Musical Innovation In Pop Music

[Spike-X]

A lot of people say that modern pop music is repetitive and unoriginal. Decide for yourself (http://www.i-am-bored.com/bored_link.cfm?link_id=20647)

[Ilash]

Er, no offense Spike and maybe I'm missing something but what exactly is your point here?

[Spike-X]

The guy's playing a medley of twenty or so pop songs, that all use exactly the same chord progression.

[The Mirrorball Man]

The guy's playing a medley of twenty or so pop songs, that all use exactly the same chord progression.
I can show you twenty paintings that use exactly the same color palette, does that mean that modern painting is repetitive and unoriginal?

[Adam Crocker]

I can show you twenty paintings that use exactly the same color palette, does that mean that modern painting is repetitive and unoriginal?

I don't think that's the point Spike was making so much as pop music necessarily involves recycling ideas and repetition. Or as Mark E. Smith said, "There's repetition in the music and we're never gonna lose it."

[J. Robb]

That was good, though a lot of the songs were a bit of a stretch- he had to speed them up or alter the melody a bit. But really, it's not a surpise. Someone could probably do that with 1000 songs on a guitar with three chords.

[The Mirrorball Man]

I don't think that's the point Spike was making so much as pop music necessarily involves recycling ideas and repetition. Or as Mark E. Smith said, "There's repetition in the music and we're never gonna lose it."
Alright then I don't think I get it.

[Sanagi]

The use of just four chords is not unique to pop music. Actually, nearly the whole of western music is focused on the movement between I and V. The ii and IV chords are typically just used to spice up that back-and-forth movement. These types of chord movements are the most satisfying to the ear - and that's not an opinion, it's how the system of harmony works. It has to do with leading tones and movement by fifths, and music geek stuff like that.

[Spike-X]

My point, if indeed I had one, was really no more than, "Hey, check out how all these popular songs all have the same chord progression!"

[Sheldon]

I liked how his buddy was just sitting there playing video games in the background.

Anyways did he actually sing "Don't Stop Believing" during that whole thing?

[Valmore]

My connection is probably too sucky to vire this, can anyone just list the 20 songs played and I can see if I have them in my collection to listen to?

[Jessica Drew]

It was funny...and sad, too, because I was disappointed that he never sang "Don't Stop Believing;" I was chomping at the bit waiting for that one.

BTW, you start playing your standard 12-bar blues progression, and you could play about 500 songs this way.

...and you can do this with early KISS songs as well.

[Jessica Drew]

My connection is probably too sucky to vire this, can anyone just list the 20 songs played and I can see if I have them in my collection to listen to?

As near as I can tell...

1. "Don't Stop Believing" - Journey (just the music, though)
2. "Adam's Song" - Blink 182
3. "Am I Not Pretty Enough" - Kasey Chambers
3. "Amazing" - Alex Lloyd
4. "Wherever You Will Go" - The Calling
5. "Glycerine" - Bush
6. "Heaven Coming Down" - Tea Party
7. "Superman (It's Not Easy)" - Five for Fighting
8. "High" - Lighthouse Family
9. "Sway" - Bic Runga
10. "Soul to Squeeze" - Red Hot Chili Peppers
11. "She Will Be Loved" - Maroon 5
12. "With Or Without You" - U2
13. "Fall At Your Feet" - Crowded House
14. "Torn" - Natalie Imbruglia
15. "Scar" - Missy Higgins
16. "Let It Be" - Beatles
17. "Under the Bridge" - Red Hot Chili Peppers
18. "Man in the Mirror" - Michael Jackson
19. "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" - Elton John

[Weapon Ick]

LOL @ dude on the beanbag chair.

[P-Man]

The use of just four chords is not unique to pop music. Actually, nearly the whole of western music is focused on the movement between I and V. The ii and IV chords are typically just used to spice up that back-and-forth movement. These types of chord movements are the most satisfying to the ear - and that's not an opinion, it's how the system of harmony works. It has to do with leading tones and movement by fifths, and music geek stuff like that.

You said "That's not an opinion", and that statement is almost true. In the end, it's all about what one is used to hearing. Most of us were raised on western music, so it's true that the common chord proggessions are usually going to be the most pleasing to the ear. However, once one starts listening to oddball music or non-western stuff, it can really open up what your ear considers acceptable. It sure is an uphill battle though. I still find myself thinking "that's not right" when I hear a chord proggesion that departs from the norm. It's really a lot like getting used to odd timing after a lifetime of listening to mainstream rock.

Dang. I wish I could get into an in depth discussion of music theory, but I'm still learning. I'm approaching it from the prospective of a guitarist with no prior knowledge of any kind of theory, so that too is an uphill battle.

On the original disscussion of pop music, there is so much more to a song than a simple chord proggesion. I mean, a death metal band can use a common pop chord proggestion in a song but if the guitar is downtuned two steps, the singer sounds like cookie monster, and the drummer is stomping his double bass pedal as fast as he can than that bit of music ain't gonna sound like a Journey song that uses the same chords.

[Sanagi]

You said "That's not an opinion", and that statement is almost true. In the end, it's all about what one is used to hearing.This is true. That was just was the simplest way I could think of to say what I wanted to say. It's a standard of beauty that applies across all borders, much like the golden ratio, but it doesn't mean absolutely everybody will agree.