Hello everyone!
My inquiry question this semester is “What Inspired Pop Music” to answer this question, I will need an understanding of what the main genres that make up pop are and how these genres originated. I will be breaking this post up into 3 different questions, the first question being: Where did pop music originate? The second: What elements are used in the style of pop music? And the third: What defines pop music?
Where did pop music originate?
Pop music, the most popular genre of music. It originates from both the United States of America & the United Kingdom. (2) It started becoming popular in the 20th century. Pop music is also heavily influenced by African American music. (1) Genres like the ragtime sound of the early 20th century, jazz, big band, country, blues, and rock and roll. (2) One of the main things I’ve noticed about pop music with CD’s and records in record stores are labelled as pop/rock on the information sticker on the corner and this makes sense because in the United States the most popular genre (besides pop) is rock and roll along side hip hop/r&b, which is also a label associated with pop. (4) The United Kingdom also has rock as their number one most popular music genre (besides pop). (4) However, the United Kingdom has one of their own versions of rock and that being British rock (5).
What elements are used in the style of pop music?
The pop genre is often borrowing elements which is one of the most important topics in the pop genre that can turn a simple piece of paper with writing on it to the most catchy and mainstream songs. From borrowing samples or demos from dance, rock, urban, country, electric songs, ballads, and more. (6) Some of the elements that are used in a great pop song are, song structure, a catchy melody, harmonic underpinning (the chords that sits under the melody as they change), and finally the cherry on top of creating a pop song, powerful, meaningful, catchy, and relatable lyrics. (7) Another thing that is important to a perfect pop song is the rhythm and the harmonies used in a song. (5)
What defines pop music?
And finally, what defines pop music? Pop is the most popular genre of music of course. Pop music would be nothing without the signature good rhythm, catchy melody, and are easy to remember to sing along to. (8) A fun fact about pop music that makes it so original yet admired by many is it develops from a local to global level in just minutes (9) which we have seen from artists like Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga, Madonna, Michael Jackson, Ariana Grande, Elton John, and more. (10) Pop music also uses instruments like, synths, drum machines, bass, keyboard, saxophone, guitar and more. (7) Another fun fact you may not know about pop music is that it is constantly seen in commercials, movies, TV shows and more promotional reasons, that is one of the reasons some of the most popular songs we hear in stores and on radio stations. (9)
Next Post: The next research I will be doing is “Who are the most popular pop stars and what inspired them?”. I will be researching more about some of the most famous pop artists and what genres, people, places, or things have inspired them to create their music and continue in the music industry and how they’ve impacted the industry to make pop what it is today. I will be researching this topic specifically to see how these artists have influenced the industry and inspired each other, this will help me get an even clearer understanding of what pop is today and then I can see how some artists may have evolved over time with their different types of pop music they’ve created. This will overall help me with my inquiry question as well!
Thank you for reading!!
Sources:
(1) https://study.com/academy/lesson/history-of-pop-music-facts-timeline.html#:~:text=It%20is%20a%20musical%20style%2C%20mainly%20aimed%20at%20a%20young,influenced%20by%20African%20American%20music
(2) https://www.listadiscoteca.net/en/history-of-pop-music/
(3) https://www.timetoast.com/timelines/the-history-of-pop-music
(4) Statista·https://www.statista.com › Media › Audio
(5) https://business.yougov.com/content/42773-what-are-top-5-favorite-music-genres-us-and-uk
(6)https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org › entry › pop_…
(7) Gearspace.com·https://gearspace.com › … › Songwriting
(8) https://www.englishclub.com/vocabulary/music-pop.htm
(9) https://quizlet.com/74499979/4-distinguishing-characteristics-of-a-pop-culture-flash-cards/
(10) https://www.cleveland.com/life-and-culture/g66l-2019/01/b3f00aa00e6163/biggest-pop-star-in-the-world-every-year-since-1979.html