Task 5 - Research into a Genre of Music

The genre that I have chosen to research is that of pop music.

Where does pop music come from?
Pop music is thought to have originated in the 1950s in the Western world in countries like the United Kingdom and the United States of America. The genre derives from rock and roll and usually brings together elements from other genres such as Latin and country.

There are many sub-genres of pop and these include:

• Bubblegum pop 
• Latin pop
• Electronic pop 

Who are the key players in the genre?

In the past, there were a number of artists that were key players within the pop music genre. This includes artists such as Barry Manilow, the Everly Brothers, Barbra Streisand, Frank Sinatra and the Beatles.

Currently, there are a number of artists that are key players in the genre of pop which includes the likes of Beyonce, Justin Bieber and Adele. 
The best selling single of 2015 in the UK was 'Uptown Funk' by Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars whereas the best selling album of 2015 in the UK was '25' by Adele.
(The information on the singles sales comes from http://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/the-official-top-40-biggest-songs-of-2015-revealed__13270/

Album sales come from http://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/the-official-top-40-biggest-artist-albums-of-2015-revealed__13273/)

The Conventions of the Pop Genre
Below are some conventions of pop music:

• Pop song lyrics are normally centred around the theme of love.
• Pop songs normally have an upbeat tempo and tend to be set out in a certain structure.
• Pop songs are normally aimed at a younger audience and because of this they usually feature very little or no rude language whatsoever.

The Conventions of Pop Music Videos

In this section of the blog you will find out about some of the conventions of pop music videos.

• Pop music videos tend to take place somewhere bright and sunny. For example, a beach.
• The music videos also sometimes show a group of people having a good time. For example, they are at a party.
• Costumes are usually bright and colourful so the artist in the video stands out from everyone else.
• Make up is usually bright and colourful as well to also ensure that the artist stands out in the video.

Key Learning Points:
From looking into the genre of pop, I have found that the music videos are usually filmed in bright and sunny places or in places like a club. I believe this is so that the artist looks like they are having fun with their friends and love their life.
I have also learnt from this process that the artist needs to stand out in the music video so it is obvious to the consumer who the artist is.