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US musician and author Ted Gioia argues in his excellent book Music: A Subversive History (2019): "At every stage in human history, music has been a catalyst for change, challenging conventions and conveying coded messages – or, not infrequently, delivering blunt, unambiguous ones. It has given voice to individuals and groups denied access to other platforms for expression." Pop music has often been dismissed as "lightweight" given its young audience, simple snappiness and mainstream status, but those elements are really where its strength is concealed. Pop songs don't originate themes of mental wellbeing, equality, liberty, activism – but they do transmit them to the broadest platforms possible.
Some fans of Billie Eilish claimed to have found a hidden code in the tracklist for her upcoming second album Happier Than Ever (Credit: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for iHeartMedia)
In the digital age, music megastars can make followers feel like confidants, with the likes of Taylor Swift dropping hints about new releases or song subtexts . Social posts might not have been a formative bonding experience for older generations of pop devotees (like myself), but at least we could read between the lines of a rich array of music magazines – including UK pop fortnightly Smash Hits, which ran from 1978 to 2006. Its former features editor, Alex Kadis, tells BBC Culture: "Growing up, listening to pop music helped me create a whole second world that I could fit into… At Smash Hits, the writing had to be incisive and humorous enough to keep the older readers engaged, but it also had to be emotional and direct enough for the younger crowd."
As with song lyrics, this immersion in pop music operated on more than one level at once – although the underlying message was a sense of camaraderie; pop is essentially a unifying force. Kadis insists that even the frothiest lyrics and poses can evoke a coded power – including early-'90s boy band, New Kids on the Block.
"NKOTB brought a kind of expansiveness that we hadn't had in British pop for a while," argues Kadis, who is now a music manager and industry consultant. "Their music was very formulaic, repetitive, kind of like a mantra. They had a swagger, and when you watched them perform, you imbibed something of that; the idea was: 'you could be part of this gang'. I saw it again, years later, working on the initial marketing for One Direction. Now, BTS also embody so much of that gang mentality, and the connection with their fans is so powerful. A lot of pop music is really important because it invites you to become part of a movement, no matter what that is. It's a bit like a support network."
As a child/teenager, I didn't grasp the concept of resistance or representation via news bulletins; I learned everything through pop. The 1980s Western mainstream felt both rampantly materialistic and weirdly puritanical; stylistic excess abounded, from fashion to music productions, yet a heavily judgemental tone also presided across conservative governments in the UK and US, as well as media coverage, particularly when it came to social and sexual expression. This tension proved a hotbed for coded pop, from the gender politics of Eurythmics and Culture Club, to Bruce Springsteen's punchy blue-collar protests (Born in the USA went over the heads of the Reagan administration , who attempted to spin it as a gung-ho anthem). Smash Hits would run features on slickly catchy pop band The Blow Monkeys, whose coolly smooth tunes conveyed allyship with LGBTQ communities (1986's Digging Your Scene) and opposition to Margaret Thatcher's right-wing UK government (in numerous sharp details, including their 1987 duet with Curtis Mayfield, (Celebrate) the Day After You).
Frankie Goes to Hollywood frontman Holly Johnson posing outside the White House with a full-size cut-out of Ronald Reagan in 1984 (Credit: Mike Maloney/Mirrorpix/Getty Images)
After a backlash against a controversial 2021 music video, Lil Nas X clarified that his 2019 hit Old Town Road wasn't exactly PG (Credit: Getty Images)
Shania Twain Will Be Featured in New Netflix Pop Music Docuseries | CMT
On June 22, Netflix and Banger Films will release the pop music docuseries This is Pop , a deep dive into how pop music has evolved over the past seven decades.
Among the artists that will be featured in the eight-episode series? “You’re Still The One” hitmaker Shania Twain, whose 1997 album Come On Over is among the biggest-selling albums of all time.
Each of the series’ eight episodes will focus on a different segment, with episode titles including “The Boyz II Men Effect,” “When Country Goes Pop,” “Auto-Tune,” “Stockholm Syndrome,” “The Brill Building in 4 Songs,” “Festival Rising,” “Hail Britpop!” and “What Can A Song Do?”.
In a trailer for the series, Twain is seen asking the enduring puzzle: “What is a country song? What is not a country song?” The clip also features masked country performer Orville Peck, who collaborated with Twain on the track “Legends Never Die” last year.
Other artists who will be interviewed as part of the series include Boyz II Men, Backstreet Boys’ Brian Littrell, Brandi Carlile, T-Pain, Steve Earle, Public Enemy’s Chuck D and more.
BTS's company Big Hit launches open audition for pop music producers | The FADER
Big Hit, the company behind K-pop megastars BTS , have put out an open audition call for aspiring pop music producers, as Music Business Worldwide points out .
The search is part of Big Hit's 2021 Next New Creator (NNC) endeavor. "We are looking for a producer ready to step onto the global music industry stage," the website reads . Big Hit is searching for a "producer specializing in pop music" of any education and experience level who is also above the age of 14. Candidates must also have "an excellent understanding of the global music market and trends."
Applicants can send over their package here before June 16. Each submission must contain between 2 and 5 songs or demos. Selected candidates will go through an "internal screening process" before advancing to the final round. The winner will receive 5,000,000 KRW (around $4,500 USD), and may even be asked to work as an in-house producer for Big Hit.
Rock Music Menu: Netflix to stream 8-part series 'This is Pop' | Music | delcotimes.com
Upon its release, 'Build Me Up from Bones' was both a critical and commercial triumph, garnering Jarosz Grammy nods for Best Folk Album and Best American Roots Song, the latter for the title track. The LP topped the Americana Radio chart and peaked at No. 6 on Billboard's Americana Albums.
From Auto-Tune to boy bands to the rise of country pop, the upcoming Netflix series 'This Is Pop' dives deep into some of the most significant moments in pop music history over the past seven decades. The release is the latest music-focused project from the production company behind award winning documentary work including 'ZZ Top: That Little Ol' Band from Texas,' 'Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage' and more
'This Is Pop' features exclusive interviews with the artists, producers, songwriters and superstars integral to pivotal untold stories, including Shania Twain, Boyz II Men, ABBA's Benny Andersson, T-Pain, Brandi Carlile, Public Enemy's Chuck D and other luminaries. Each director-driven episode comes with its own style, voice and one goal in common: to explore how these game-changing moments unfolded and why their impact on pop music and culture continues today.
While the series speaks to the power of pop music to create global consensus and community, it also tells a more nuanced story of the genre's role as a societal magnifier. The producers and directors of aim to shine a light on racism, sexism, classism, queer politics and social injustice while also celebrating the levity and joy for which pop music has long been known.
Examining the struggle that Black musical innovators face in reaping pop music rewards as well as the personal cost of cultural appropriation, Boyz II Men members take viewers back to their humble beginnings in Philly and chronicles their rise to '90s R&B superstardom, which set the template for multi-platinum boy bands later in the decade.
Delves into the raging debate about what makes a song "country" and why country music has such a fixation on authenticity. Featuring country provocateur Orville Peck as host and storyteller, the episode examines pivotal and controversial moments of the country pop genre.
Presents the idea that technology is an art form in itself, one that augments the natural talent of the artist. The Auto-Tune sound has become omnipresent all over the world since its invention in 1997. Some say the pitch-correction technology has ruined music, while others have found fame by using the tool creatively.
Looks at how the world's image of Swedish pop music differs from the reality of the musicians that make it, and how today's Swedish musicians have developed a new model for a global superstar that is more private and reserved despite the current hypervisibility and extremely online culture. The episode explores how one Scandinavian country came, quite unexpectedly, to dominate global pop music.
Profiles the unheralded legacy of the most important address in pop music history, alongside some cautionary tales from behind the walls. In the 1950s and "60s, songwriters, record producers and wannabe pop stars flocked to 1619 Broadway in New York with dreams of churning out the next big hit.
K-pop's rise over consistent struggles in Western pop culture | Talon Marks
K-POP Music Town holds all goods and albums of K-Pop’s biggest stars on the stage. Although many groups constantly hit success, it seems like these idols don't receive proper treatment in the media. Photo credit: Keanu Ruffo
K-pop is filled with bright lights, vibrant colors and crazy concepts of styles. The fans and culture of K-pop is a constant source of strength for the artists and groups.
Despite the huge popularity spike in recent years, the culture has also faced backlash, along with stereotypes, that linger around the genre.
The common backlash that K-pop groups and solo artists receive is when their physical appearance is questioned or picked apart on social media.
Western pop culture is quick to say that K-pop artists don’t fit the mold of a traditional western pop act, attacking their notions of what can fly and what can be popular.
“A lot of overseas media platforms that I’ve seen have jokingly called K-pop idols ‘chinks’ or say something like ‘They all look gay, why are they even popular?,” Daniel Villanueva said.
Villanueva is a huge supporter of the culture and works at K-Place ; a K-pop store inside The Source, located in Buena Park.
For two years, Villanueva has been a fan of K-pop and describes what he thinks is the true purpose of its music.
It has especially influenced American music culture by becoming one of the most popular foreign genres of pop music in the United States, with new introductions of groups like BTS, gaining fans by the day.
Fan-Made Merch: Turning A Passion For Pop Music Into A Business
Fans are always finding new ways to stay connected to their favorite musicians, so the rise in fan-made merch — from K-pop groups to some of today's biggest, chart-topping names — should come as no surprise. For those who want to show their support beyond just official merchandise, there's likely a fan shop selling exactly what you're looking for, often offering products with a lot more thought and care.
Emily Hering, a 23-year-old from California, was furloughed from her job as a barista at the start of March 2020. With the extra time on her hands, she played around with Adobe Illustrator and released the blue Harry Styles "Love On Tour" ticket stub design she had been working on before the pandemic hit. That's when her Etsy shop, Sunfish Press , really took off. "The reaction I saw from that initial sticker brought me so much joy and motivation to create stuff not only for myself but also for others," says Hering, who has since created 60-plus sticker designs and branched out into apparel and accessories, from crewneck sweatshirts to Crocs charms .
So far, Hering has made more than 19,000 sales through her Etsy shop, which offers a mix of products for Harry Styles, One Direction, and Taylor Swift fans. When it comes to inspiration, she often references a TikTok about the lackluster designs of official licensed merch.
"Sometimes I want to rep an artist, but I don't want people to look at the shirt or sticker and know immediately, 'Oh, she's a Taylor stan.' Tiny details only other fans would know or appreciate is what makes merch special," she says. Take, for example, the "Lover" sticker , which Hering designed with a tie-dye background, a butterfly, song lyrics, the release date as the ticket number, and a $1.30 price. A Swiftie since childhood, Hering tries to channel each of Swift's eras through her designs.
Sara, 22, and Mari, 19, Olson from Stevens Point, Wisconsin, started their shop, KiwiCrossings , when the boredom of quarantining during the pandemic hit them in May 2020. What initially started as a creative outlet has now turned into a full-time gig for the two sisters. Their shop offers merch for their favorite band One Direction, with a sweet spot for solo star Styles.
According to the Olsons, there's a lot of practicality behind starting their own merch business, despite the artists' own options that are available on the market. From their personal experiences, these items can be extremely expensive, too simple in design, and can often take months to arrive. "We wanted to create unique and fun designs that were attainable for all fans," they note. "Also, we think that other fans choose to support our small business because they know they're supporting young artists and that their order is made with love and extra personal touches."
Azalea, a 17-year-old student from Oxford, England, started her Etsy shop, lileuphoriaco , three years ago to combine her passions for both drawing and K-pop supergroup BTS. "I wanted to create merch that doesn't scream BTS in everyone's faces and that you can wear daily while feeling cute," she explains. "Official merch tends to be so much more expensive and sometimes doesn't even ship to half the world. I decided to create my own merch because I know what we as fans would like to see and I wanted to make more practical and aesthetic pieces."
Shoppers can choose from enamel pins in mystery grab bags or more fashion-forward items, like a rainbow-colored PVC bag inspired by J-Hope or different pants chains that highlight each BTS member. Azalea also launched a special collection inspired by the group's Map of the Soul: 7 album, which has songs and lyrics written on a dress and shirt.
Setbacks aside, fan-made merch is on the rise and for good reason. "There's so much inspiration to be drawn from the music, the aesthetics, the lyrics, almost everything they do," says Hering. Not only do these businesses know their favorite artists and their work best, but they're meeting the demands of fandoms with pieces that are, ultimately, special and unique. What's a better homage than that?
'Sour' reviews prove Olivia Rodrigo does not miss - Los Angeles Times
All that buzz and exposure has been building up to the teen songwriting machine's highly anticipated debut album, "Sour," which dropped Thursday night on the West Coast. Several hours later, the reviews are in, and the consensus is overwhelming: The fresh face of Gen Z pop does not miss. And she's here to stay.
"Again and again across these 11 songs, Rodrigo measures her values and desires against those of others; she describes how her experience of a relationship differed from an ex's and wonders why she's not as psyched about being young as older people keep telling her she should be."
But, as Wood suggests, Rodrigo's talent transcends the juicy behind-the-scenes drama that helped fuel her overnight success.
Diligent nitpicking from trade publications aside, 18-year-old Rodrigo's first foray into the big leagues of music has been hailed as "nimble," "remarkably potent," "surprisingly strong" and downright "flawless." Here's what critics had to say about "Sour."
"She may someday put pen to sheet music with the eloquence of Joni Mitchell, but we might never love her more than when she's a profane kid, bluntly and prosaically spitting a verse about the end of a relationship like it's the end of the world, because, of course, it is. Until album two, which we can only hope is as ridiculously good as this one."
"It feels like one of those albums that, while too flawed to be hailed as a masterpiece, will linger as a generational touchstone, a time capsule from an era when blockbuster pop music veered toward folk, rock, and searing vulnerability."
Christi Carras is an entertainment reporter at the Los Angeles Times. She was previously a Times intern after graduating from UCLA and has also worked at Variety, the Hollywood Reporter and CNN.
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