Popular Music

• Popular Music- defined as any commercially – oriented music principally intended to be received and appreciated by a wide audience
• Popular Music is written by professional songwriters and does not evolve through oral transmission.
• the 5 elements of popular music are Rhythm, Melody, Form, Harmony, and Instrument used
• Rhythm: Dance oriented and energetic
• Melody: Catchy ,short ,simple and melody
• Form: Verse and a repeated chorus
• Harmony: Limited harmony
• Instruments used: Electric guitar ,bass guitar , drums ,and keyboard
• The word ballad was derived from the medieval French chanson balladee ,or ballade dancing song
• Ballad is any light , simple expressive song, having two or more stanzas sung to the same melody
• Ballad uses sentimental or romantic lyrics, it has a slow tempo
• Ballad Example: American Pie by Don McLean’s
• Standard- These are traditional compositions that originated from the 1910s, performed in lounges and bars, and recorded across the world
• Standard- More soothing performance style like Fly me to the moon by Frank Sinatra
• Rock and Roll- It is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved during the late 1940s and early 1950s
• Rock and Roll- It is a combination of African – American genres such as blues, jazz, gospel music, and western swing
• Rock and Roll- It is characterized by pulsating drums, repetitive chord progressions, stepped-up tempos, and loud guitar.
• Rock and roll influenced lifestyles, fashion , attitudes and language
• Rock and Roll Example: Elvis Presley songs
• Alternative music emerged during the mid- 1980s
• Alternative Music- The genre is considered to be rock because of its folk music , reggae , electronic, and jazz influences
• Alternative Music- The lead instrument of this genre is the electric guitar with lyrics that talk about social concerns like drug abuse, depression ,and environmentalism.
• Alternative Music Example- Linkin Park songs
• Disco is a genre of dance-oriented pop music
• Disco- It is a style of up-tempo dance music that combines 4/4 time signature, a fast tempo, four – on the floor rhythms, guitar-driven energy with syncopated bass lines, luscious orchestral arrangements, vocals with reverb, verse and chorus structure, escapists lyrics about love and dancing
• Disco Example- Dancing Queen by ABBA
• Alternative Music is also known as Underground Music
• there are 5 forms of popular music Ballad, Standard (Pop, American, Jazz), Rock and Roll, Alternative Music, and Disco