If you’re wondering why popular music is in decline, consider this: pop music is losing its appeal to the masses. This is largely due to the record industry, which will do what it says it will do. In other words, record companies will not do what bands want, but instead, will do whatever makes the most money. So, what can be done to save pop music? Here are some ideas.
American Idol
Many have wondered if American Idol is losing its pop music appeal due to its lack of star power. While it is certainly true that American Idol has failed to generate much success in the world of pop music, it has also produced bland Everymen. The show’s reliance on pop culture to foster popular music has become its downfall. But it is unclear whether American Idol will ever regain its previous popularity.
Although the show’s success is hard to quantify, it did change the Reel Craze industry. For example, it helped promote digital downloads through the Apple iTunes Store and encouraged emotional investment by fans. It also prefigured the rise of social media, which allows artists to build “fandoms” online. Even more, Idol has created an ecosystem of impassioned fans and critics who engage in conversation with one another on social media.
The show was introduced to online auditions in season 10; contestants submitted 40-second videos through Myspace. Many contestants hoped to find fame on the show, but many were disappointed that they were not chosen. This season, however, the show made up for the lack of celebrity in the pop music world by including new judges in the competition. The results were also more consistent, despite the absence of Paula Abdul, who formerly co-hosted the show with Brian Dunkleman.
Foreign acts
The unified release date of global acts was supposed to destroy local music cultures, but now it is taking off. A global release date makes it harder for local acts to gain promotional exposure while boosting the power of U.S. pop behemoths. While it may not seem like it now, foreign acts have begun to dominate key territories, and they are taking over the world. There are many reasons for this shift.
Pop music is a form of popular music that is not very sophisticated or complex. Typically, it lacks soul and sounds like the artist is only interested in making money and grabbing the latest trend. The intention of popular music is to appeal to the broadest possible audience. This can make it garbage or great, but the genre can be easily distinguished by its intent. Whether a song is written with passion is not important in the end – it should be able to be easily recognizable, and can be avoided.
R&B
If you look back over the decades of popular pop music, R&B has seen a number of rises and falls. While many people associate R&B with emotional love songs, that’s far from the truth. A lot of R&B music is rooted in hardcore soul and hip-hop. Many pop stars have been influenced by R&B music, including Rihanna and Beyonce.
While contemporary R&B has reaped the benefits of crossover appeal, it must remember the roots of its genre. For example, Rihanna’s recent album, 24K Magic, is simultaneously a pop album and a throwback to 1980s R&B. The title track is a funk-infused tune, reminiscent of The Gap Band and Boyz II Men. It’s a pop album themed around the New Jack Swing, which became a massive hit in the late 1980s.
The resurgence of R&B has been aided by a white, cool audience. The same group that happily posts Drake lyrics on Instagram would not be seen dead at a Ciara concert. While R&B music is increasingly losing its popularity in pop culture, it’s not disappearing from the charts. Solange has challenged this trend repeatedly. In fact, she recently challenged the music industry and the “White” audience in a series of interviews, highlighting the importance of R&B in the pop Reelcraze market.
But the future looks bright for the genre. The Grammy Awards have been a useful guide to how R&B is making its way into the mainstream. Bruno Mars’ triple Grammy win in 2018 was a symptom of a larger cultural shift. Modern R&B artists could finally experiment with their music and diversify. They could even win an Oscar for their song! And this is just one example of how R&B is breaking the mold.
Teenage Dream
Katy Perry’s breakout hit from 1999, “Teenage Dream,” brought in a new wave of weird Top 40 pop music. The song paralleled Lady Gaga’s lane and hyped Katy Perry’s aesthetic. It sounds like the best of high school and evokes a nostalgic time. However, the popularity of the single waned as the decade’s pop culture shifted from the ’90s to the ’00s.
Teenage Dream, in comparison to today’s stars, seems like a distant influence. While the Billboard Hot 100 is dominate by emo rap and country drinking songs, there are still plenty of ultra-hummable singers on the radio, cutting catchiness with a bittersweet edge. Meanwhile, a light disco revival is on the horizon, capitalized by BTS. Nevertheless, the general mood of pop music remains unchanged.
While Perry’s upward trajectory guaranteed her success at the time, her songs haven’t aged very well. The womp-womp drops of “E.T.” are very date. “California Gurls,” on the other hand, is a far more enduring song. Yet Perry has admitted that “E.T.” is too annoying, and her popularity dwindles.
“I’m Not Afraid of the Future” by Katy Perry and the California Gurls has never gone out of style. Its video features a montage of angry gummy bears, classic wigs, and sweets. Its soundtrack evokes a nostalgic time in a timeless fashion. But the song’s popularity is waning. The pop music of this generation is no longer the same as in the ’90s.
Nihilism
While the term “nihilism” may sound like a dirty word, there is actually a whole genre of music that is nihilistic. For example, the alternative rock band Nine Inch Nails is large associate with this philosophy. Their catalog is fill with songs like “Heresy,” “Zero-Sum,” and the “Day the World Went Away.” Other bands that are consider nihilistic include Alice in Chains, Smashing Pumpkins, and Pearl Jam.
The concept of nihilism in pop music is often express in horror films. Aphex Twin’s “Windowlicker” is a classic example. It combines elements of Metal, Industrial noise, and Electro. Its desolate atmosphere reflects the theme of dysfunctional relationships. The song opens slow and spherical, with fat guitars, offbeat drum pauses, and a dramatic chorus.
Pop culture is often rife with nihilism. In many ways, nihilism is detrimental. In pop culture, the term is use to express an attitude that life is meaningless and without reward. Often, this is do in the name of profit. In this case, the song is not actually nihilistic; it is a twisted version of the mean-less life’ genre.
The lyric “Make way for the homo superior” refers to Nietzsche’s philosophy of the “Ubermensch.” This song appeared on the album ‘Hunky Dory’. Moreover, it featured the bonus track “The Supermen” which further demonstrates Bowie’s influence on nihilism in pop culture. In the music industry, it’s not uncommon to hear songs about crime and rape culture that are inspire by this philosophy.
Obscenity
The anti-porn crusaders have recently been targeting more than one type of pop music for its obscene lyrics. In Florida, for example, an attorney named Jack Thompson wrote a letter to state leaders about an album by the hip-hop group 2 Live Crew. He called for an investigation to determine whether the album violated the state’s obscenity laws. However, it’s not clear how broad Thompson’s attacks are.
Although the Supreme Court didn’t rule in the case, it did lead to a national debate about the legality of obscene music. In 1985, U.S. District Judge Jose Gonzalez rule that the lyrics of the 2 Live Crew album were obscene and that retailers in South Florida were liable to arrest if they sold the album. The case also opened the door to a national debate about artistic expression in pop music.
The ruling was based on the opinion of the Broward County Sheriff’s Office. The sheriff’s office sent copies of the ruling to record stores throughout South Florida. Ultimately, Gonzalez ruled that the album did not violate the law. He also stated that the two Live Crew’s albums “met the community standards” and met the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court obscenity test. According to the test, an album is obscene if its content is patently offensive, appeals to prurient interest, and lacks serious literary value.