Pop That Thang....

The Pop chart was once a reflection of the musical tastes of the record buying public. Granted, that music buying demographic was those ages 14 to 24, If you made that chart you were a star, or at least a one hit wonder. Music that made the Pop chart usually came by the way of the charted music of other genres. This meant that Rock, Country, R&B and Jazz would make the Pop chart if their popularity spread into other areas or communities beyond where they first were played.

As a Genre, Pop became defined by its sound, as a "watered down," version of each particular genre. In other words, Pop was music of the masses. However, in every decade of the popular era, dating back to the 1950s, there was one or more of the more specific genres of music that dominated the Pop charts. Rock n Roll was the most notable.

The rock of the 50s, Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, and Fats Domino, gave way to the Rock of the 60s, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and Jimi Hendrix. While each changing of the guard reflected a kind of musical growth as artist who became successful in one decade did so by reflecting their influences from the previous one.

In the 70s, the above remained true, however, the power of the artist to create every aspect of their product and persona brought a wave of popular music that at times transcended their respective genres. Songwriting was brought center stage, along with arranging and producing. Stevie Wonder, Led Zeppelin, and Pink Floyd all brought the music of their lives and minds to bare, as they created music that often crossed onto multiple charts all at the same time.

The 80s saw the rise of the persona of many of its biggest stars become larger and more important then their music. Michael Jackson, Prince and Madonna all became mega stars with their rock star lives often taking center stage. The Pop chart was still a reflection of a variety of styles, but the emphasis shifted away from the artist as creator to the artist as performer. The result was great showmanship, but an erosion of form and content.

In the 90s, I would have to say, in my opinion, that the music really became a genre that was defined by blandness and "watered down," everything. Rock became grungy. R&B became "soapy," ballads, and Jazz became so smooth that it almost slipped away. Meanwhile, Rap and Hip Hop ruled. That is at least until the middle of the decade when the prefab "boy band, girl band," fad took over. The sound of the nineties was ultimately defined by the producers who produced the music rather than the artists who might have created it, but many times, only performed it. The Backstreet Boys, N'sync, Brittany Spears, and Spice Girls always come to mind.

Sadly, the music of the first decade of the 21st century had been defined by a return to dance music. And while Rap and Hip Hop are still extremely popular, Club, House, and Trance continue to influence artists that are making their debuts on the Pop charts. I say sadly because a lot of the great songwriting that used to be a staple of the Pop charts is now found only through the DIY movement of the internet. The market demographic still remains 14 to 24 years of age, so cross marketing continues through the use of movies and TV shows that appeal to that age group. While I think that it is unlikely, and I mean no slight, I find it hard to imagine Rhianna, Lady Gaga, or Kanye West being considered as the classics twenty years from now.