[AK'z]

Pop music has been given a justified bad reputation. This thread's premise is to withdraw that argument from conversation and get back to the simpler, catchier, smoother side of artistry.
The reason why pop is good, is because arguably it is the most diverse genre in existence. Yes it is referred to as an umbrella term, but I still think it's in a world of its own compared to other things.

This is gonna be a massive thread, so be careful.

Let's start at the beginning:

Traditional Pop - 50s/60s

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5TwT69i1lU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxVdjw0Gm8I
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q80vPeejm7k

Rock and Roll (Pop Rock) - 50s/60s

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mB-98y_yE9c
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mZLpDuuf40
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAOvb8XUPtk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LmY30_DjMYo

Baroque/Psychedelic Pop - 60s/70s

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjCRm9exBbc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0s7zqYF8NU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNcXFy8QTC4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NBDvXpsBzk

Motown/Soul - 60s/70s

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQdruxqpKB8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnDm3qr1Knk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IfeV-qpRDOw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9xxURZ1v3g

70s Pop

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DiPT-seJ9uc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YcZeoEztSog
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6sIjSNTS7Fs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R44FFMejVTU

80s Pop (Rock/R&B)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9rZ4fOHReo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJQTPUku0k8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfFunjzyIsE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uv7y6PKEYms

Synth Pop - 70s-Present

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9IbpWdYtpfw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIQCI1reA08
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dV7LlUHAY4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IrnB7c8Dvow

Art Pop - 60s-Present

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xcyuKUtgyZ8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snb5729vZe0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6EFFVKYMdnE

I know there's a lack of modern things, but I'll have to do that some other time. For now we'll dig up the roots of pop.

[Vedicardi]

elvis costello and the kinks are not really pop but alright

[AK'z]

Vedicardi posted:

elvis costello and the kinks are not really pop but alright

At the time the songs were made and released, they were mate.

[Vedicardi]

yeah and when metallica's first album came out people called it "power metal"
but it's not so
don't call it that.

[AK'z]

Vedicardi posted:

yeah and when metallica's first album came out people called it "power metal"
but it's not so
don't call it that.

Now it makes perfect sense!

[killerteacup]

I love synth pop, some real interesting work seems to have slipped by into the charts

This was number #5 in the UK when it was released. Would you consider this pop music? I wouldn't call the Kinks or Elvis Costello pop music either.

Also postal service, and petshop boys. both good.

[AK'z]

You think that's surprising.

This got to #2

I'm not even sure if you can call this pop anything. It's more "avant-garde" something imo.

[Rad McCool]

Pop music rules. I mostly like 70-80-90s, but it's all good.

Some albums/records that have received a lot of play time from me lately:







Also.. text book material for big 70-artists who try to adapt to the new 80's sound, and fail miserably:

[pie_is_good]

Generally I like older pop music way better than most pop music of today. Like I explained in the other thread it seems to be less about fun catchy melodies and more about obnoxious beats. It's just less pleasant to listen to. Some pop albums released recently which aren't really like that don't seem to be very popular though, at least not popular around here so I dunno.

[AK'z]

Oh yes. :-)

[Rad McCool]

pie_is_good posted:

it seems to be less about fun catchy melodies and more about obnoxious beats.

Hmm I really think it's the opposite o.o

[AK'z]

One of my favourite pop records

[Rad McCool]

This thread is a bitch to load with all these Youtube videos. :S

Do you have Spotify, AK?

[AK'z]

Rad McCool posted:

This thread is a bitch to load with all these Youtube videos. :S

Do you have Spotify, AK?

no, although I do have some coupon thing for 6 months. :>

[lil timmy]

fuck yeah a baroque pop song about an Ingmar Bergman film

E:
in retrospect, Scott Walker was pretty obviously off his nut by 1969, wasn't he.

[AK'z]

I have two Scott Walker albums but I don't think they were the best to start off with. It's clear that he was inspired though.

[lil timmy]

It's a shame that the rest of Scott 4 isn't as brilliant as The Seventh Seal. Don't get me wrong, it's still great baroque pop in the 60's style, and it's obviously still sung by Scott Walker, but it hasn't got that feel of the epic about it like the first song.

[AK'z]

What a record.

[vagrant]

needs more brill building wall of sound stuff

[Stizzles]

some noise pop:

[Rad McCool]

Fantasy - one of the best groups ever. They had some minor hits in the early 80's. I had never heard of them until I stumbled upon them while just browsing random tracks on Spotify.

[AK'z]

vagrant posted:

needs more brill building wall of sound stuff

Already posted. :-)

Edited:

Stizzles posted:

some noise pop:

[lil timmy]

this song lol.

[vagrant]

AK'z posted:

Already posted. :-)

what
I
oh

Edited:

AK'z posted:

I have two Scott Walker albums but I don't think they were the best to start off with. It's clear that he was inspired though.

have you heard his later, scary stuff? not meant for this thread at all but oh jesus

[lil timmy]

My mum listened to Tilt because she remembered the Walker Brothers and thought it'd be similar


big mistake lol

[AK'z]

vagrant posted:

what
I
oh

Edited:



have you heard his later, scary stuff? not meant for this thread at all but oh jesus

I have heard he went slightly insane with his work, but I need to hear it.

[lil timmy]

not enough kate bush in this thread tbh

[Teto]

more noise pop why not

[Rad McCool]

This right here, I mean it, this!!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=FrkEDe6Ljqs

[The Maestro]

AK'z posted:

What a record.

I'm partial to The Goodbye Look myself.

And here's my contribution:

[AK'z]

Sinead O'Connor was a lot more than just that "Nothing Compares 2 U" track.

Edited:

lil timmy posted:

It's a shame that the rest of Scott 4 isn't as brilliant as The Seventh Seal. Don't get me wrong, it's still great baroque pop in the 60's style, and it's obviously still sung by Scott Walker, but it hasn't got that feel of the epic about it like the first song.

Well as you said he was off his nut by the end of the 60s, but that album was him trying show his great crooning voice.

Shame it took him 20 years after that to be as creative again. He's releasing a new record I hear.

[mikeyt493]

this is standing as my anthem this year I can tell, best pop song out so far I think for sure actually love this

Nicki also lookin ridiculously fine as ever

[Gar~]

mikeyt493 posted:

this is standing as my anthem this year I can tell, best pop song out so far I think for sure actually love this

Nicki also lookin ridiculously fine as ever

I actually like Stupid Hoe more, legitimately

[mikeyt493]

I really didn't like Stupid Hoe on first listen but it grew pretty quickly

same with beez in the trap, I think it's just that minimalist approach they both have to them they're hard to understand first listen I guess, but then I got them and think they're good

[Gar~]

I don't like her that much but I like Stupid Hoe and Beez In The Trap more because they're not that over the top, stuff like Starships just have those moments that piss you off. Like, ever since listening to MBDTF I had high hopes for Nicki Minaj as an artist, but so much of it is simply intolerable as I'd expect. Some of it on the other hand is surprisingly catchy, my sister plays it while getting ready for work and I usually wake up to random snippets of whatever she happens to be listening to at the time and she won't stop listening to the damn thing.

   I'm too embarrassed to ask what which songs are :ohdear:   

[mikeyt493]

Gar~ posted:

I don't like her that much but I like Stupid Hoe and Beez In The Trap more because they're not that over the top, stuff like Starships just have those moments that piss you off. Like, ever since listening to MBDTF I had high hopes for Nicki Minaj as an artist, but so much of it is simply intolerable as I'd expect. Some of it on the other hand is surprisingly catchy, my sister plays it while getting ready for work and I usually wake up to random snippets of whatever she happens to be listening to at the time and she won't stop listening to the damn thing.

   I'm too embarrassed to ask what which songs are :ohdear:   

totally see where you're coming from. Before MBDTF I just disregarded Nicki but then I heard her verse in Monster and was like, "shit this girl's actually fucking good"

She's still pretty poppy but I do love listening to her rap. She's got a great voice for it, bit eccentric but it totally works, and her flow is really unique and fantastic. I'm hoping that in the future she moves away from this pop stuff and goes more into hip-hop not necessarily entirely but I'd just like to see her do some more rap-oriented work.

[Gar~]

Certainly agreed. I think at the moment she's trying too hard to be one of those ~different~ popstars (like what Lady Gaga is), and imo it's just wasted talent. Ofcourse since MBDTF I know for sure she has talent but it's hard to see it in her solo stuff. It really is.

[AK'z]

I dunno I admire those people for having the guts to be different and win the heart of the crowd. It's one thing to "try too hard" and another to convincingly be happy that you're different.

[mikeyt493]

AK'z posted:

I dunno I admire those people for having the guts to be different and win the heart of the crowd. It's one thing to "try too hard" and another to convincingly be happy that you're different.

Yeah this is more what I'd side with. I was actually thinking this in the kitchen morning when I had my pop playlist going- releasing Stupid Hoe and Beez In The Trap as the first two singles of her album is both incredibly daring and quite respectable, as they're not very accessible and definitely not your average radio song. Actually commend her willingness to do that, releasing something she made that's different instead of the songs that are going to get lots of radioplay and rake in cash.

[JoshJosh117]

All these youtube videos are killing my browser.