1. Pop Musicians and musical trends in pop music
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2. The genre
We know that pop is short for popular. However, what is pop music? In a musical history timeline, which decade in the 20th century would you say that pop music emerged?
Do you know of any pop stars from the 1960s, 70s, 80s and 90s? Who are they?
With a partner, try to come up with a definition of pop music.
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3. What the experts say….
Musicologists (scholars who study the craft and culture of music) say that:
(a) Pop music appeals to a general audience, not a specific subculture.
(b) In pop music, a higher emphasis is placed on the recording and production processes through the use of technology
(c) Pop music tends to reflect current trends, instead of being a progressive genre (although we could debate this!).
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4. Some facts…
Pop songs tend to be two and a half to three and a half minutes long.
They tend to have a steady rhythmic pattern and often follow the verse-chorus form
There is often a catchy hook featured at the beginning of the song.
Simple themes are usually featured, although there are some exceptions.
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5. The beatles
Most successful and critically acclaimed band in the history of popular music
From Liverpool, England
Members are John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr
Gained widespread popularity in 1962 with their first hit, “Love Me Do”
Made their way into the United States popular music scene by early 1964
Wrote and produced five influential albums before their breakup in 1970
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6. Michael Jackson Known as the “King of Pop”
Was an American recording artist, actor, entertainer and businessman
Eighth child of the famous Jackson family
Made his musical debut as a member of the Jackson 5
Michael Jackson Air Recording Studios 8th Feb by Terry George, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 ( Flickr®, accessed August 5, 2013,
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7. Michael Jackson Began his solo career in the early 1970s
By the 1980s, began turning his music into visual art with the new medium of the music video
His 1982 album Thriller was the best-selling album of all time
One of the only artists to have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice.
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8. Madonna: the queen of pop?
American singer/songwriter, actress, performer and businesswoman
Best-selling female artist of all time
Has sold over 300 million records worldwide
Madonna by David Shankbone, CC BY 2.0 ( Flickr®, accessed August 5, 2013,
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9. Madonna: the queen of pop?
Born to a working-class family in Michigan, to an Italian father and a French Canadian mother
Moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance with $35 in her pocket
After joining The Breakfast Club, a musical and dance group, pursued her first solo record, which gained popularity due to two things: her racy, progressive lyrics and the imagery in her music videos
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10. Analyzing instrumentation and vocals: Timbre
You now understand the importance of all musical elements, and how each is represented in their own way in music.
Now, let’s focus on timbre. It is often a difficult element to describe when trying to articulate exactly how an instrument or a voice sounds.
Let’s look at all the different adjectives we can employ to describe the timbre of a voice or instrument.
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11. Bright Sounds Brilliant, flashy, piercing, shrill, vibrant, vivid
Angelic, alluring, beauteous, melodious
Tight, strained, flat, feeble, scarce, thin, breathy, hoarse, tremulous
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12. Warm sounds Mature, developed, lush, rich, full
Mellow, moderate, hushed, whispered
Colourful, dynamic, edgy, balanced
Gentle, tender, temperate, peaceful, collected, controlled
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13. Harsh sounds Chesty, husky, harsh, hard
Gloomy, sad, melancholy, throaty, grave
Breathy, hoarse, tremulous
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14. Culminating activity
Write a pop analysis paper focusing specifically on: (A) a lyrics analysis (B) an instrumental/vocal analysis based on the new vocabulary you have acquired Today, you will be writing a practice analysis paper, to be completed during class time and submitted for marks. Be sure to choose a partner with whom you can work well!
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