Pop music

What is pop music?

Pop music is a musical genre that is popular with a large number of people. The term “pop” comes from the English word “popular”, which means “well-known” or “popular”. In contrast to rock music or classical music, pop music is not a clearly defined genre category. Rather, the style of pop music changes over time to meet the changing tastes of the public.

Pop music has its roots in rock ‘n’ roll, beat and folk. Folk refers to a musical genre that is influenced by folk music and tends to have lighter melodies. In the 1970s, the band ABBA contributed to the development of pop music and integrated many elements of

electronic music

into their songs. Since then, pop music has been strongly influenced by electronic music.

Famous pop musicians include ABBA, Michael Jackson,

Tina Turner

,

Madonna

Robbie Williams,

Mariah Carey

Céline Dion and Britney Spears. Pop music is characterized by its catchy melodies and simple lyrics, which often deal with topics such as love and relationships. In comparison to rock music, pop music does not feature sophisticated guitar, piano or drum solos.

drums

and the focus is on the vocals.

Over the decades, pop music has spawned many sub-styles, such as synthpop, dance pop, hip-hop pop and indie pop.

indie pop

. Each sub-style has its own musical features and characteristics. Pop music is of great importance to the music industry and is an important part of pop culture.

What makes modern pop music?

Pop music is a form of music that is characterized by its popularity and its ability to appeal to a wide audience. Compared to other musical genres such as rock or classical music, pop music is not a clearly defined style, but has developed and changed over time to meet the tastes of the public. The term “pop” is derived from the English word “popular”, which means “well-known” or “popular”.

Pop music developed in the 1950s from various musical genres such as rock ‘n’ roll, beat and folk. Folk music refers to a lighter, folk-influenced type of music. Later, pop music was further shaped by the influence of electronic music, especially since the success of ABBA in the 1970s.

Most pop songs have very simple lyrics that often deal with themes such as love or similar. In pop music, the vocals are in the foreground and the music is often designed to match the vocals and is kept rather simple. In contrast to rock music, there are no sophisticated solos from

guitars

,

piano

or drums, which some people consider to be the reason why most pop songs sound similar.

An important characteristic of modern pop music is the way it is created. Most pop singers concentrate on singing on stage, while the songs are written and composed by professional songwriters. If at all, the

musical instruments

on stage are played by musicians who are paid to do so. This structure is often referred to as the pop industry and the music is mainly distributed via the media, especially the internet.

Pop musicians who write and produce their own music and are independent of the pop industry are referred to as singer-songwriters or indie pop musicians. The word “indie” comes from the English word “independent” and means “independent”.

The beginnings of pop music?

The origins of pop music go back to the 1950s, when rock ‘n’ roll became popular. Some of the earliest pop songs were by artists such as Elvis Presley and Chuck Berry, who incorporated the rhythms and melodies of blues and country music into their work. In the 1960s, bands such as the Beatles emerged in the UK, influenced by American pop music and creating their own version of it, which became known as the “British Invasion”. Other bands such as the Rolling Stones and the Kinks soon turned to rock music.

In the USA, various trends emerged in the 1960s, including the Motown sound and surf rock, which was influenced by bands such as the Beach Boys. In the 1970s, disco pop became popular, which clearly stood out from rock music. ABBA and the Bee Gees were very successful at this time.

The 1980s were characterized by the spread of electronic music, which was also reflected in pop music. New synthesizer and

drum machine technologies

have been used by pop producers and artists to refine their sound and create new sounds. Madonna,

Michael Jackson

and Prince were some of the most successful pop artists of the time.

Since the 1990s, there have also been “boy bands” consisting of several young men who sing and dance in several voices. These bands were popularized by artists such as New Kids on the Block and

Take That

and were very popular in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Female pop groups such as the Spice Girls and Destiny’s Child were also successful at this time.

Nowadays, pop music has developed into a broad genre with many different influences. The use of technology in
music production
has made it easier to create and distribute your own music. Pop singers and songwriters such as Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande and Ed Sheeran are very popular today and have a large following.

Music scene between pop and politics: The Hamburg School

German lyrics with an intellectual edge, socio-critical guitar rock and a coolness all of their own: the

Hamburg School

is one of the most important movements in the history of German pop music. Bands such as Tocotronic, Blumfeld, Die Sterne, Die Braut haut ins Auge and Die Goldenen Zitronen were among the most important German acts of the 1990s and some of them are still successful today. The Hamburg School paved the way for many German-language pop and indie bands and also influenced art and pop literature.

Pop music in movies

Many music films concentrate exclusively on the portrayal of pop music. Feature films such as ‘Saturday Night Fever’ combine disco music with a catchy storyline. In addition, a new film genre emerged in 1981 with the special-interest channel MTV: the music video. The commercial promotion of pop musicians was thus expanded and increased rapidly.

Pop music as a catalyst for social change: An analysis of themes in pop culture songs

Politics, love and social issues are important themes in pop music. The composers want to reach their listeners and draw attention to grievances. Even if pop music is often classified as trivial, it still reaches its target group and fulfills its purpose. Protest songs by Bob Dylan or contemporary musicians such as Sting are just two of many examples.