Is Pop Music Really So Simple?

Phantom Limb · 07-08-2011, 03:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anteater

I think you guys are trying to umbrella too much stuff together: "Pop" can refer to anything repetitive and simplistic, but that's not necessarily the same as a band/artist having good "pop sensibility".

Take bands like 10cc, Gentle Giant, It Bites, or Gentle Giant for instance: they'd do commericial length/commercially viable music and infuse that music with multiple time changes, eclectic instrumentation, dissonance and sometimes fairly complex lyrics...and often succeed in bringing all these seemingly incompatible elements together with flourish.

Pop, my friends, is only limited by what you perceive it to be. The longer you keep your ear to the ground, the more likely you'll be to run across music that contradicts common definition.

Exactly. I think you limit yourself too much if you set a white and black definition of what a genre is supposed to be. Sujfan Stevens is a pretty good example of fairly complicated pop music.

djchameleon · 07-08-2011, 07:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by starrynight

I agree. But maybe more parents enjoyed disco in the 70s for example than enjoy Lady Gaga now. Anyway I said more and not most.

that's why I'm saying I disagree, it's probably about the same equal level of hatred/distaste.

I dont' think parents enjoyed disco in the 70s, sure my current parents enjoyed disco back in the 70s that's because they were the young rebels. Their parents most likely hated disco with a burning passion.

starrynight · 07-09-2011, 01:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by djchameleon

that's why I'm saying I disagree, it's probably about the same equal level of hatred/distaste.

I dont' think parents enjoyed disco in the 70s, sure my current parents enjoyed disco back in the 70s that's because they were the young rebels. Their parents most likely hated disco with a burning passion.

Well it depends what generation of parents we are talking about then maybe. Grandparents probably didn't like it so much but I was more thinking about people slightly younger but still an older age group than teens. I still think my words 'more older groups' (not every) is relevant.

djchameleon · 07-09-2011, 05:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by starrynight

Grandparents probably didn't like it so much but I was more thinking about people slightly younger but still an older age group than teens.

this is my whole point, the generation gap, it would have been equal/the same.

people that are slightly older than teen range love Lady Gaga and pop music in general especially since they grew up during the whole backstreet boys/Britney popstars time period.

starrynight · 07-09-2011, 06:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by djchameleon

this is my whole point, the generation gap, it would have been equal/the same.

people that are slightly older than teen range love Lady Gaga and pop music in general especially since they grew up during the whole backstreet boys/Britney popstars time period.

I mean more 30s 40s.

djchameleon · 07-09-2011, 06:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by starrynight

I mean more 30s 40s.

I could understand some 30s still being into it but 40s might as well be parents of the teenagers so they wouldn't be a good example.

Ben Butler · 07-09-2011, 06:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by starrynight

Arguably most music is made for the love of it. Most music I think is made with an audience in mind, whether that be a large or small one. And something that isn't chart music isn't mainstream in the conventional sense? Young people certainly tend to be the main focus for chart music, but sometimes in the past maybe more older groups could enjoy chart music as well, nowadays perhaps less so.

All this mainstream charts music is not made for the love of it, it's a business/job with the aim of making money. Nothing more, nothing less. Sing, look pretty, dance go home. Blah blah blah.

starrynight · 07-09-2011, 06:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by djchameleon

I could understand some 30s still being into it but 40s might as well be parents of the teenagers so they wouldn't be a good example.

That's what I mean though, people in their 30s 40s may feel little connection to Lady Gaga or other big chart names. But in some earlier periods it may have been slightly different. Record sales aren't what they used to be and I think that is partly because of a diminished audience for chart music (compared to the past).

METALLICA_RULES · 07-09-2011, 08:09 AM

This defines how simple pop music is:

starrynight · 07-09-2011, 08:29 AM

Most metal is quite simple.

07-09-2011, 08:29 AM	#30 (permalink)
starrynight Music Addict Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 937	Most metal is quite simple. __________________ non-cliquey member of every music forum I participate on

07-09-2011, 08:09 AM	#29 (permalink)
METALLICA_RULES Music Addict Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 127	This defines how simple pop music is: