Robert Johnson
 

I was reading up on Robert Johnson who's material was recorded around 1936 and 1937. His music wasn't recorded on a major or popular album until 1961. But that all aside, when he traveled from town to town back in the 30's he didn't always just play the blues but instead, played what ever was popular at the time, on the street corners and local pubs. He was known to have the ability to hear a song for the first time and was instantly able to pick out the music and play it on guitar.
When Brian Jones introduced Keith Richards to Johnson's music, Richards ask the question, who is playing the other guitar? He was amazed at how one person could play guitar with such ability.
Musicians who proclaim his profound impact on them are Keith Richards, Jimi Hendrix, and Eric Clapton.
Johnson, though well-traveled and admired in his performances, was little noted in his own time and place; his records even less so. "Terraplane Blues", sometimes described as Johnson's only hit record, outsold his others but was still only a minor success. Johnson was never to personally experience the popularity as a major artist.

i agree with your friend because every genres style has there pop music

I disagreed. I believe that pop music is a style, but is not necessarily popular or simple. I dissagree with you. Pop is music for the masses and targets that young demographic. Britany Spears sold more albums that Bob Dylan. It is a brainwashed industry controlled by the media corporations. They push the trite and mondane material down your throat. Song structure is easy and most of the lyrics. Pop has a high turnover rate of artists. What should that tell you?

i don't think pop music is really all that simple, really

you need real technological know-how to make a hit single

True but that doesn't guarantee quality.

Look I think pop isn't always simple, but yet again I think you're more likely to encounter simple generic pop sludge than to encounter overcomplicated muddled up pop. But I guess we all expect that.

I don't know if simple is the word I would use, but I would consider pop music to be music that is commercially driven (simple addictive jangles and childish lyrics) and not artistically based. Any performer who is singing songs written by record company hacks is a perfomer and not an artist, I would consider much of pop as performers and not artists

I have some respect for artists who find ways to inject creativity and originality into the age old formulas of pop. Sometimes a familiar form is the best way to express ideas, especially if you want the average listener to be able to easily relate and appreciate.

I agree..Topaz.;) Good perception.

The old formulas of rock need reinvigorating as well.

Yes, Pop is VERY simple. I mean, with few exceptions like Led Zeppelin. Even then, there is such thing as music that is flat too complex for a mainstream audience.