The Musical Phenomenon of Pop
Pop History
Pop music emerged in the 20th century, its origins deriving from jazz, blues, and country influences, becoming a wide, versatile music genre with its catchy melodies and lyrics and modernized production with synthesizers and electronic beats (Crystal 2023). Pop shows would provide a revolutionary platform for the growth of the music, its first traces drawn back in London in 1957 to the 2i’s Coffee Bar “Six-Five Special” music show. Television programs in 1964 aired pop performances featuring The Rolling Stones and The Beatles, and music festivals including the Monterey International Pop Festival in 1967 and the Newport Pop Festival in 1968 drew in tens of thousands of people, featuring performers such as Jimi Hendrix and Cher (OnThisDay.com).
Some honorable mentions of achievements in pop music history include:
“YMCA” by Village People released in 1978 (a song that may or may not be about gay men, although the artists strongly disagree)
MTV launched in 1981, the American cable channel broadcasting music videos. MTV was a large platform for black artists to be shown mainstream due to the lack of representation on radio stations, and boosted the careers of many artists of the time, both people-of-color and white, such as Elvis Presley and Prince. With the growing prevalence of visuals and performance in music videos along with the vocals, entertainment became a crucial component to the consumption of pop (Behr 2021).
“Billie Jean” released in 1982 by the King of Pop Micheal Jackson, coined his number 1 song by Rolling Stone (Rolling Stone 2014).
“Gangnam Style” by Psy released in 2012, dominating the charts in 36 countries (and school dance setlists to this day!)
Pop music has shifted and adapted since entering the 21st century. The digital era of music allowed for a whole new wave of interaction with pop music, with streaming services and social media taking a rise in boosting albums and outreach for upcoming artists. Pop has split into an array of sub-genres, from dance-pop in the 1980s thanks to the electronic grooves of disco from the 70s, and pop-rock in the 90s derived from the rock era of the 50s and 60s, in which audiences heard the rise of Britney Spears and boy-band Backstreet Boys (Crystal 2023).
Pop music continues to widely influence all aspects of music, from audiences that fuel the power of the genre through their love and support to inspiring artists to break away from the mainstream, overproduced industry to create their own sound, forming many of the punk and metal sounds popularized today. It continues to voice personal experiences and social issues with popular artists like Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars, and Ariana Grande, ultimately encouraging listeners to get up and dance.
Sources:
https://www.onthisday.com/music/pop-music
Spotify Link: