Research Genre - Pop

POP

Pop music (a term that originally derives from an abbreviation of "popular") originated in its modern form in the 1950s, deriving from rock and roll. As a genre, pop music is very eclectic, often borrowing elements from other styles including urban, dance, rock, Latin and country nonetheless, there are core elements which define pop. Such include generally short-to-medium length songs, written in a basic format (often the verse-chorus structure), as well as the common employment of repeated choruses, melodic tunes, and catchy hooks.

David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop music as "a body of music which is distinguishable from popular, jazz, and folk musics". According to Pete Seeger, pop music is "professional music which draws upon both folk music and fine arts music". Although pop music is often seen as oriented towards the singles charts it is not the sum of all chart music, which has always contained songs from a variety of sources, including classical, jazz, rock, and novelty songs, while pop music as a genre is usually seen as existing and developing separately. Thus "pop music" may be used to describe a distinct genre, aimed at a youth market, often characterized as a softer alternative to rock and roll.

Musicologists often identify the following characteristics as typical of the pop music genre:

• an aim of appealing to a general audience, rather than to a particular sub-culture or ideology
• an emphasis on craftsmanship rather than formal "artistic" qualities
• an emphasis on recording, production, and technology, over live performance
• a tendency to reflect existing trends rather than progressive developments.
• much pop music is intended to encourage dancing, or it uses dance-oriented beats or rhythms

Some music critics, social commentators, and music industry insiderS give indication that modern pop music is declining in quality. This decline can be seen in the waning music sales, public opinion polls, time studies and declining concert attendance. Furthermore, research shows that pop songs are becoming more homogeneous—that is they are tending to sound the same—and "that the number of chords and different melodies has gone down", as musicians have become less adventuresome in their songwriting. Specifically, since 1955, "Musicians today seem to be less adventurous in moving from one chord or note to another, instead following the paths well-trod by their predecessors and contemporaries."

CONVENTIONS OF POP VIDEOS:-

-Pop music videos are generally performance based
-More or less about the artist and the artist will be the spotlight of the video through performance or narrative.
-Full of lots of bright colours, clothing, props and a lively way of editing the video
-The pop genre itself is very upbeat, fun and light hearted to appeal to a younger audience
-Artists are usually dressed in the current trends and fashion in stylish mainstream outfits.
-The videos will show close ups and mid shots of the artist to show innocence
-In a location which shows positiveness and good mood, for example friends houses, beaches, clouds etc.
-Usually have some sort of narrative like parties and teenage crushes e.g. lady gaga, Katy Perry, Taylor Swift.

CONVENTIONS OF POP GENRE:-

They are clothed in fashionable, stylish and mainstream outfits.
-They are normally portrayed as happy, and that they are enjoying life.
-Music genre is normally conveyed through the video dressing and setting.
-Pop songs are usually between 3-5 minutes long with a set structure and a consistent beat,
-Follow the current trends rather than being independent and making something new and unique.
-The form of pop songs will most usually follow a verse, chorus, verse structure making the song catchy and therefore it will stick in audiences minds.