by professional singers with formal training, feeling and style, usually with accompaniment from a piano or big band orchestra. Best known for the Great American Songbook – songs from Broadway musicals, films and Tin Pan Alley from the early 20th century – traditional pop enjoyed its greatest popularity from the mid-1940s to the early 1960s. Lena Horne, Nat King Cole, Doris Day, Sammy Davis Jr., Perry Como and Andy Williams are some of the better-known interpreters of this type of music.

Notable Performers

Traditional pop (also classic pop or pre-rock[1][2]) is a musical genre that refers to popular songs performed in a classical style, enhanced by light orchestration. It is an Anglo-American genre, largely deriving from the light vocal styles of the late nineteenth century, that was popularized between 1915 and 1955 on commercial radio stations and in film soundtracks.[3]

The term “traditional pop” was first used within mainstream music circles in 1955 to describe songs performed by such artists as Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, and Bing Crosby.[4] The popularity of traditional pop music continued through the 1960s with artists such as Petula Clark,Andy Williams, Neil Sedaka, Tom Jones and Engelbert Humperdinck. By the early 1970s it mostly consisted of middle-of-the road performers such as Barry Manilow, Streisand herself,[5] David Soul, Gilbert O’Sullivan, Air Supply and Anne Murray.[6]

Rock

Rock music is a type of popular music that developed in the 1950s. It is characterized by a heavy use of electric guitars, drums, and bass guitar. Rock music is often associated with a number of factors, including: rebellion, freedom, and individualism. The genre has produced some of the most iconic musicians in history, including: The Beatles, Elvis Presley, Jimi Hendrix, and Led Zeppelin.

Origins

The roots of pop music can be traced back to the traditional music of the folk cultures of Great Britain, Ireland, and North America. This music was brought to the United States by British and Irish immigrants in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, respectively. TheTerm “popular music” first came into use in the nineteenth century, referring to light classical pieces and operatic arias that were enjoyed by a wider audience than just those who could afford to pay for concert tickets. In the early twentieth century, the term came to be used more broadly, encompassing all forms of popular music.

Today, pop music is heard everywhere, from radio and television to films and video games. It encompasses a wide range of styles, including rock, soul, hip hop, country, singer-songwriter, and electronic dance music. While some pop music is explicitly designed for commercial appeal, much of it is created by artists who are trying to express themselves and connect with an audience on a personal level. Whether it’s catchy or thought-provoking, entertaining or moving, pop music has the power to touch our lives in many ways.

Characteristics

Rock music is a genre of popular music that originated in the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia in the mid-20th century. The terms “rock” and “rock and roll” refer to musical styles that developed from and incorporated electric blues, country music, and rhythm and blues. Rock music typically consists of a guitar player as the lead instrument, backed by a drummer, bass player, and occasionally keyboards.

Rock music has been influenced by other genres such as folk music, jazz, and blues. Rock has also incorporated elements of classical music, particularly the work of composers such as Gustav Holst, Sergei Prokofiev, and Dmitri Shostakovich. The sound of rock often relies on distorted electric guitars played through loudspeakers, amplified electric bass guitars played through heavy amplification, drums with cymbals that are hit hard with sticks or brushes (and sometimes played with electronic drum pads), vocals sung with emotion and sometimes with techniques such as “screaming”, and occasional use of keyboards such as pianos and organs.

Notable Performers

In the realm of traditional pop music, there have been a number of notable performers over the years. These include:

-Bing Crosby: One of the most popular performers of the 20th century, known for his signature crooning style and hits like “White Christmas.”
-Ella Fitzgerald: A legendary jazz singer with a career that spanned several decades, known for her interpretation of the American Songbook.
-Frank Sinatra: One of the most influential and popular singers of the 20th century, known for his Rat Pack days as well as his solo work.
-Barbra Streisand: A versatile performer who has enjoyed success in both singing and acting, winning multiple Grammy, Tony, and Oscar awards.

Conclusion

Traditional pop music is a timeless genre that has stood the test of time. From the classical compositions of Johann Sebastian Bach to the modern pop hits of the Beatles, traditional pop music has something for everyone. Whether you’re a fan of classical music or modern pop, there’s a traditional pop song out there for you.