POP IS NOT A MUSICAL GENRE AND THAT IS NOT BAD.
-In this post, I want to explain why pop is not a musical genre and I will define what pop truly is. It should be clarified from this moment that this is not an attack on pop or those who listen to it and I do not refer to it in a derogatory way, having made this clarification we can proceed.
-First let's start by establishing certain bases and these bases will be different for each style of music, because even though art is based on certain freedom and creativity, there are still rules for music. There are general rules such as the norms to perform a chord, a musical scale, etc., what we know as music theory. Just as there are specific regulations on each genre, how to do it, certain characteristics that must be met to be classified as what the musician seeks to create. As an action is worth a thousand words I will use examples to be able to explain myself better.
-Now I want you to listen to these examples with great care, peel your ear and you will see what I want to understand.
EDM:
Rock:
Reggaeton:
-Did you listen to these songs well? Perfect, at this time we can better understand these characteristics that make up each gender.
-Let's start with EDM, (My main genre) I want you to look at the type of sounds, their structure, even how this music is "played". Their sounds are much rougher, heavier because they contain a lot of bass, there is from time to time a sound called pryda snare (the one that sounds like "taas"). The rise (called build up) is more aggressive, has more energy, conveys that something is coming and when the drop falls, it truly feels. Everything sounds incredibly electronic, synthesized, artificial, energetic, AUTHENTIC AND PURE. This is EDM, and this specific song is a genre called big room that derives from electro house and complextro, and if we start talking about the subgenres of EDM we stay here all our lives my kings.
-Now with reggaeton, which is what I want to focus on as it is the "most popular genre" (in the next post I will clarify why the quotes, be on the lookout if you want to see it) so let's study this great song. Let's start with his rhythmic pattern "tumpa tumpa" or dembow, which is so classic and the backbone of reggaeton, however those sounds that he uses in percussion are vital for the tumpa tumpa of reggaeton since NOT ONLY REGGAETON USES THIS RHYTHMIC PATTERN but which is also used in other songs, in addition to the bass of the song, it is strident powerful and surely has some saturation, and finally, IT IS NOT MELODIC because he does not sing, he raps, and the song does not really have a melody as such, just a few notes to harmonize and a few chords for the same, and those chords are just as vital for reggaeton.
-Finally with rock, we can still appreciate its characteristics well, as they are so marked. This song basically explains itself, the guitar with full distortion, that drums, the bass is not as noticeable as in EDM or reggaeton but there it is, that all the instruments are analog, they are real, they are there, they were not generated by computer. And above all, the greatest characteristic of rock (after the guitar) is the way it is sung, that is how rock is sung, and it is not easy, not everyone sings like that, almost screaming, those people are super heroes, Now imagine those who sing metal, they are demigods, and those who sing opera are gods, masters and lords of song.
-Now I will give you examples of the pop versions of these genres so that you can notice the differences even more, see what characteristics of the genres meet their pop versions.
EDM Pop:
Reggaeton Pop:
Rock Pop:
-I'm sure that the most observers could notice it, but for those who have not noticed it (I don't think anyone has been left without noticing it)
NO POP EXAMPLE MEETS THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE GENRES THEY SEEK TO IMITATE
-First of all, EDM pop, which could be said is the one that most closely resembles it, despite the fact that the example I put in pop launches more for electro house and not for the big room, it really has nothing to do with electro house. if the base of house but, but nothing. It does not have the proper sound selection, it does not have the same energy and the build up is shorter, and it does not have that accumulated energy, and the drop does not have the same emotion either, it is much quieter rather, it is not really EDM, put all of it. the sounds of nintendos and blenders you want, but that IS NOT EDM.
-In reggaeton there is a lot to talk about, and that will be in a future post, but even so here we can speak it well. Well, we have all listened to Tusa, so we know it well, many say that it is reggaeton because it has tumpa tumpa, but reggaeton has nothing else, because fuck the basic rhythmic pattern REGGAETON DOES NOT DO IT, believe me this is not the genre which it claims to be, it doesn't have the sounds, it doesn't have such a powerful bass, and above all, IT IS MELODIC. And reggaeton is not melodic as you could hear in the pure example. Besides that they sing, they don't rap, their voice is melodic.
-Finally, rock doesn't need an explanation, I really don't know why the hell they say it's rock, maybe it's because it has a guitar, but that doesn't make it rock, what's more, even the drums are synthesized, not everything is organic. Besides that they do not sing in the same way as in rock.
-Here are the examples people, listen to them, analyze them as many times as you want, and you will see that I am right, but if you want something clearer, here I have a last example.
- Do you see that in a moment the song changes completely? That's my point, for the most part it's pop, then it's that piece where reggaeton really becomes.
-I can already see many asking "But hey then, if pop is not a genre then what is it?"
-Well, explaining it in simple terms, pop is an artistic movement just like romanticism, pointillism, etc. It is a way of making music that responds to a need. I make that comparison of painting with music so that they can understand me.
-So, what is the need that pop responds to? Very simple my people, NOT EVERYONE SUPPORTS A PURE MUSICAL GENRE.
-I'll explain myself, let's take metal for example, I'm sure that many here have acquaintances who really like metal are counted with the fingers of one hand, and this is because not many really support metal, the same it happens with all musical genres. Not everyone supports pure rock, very few do, not everyone supports pure EDM, not everyone supports pure rap (and that's why canserbero stayed underground, it was never mainstream, if you want a post comment on it) and that is why I can assure you that a child born in 2012 CANNOT STAND the reggaeton that we listen to as children, we like it because we live it, but that child does not. In case you have not understood what I mean, I will say it more directly.
-Pop exists so that the general public, the mainstream can support a specific musical genre, pop kills that genre but ironically expands it helps more people know it.
-How does pop work? It's very simple, let's look at pop as a black hole, or a parasite, which sticks to a genre that is becoming known, takes what it needs from it and caricatures that genre, makes a parody, a caricature of what it really is. that genre and so the mainstream public can support it, that's how pop works.
-Summing up this whole bible, pop is not a genre because it does not have its own characteristics, it has nothing, it only steals and takes in a parasitic way what it needs from a specific genre. And that IS NOT BAD since it helps to expand what that genre is supposed to be and so the mainstream knows it, even if it is by name, and so the most curious investigate a little and find that genre in its pure state and maybe, He liked me.
- So far this explanation, he hoped he has given me to understand and you have learned something, and so when you talk about pop among your friends, you give this summary explanation to your colleagues and remain as intellectual chad. For more content like this please follow me, because this is the beginning, much more is coming. Also comment because here we believe in healthy debate. Sinchrony says goodbye, enjoy your readings.