Pop: Style

The Musical Characteristics of Pop

Major is the most common tonality in pop music, however others, such as natural minor, are also used often. Pop often relies on simple, diatonic chord progressions, usually with only a few chords being looped throughout a song. Chord extensions are used in pop, usually 7ths, to add emotional depth to songs, must most chords are kept relatively simple. Major and minor scales are the most common, with the genre overall keeping a focus on simple, diatonic scales and notes. Repetitive, catchy riffs are essential in pop music, as a short, repeating motif can make a song stick into people's heads. Steady, driving 4/4 straight rhythms are common, often using the four-on-the-floor rhythm to drive the beat of the song. Pop melodies are usually highly accessible to the general public, with the focus being on repetitive, simple and catchy tunes to appeal to all. Pop music makes use of a mix of acoustic and electronic instruments, with tracks usually being electronically produced with drum machines and synthesizers. Vocals in pop are also heavily electronically produced. Melody and accompaniment textures are very common in pop, as songs usually stick to the structure of having a backing track with a vocal melody on top. Lyrics in pop music follow a range of topics, from heartbreak and romance to parties to social or political commentary, usually depending on the tone of the song. Arpeggios are common throughout the pop genre, these being chords were each note is played one a a time in a pattern, as this adds a simple yet catchy motif to the song, without overwhelming it with too many different melodies. Improvisation often takes the form of small vocal motifs and riffs, often added as backing vocals or in instrumental sections. 

Notation of Important Riffs, Melodies and Rhythms

Here is my notation of the first four chords from the song House of Memories by Panic at the Disco, which follows the circle of fifths. Some pop songs do use the circle of fifths to create chord progressions, following the order of notes on the circle and making them diatonic to the key you are playing in.

A comprehensive explanation of the circle of fifths:

Circle of Fifths: Everything You Need to Know

Three Subgenres of Pop and their Similarities/Differences

Three genres of pop are synthpop, bubblegum pop, and girl/boy band pop. Synthpop emerged in the 70s and 80s, with electronic synthesizers and drum machines being common. Most synthpop songs have themes of melancholy, romance and futurism, and the genre eventually developed into genres like new wave. Bubblegum pop is a 60s/70s genre, characterized by its fast tempos, with innocent, joyful lyrics and themes, often directed towards younger girls. The tones of these songs are very upbeat and light. Boy and girl group pop is often incredibly polished and manufactured, with groups often being managed by larger companies. Catchy, repetitive melodies are extremely common, with the demographic often being young teens, and such bands often have a strict brand, which decides the themes of their music and what directions their creative ideas may take. All three of these genres feature pretty simple rhythms and melodies, yet the differences lie in the instrumentation of the songs, as well as the themes and creative directions on the songs. 

My Opinions on the Pop Subgenres

I love pop music, its very easy to listen to a lot of pop and enjoy it, however I really love synthpop, as well as adjacent genres like new wave, especially bands like Depeche Mode, Tears for Fears and New Order. 

Examples of Famous Musicians from Pop Subgenres

Depeche Mode are a famous synthpop/new wave band. They are often credited with shifting the synthpop genre from light and upbeat, to more melancholy and industrial. They ultimately changed the synthpop genre to move in a new direction, spearheading to development of other similar genres, and ultimately leading to modern new wave and goth rock.  The Monkees were a band manufactured for a TV show, made based off of the Beatles and closely managed by producers. The band itself was one of the first to follow this 'pre-fab' formula, creating upbeat music to appeal to the younger viewer of the show, which ultimately laid the foundations for the bubblegum pop genre as a whole. The Spice Girls changed girl group pop in the 90s, creating a new 'girl power' movement to empower young girls. Their music was centered on themes of feminism and sisterhood, and the band laid the foundations for future girl groups, such as Little Mix. 

Wannabe by the Spice Girls, an incredibly influencial and famous girl group:

Spice Girls - Wannabe (Official Music Video)

People are People by Depeche Mode, an influencial band within the synthpop genre:

Depeche Mode - People Are People - YouTube

How did Pop Evolve?

Pop developed from a mix of genres, some being rnb, dance and jazz, all evolving through time to create the pop we know today. Pop has also been the basis for other genres, like synthpop influencing goth genres, and other genres such as dance and rap are also closely linked with pop. 

What does Pop have in Common with Other Styles

Pop shares elements with many genres. Pop and dance have similar beats and electronic instrumentation, whilst some rock genres have influences the use of guitar and riffs in pop. Rap also shares some elements with pop, as a lot of pop songs include rap sections.