The Evolution of "Pop" Music
By: Brianna Mack, 12/13/19
Though debuting in 2001, Alicia Key's "No One" reached number one on Billboard's chart and received two Grammys.
Popular music mirrors society.
You used to be able to define pop music as a specific beat, a signature song, and a certain artist. Now, the term “pop” has reverted to its original name, popular.
Popular music changes as rapidly as society does. For example, nearly all music in the 2000s had a fast-paced and booming bass that was covered by a glossy voice but it also saw major change in other areas of society. From the introduction to digital music to the election of President Obama, the 2000s were a turning point in American culture. Popular music is a reflection of society.
Despite popular music changing with the times, music in the 2000s mostly sounded the same. As mentioned earlier, popular music followed the same formula: quick tempo plus booming bass and lyrics sang by a polished voice equaled a hit. One major example of this is Alicia Keys's "No One" which debuted in 2007.
Music is constantly building on itself as new artists create art. Alicia Keys's "No One" is one example of how artists are influenced by the ones who came before them. "No One" is an example of an R&B song which became popular. She was influenced by R&B icons of the 1990s such as Erykah Badu. R&B was the home of artists with the most personal lyrics. "No One" was the product of personal lyrics following the "pop" style.
The 2000s were also the home of popular Alternative music. Alternative music can be described as underground grunge songs that usually have heavy percussion, an intense guitar, and a growling voice. An artist who debuted in the 2000s with all of these qualities, but is considered "pop" is P!nk. Some of her most famous songs include "Get the Party Started," "So What," and "Raise Your Glass."
P!nk's music in the 2000s became known as "alternative pop" because it meant all of the qualifications of popular music, but there was an added twist to it. P!nk's music influenced much of alternative pop in the 2000s and early 2010s.
Music in the 2010s started with the same fast-paced tone as the 2000s with songs like Forget You by CeeLo Green and Firework by Katy Perry. This type of music, then, evolved into the fist-pumping beat drop. One of the most iconic songs of the 2010s which reintroduced the beat drop to modern music, is "Turn Down for What" by DJ Snake and Lil Jon. This song was a game changer for the music industry. After this song dropped, music became less of the type to make someone want to have a conversation with someone and more of the type that makes people want to dance. "Turn Down for What" turned into Fetty Wap's "Trap Queen" which soon became Desiigner's "Panda." The 2010s quickly became the era for quick beats rushed lyricism. This was a reflection of the Streaming Era.
Since music could be accessed faster than ever before, the race to put out more music caused popular music to become less about the meaning and more about the sound. Yet, there were always artists who found a way to break the mold and bring back music that was popular before.
Twenty-One Pilots third studio album, Blurryface, debuted at number 1 on the Billboard chart in 2015.
Artists like Billie Eilish, Halsey, and Twenty-One Pilots have drawn the race to put out the most music in a different direction. Their music does not sound like many other "pop" songs, yet they've managed to steer the music conversation from "How can we get the next number one?" to "What really makes a good song?" What is it that draws people to their music? Perhaps it is the feel-good beats rooted in prior popular alternative music, or the all-true lyrics which were the staple for R&B tunes. Some would say it’s a combination of both.
The name Twenty-One Pilots may receive many eye-rolls, but their fans remain vigilant in uncovering the hidden meaning behind every song. The general population connects them with their billboard hits “Stressed Out,” “Heathens,” “Ride,” and the ever-present ukulele “House of Gold.” These songs have been branded as catchy and repetitive, yet Twenty-One Pilots has maintained their fanbase for ten years. Could this be because of the words that Twenty-One Pilots sings (sometimes shouts) in their songs? Or could this be because of the big production surrounding their words?
A perfect combination of meaningful lyrics and booming production is their song “Doubt.” The opening lyric is “scared of my own image, scared of my own immaturity.” The song itself sounds like early 2000s Fall Out Boy mixed with Zedd. These lyrics make a listener think about their own life the same way that early 2000s R&B did, but the production makes listeners want to scream and shout like early 2000s alternative did.
Taylor Swifts fifth studio album, 1989, won Album of the Year at the Grammys in 2016.
"Pop" music should not be considered a genre. If a genre is supposed to describe a collection of songs or artists who sound somewhat similar, then how could have "Uptown Funk" by Bruno Mars and Mark Ronson, "Shut Up and Dance" by WALK THE MOON, and "Love Me Like You Do" by Ellie Goulding all have been considered "pop" at the same time? Twenty-One Pilots was considered "pop" in 2015 at the same time as Taylor Swift's 1989 was sweeping up nearly every award for pop music.
What's popular in music depends on popular culture. There is no way to label popular music because it is always something different, especially within the last decade. The Streaming Era changed the music industry in a way that allows musicians to put out their music and get a near immediate response. The responses they received from fans dictated the type of music that they would release and the cycle would continue.
Popular music in the next decade is going to sound more and more like 2000s alternative mixed with R&B lyrics. Billie Eilish, for example, is nominated for Album of the Year at the 2020 Grammys for WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO? This album sounds absolutely nothing like Taylor Swift's 1989, yet is still be considered "pop" by many.
Popular music should not define how a record sounds, but should what society is enjoying at that moment. It should serve as a time-capsule and transport listeners to the moment they first heard it: faintly over the radio system at Blockbuster or in a dance video they saw on Instagram.