Pop music is not synonymous with basic or safe.

[tokyodisko 0]

I think that needs to be said on this forum... 

 

 

 Pop music will never be low brow 

 

 

 

Just Dance was less safe than most of ARTPOP imo. I got the feeling with AP that Gaga was trying to stay inside the lines musically, but push it lyrically which for most of the album came off as contrived imo, but then there were some lyrical gems like MJH, Venus, and GUY which did not feel forced and came across as more natural. 

 

Catchy, fun lyrics don't make music any less valuable. 

[Guest]

+ "basic" =/= bad

[Didymus 32,907]

I don't know. What I find most recurring in pop music is influences of other, more complex genres presented in a simplified, basic form to appeal to the masses. ARTPOP is like the prime example of that.

 

Not saying that's a bad thing. But maybe it is safe or basic by definition?

[tokyodisko 0]

I don't know. What I find most recurring in pop music is influences of other, more complex genres presented in a simplified, basic form to appeal to the masses. ARTPOP is like the prime example of that.

 

Not saying that's a bad thing. But maybe it is safe or basic by definition?

Isn't that just what pop music is though? Different genres modified for mass consumption? I don't think that means it is safe or basic though. Idk, that's an interesting thought. 

 

+ "basic" =/= bad

I somewhat agree. I think "basic" songs can be amazing if the production and lyrical quality is there. It doesn't need to be some thought provoking master poetry to be good. 

[referee 12]

I don't know. What I find most recurring in pop music is influences of other, more complex genres presented in a simplified, basic form to appeal to the masses. ARTPOP is like the prime example of that.

 

Not saying that's a bad thing. But maybe it is safe or basic by definition?

I agree with this! 

 

But in response to op, pop music is an industry to sell to a mass audience--fueled by money. Honestly it's watered down and more accessible music to a big crowd that may or may not be a big music fan. It's made this way to be more accessible purpose. So in essence, a generalization can be made that a large portion of it is made safe. But that doesn't mean there needs to be a guilt associated with enjoying pop music.That attitude needs to die.

[djBuffoon 11,774]

Just Dance was less safe than most of ARTPOP imo. I got the feeling with AP that Gaga was trying to stay inside the lines musically, but push it lyrically which for most of the album came off as contrived imo, but then there were some lyrical gems like MJH, Venus, and GUY which did not feel forced and came across as more natural.

I have to disagree. With something like "Sexxx Dreams", for example, the song only really takes form during the chorus. The verses and bridge are very fluidly structured, particularly so for Gaga. I could hear throughout ARTPOP that she was pushing herself a very refreshing musical direction, even before she said as much herself. By comparison, the melodies for "Just Dance", "Telephone", "Paparazzi", and most of her early hits are incredibly simple.

 

I'm really not sure where people get the idea that ARTPOP is any safer than the rest of her discography, especially from TF and TFM.

[yourfaves 317]

+ "basic" =/= bad

 

and this!

[Phoenix 17,395]

It depends. I need pop artist to evolute. Try new things. :) 

[TimisaMonster 31,073]

Right now in this decade yes it is... :awkney:

[Didymus 32,907]

But in response to op, pop music is an industry to sell to a mass audience--fueled by money. Honestly it's watered down and more accessible music to a big crowd that may or may not be a big music fan. It's made this way to be more accessible purpose. So in essence, a generalization can be made that a large portion of it is made safe. But that doesn't mean there needs to be a guilt associated with enjoying pop music.That attitude needs to die.

 

Perfect addition to my post You said what I forgot to say

 

Also, your comment about pop music not necessarily being made by music lovers was very interesting.

[tokyodisko 0]

I have to disagree. With something like "Sexxx Dreams", for example, the song only really takes form during the chorus. The verses and bridge are very fluidly structured, particularly so for Gaga. I could hear throughout ARTPOP that she was pushing herself a very refreshing musical direction, even before she said as much herself. By comparison, the melodies for "Just Dance", "Telephone", "Paparazzi", and most of her early hits are incredibly simple.

SD was great, but I've never been a huge fan of two-pov songs. I wish she had a feature for it. 

I didn't pick up on a musical direction in ARTPOP at all though. It was so all over the place and it felt as disjointed. I don't think simpler melodies are a bad thing at all. In fact, I think she should have them back, because generally her music wasn't as catchy this album to me, and I have noticed it in a few reviews that people have commented on that. 

I think she just needs to write and let herself grow naturally rather than force a change for a new album. It'll happen in due time. 

[tokyodisko 0]

Right now in this decade yes it is...

Were you alive in the late 90s and early 2000s? 

A lot of music lately has been reminding me of 2003ish. 

I agree with this! 

 

But in response to op, pop music is an industry to sell to a mass audience--fueled by money. Honestly it's watered down and more accessible music to a big crowd that may or may not be a big music fan. It's made this way to be more accessible purpose. So in essence, a generalization can be made that a large portion of it is made safe. But that doesn't mean there needs to be a guilt associated with enjoying pop music.That attitude needs to die.

I do think a lot of it is made to be safe, but to be fair, even artists like KP and MC take risks, it is just the bias in this fan base that they do not, because they're bitter to see other artists who they don't identify with way above Gaga. WCS and Miley's whole act is a huge risk. KP's Dark Horse, while structured for radio is a different direction for white girl pop, the Birthday video is not some pop spectacle that most people want to accompany their girls with. 

The safe artists imo are Lorde(she's safe, she wrote an angsty party song, nothing new), Demi (NL is fun, but totally safe), etc. 

 

But agreed, in no way should anyone be shamed for liking pop music that isn't Gaga, which is essentially what this comes to down to here. 

[djBuffoon 11,774]

SD was great, but I've never been a huge fan of two-pov songs. I wish she had a feature for it. 

I didn't pick up on a musical direction in ARTPOP at all though. It was so all over the place and it felt as disjointed. I don't think simpler melodies are a bad thing at all. In fact, I think she should have them back, because generally her music wasn't as catchy this album to me, and I have noticed it in a few reviews that people have commented on that. 

I think she just needs to write and let herself grow naturally rather than force a change for a new album. It'll happen in due time. 

I think "Sexxx Dreams" is great the way it is. Both perspectives are hers, a feature wouldn't make much sense to me.

 

As for a musical direction, this is Gaga we're talking about. All of her albums draw from a wide, eclectic pool of influences. Case in point, "Judas" and "Fashion of His Love" are on the same album. "Brown Eyes" and "Love Game" are on the same album. And so on. I think this album is as disjointed and yet unified as her other works. Especially when played from start to finish, it sounds like a complete work.

 

And to be honest, it's the lack of catchiness that appeals to me more. Her work in the first two albums had a tendency of being very hook-y. Yes it was memorable and it worked fine, but I find it refreshing that she's not using the stuttering vocals and repeated phrases as much as anymore. The songwriting is good (and natural) enough to breathe on its own.

[ItsTommyBitch 12,640]

I think ARTPOP is a lot more complex than songs like Just Dance and Poker Face personally, but you are right tokyo, simple =/= bad.

 

Simple melodies can make some of the best music. I think Just Dance is the best selling "safe" gaga song ever when it comes to lyrics. The light EDM feel was VERY in back then, so thats part of why it smashed so hard I dont like the word "basic" because i know artists that make cookie cutter pop music and Gaga's "basic" is generally more complex than the average singer's "basic".

 

But theres nothing wrong with cookie cutter pop music, basic pop music, simple pop music, nonsensical pop music, theres nothing inherantly wrong or bad with any type of music --- its just that people will have opinions. I think pop is the best at what it does --- it uses hooks to be catchy and appeal to masses and its also the most all encompassing genre. Any genre can be made into pop music, and i think thats kind of beautiful. I think Gaga has similar views of pop music, its not some generic mess but a formula that's open to extreme interpretation -- its a blank canvas and the only thing that stays the same is the canvas itself :D

While only the most watered down forms might get international recognition and top charts and what not, its not a representation of ALL of pop music and pop artists like people think it is >.>

 

Honestly, musical elitists piss me off so much with this. So many people are like "music is dead, pop music is garbage cookie cutter crap, Metal or Screamo 4 life". If theres a kind of person i dislike associating with, its these people

 

I can understand them simply just not liking techno, or modern trends in music, but its a closed minded view when 99% of these people i talk to have never tried to listen to any artists that are on top 40 other than the 1 song they hear by them on the radio. *Sigh*

 

Anyway i got off on a tangent.

 

I really agree with everything u said here :) except the ARTPOP stuff, but opinions r opinions lol

[leoj 2]

basic is basically pharrel williams/bruno mars/katy perry

 

songs that do their best and are made to relate to the GP, so they can be as successful as possible