Further Reading
Rock and Pop are the genres of modernity: together they symbolise the last century’s growing focus on a music of immediacy, hedonism, volume and personality. The 1900’s saw the completion of the industrial revolution and a move into a strange landscape filled with technology, industry, money and noise, and from this brave new world arose a style of music that reflects it utterly.
Built from the materials of this every changing and futuristic present, how could the genre’s of rock and pop music being anything less than completely involving and entirely exciting? Always synonymous with youth, change and a rejuvenation of culture, these basic genres have gone on to mutate themselves into thousands of different variations of style. But rock and pop are where it all started: without their beautiful simplicity and burning immediacy, the 20th century would surely have been a very different animal altogether.
Due to these genre’s natures as being defined by their contemporary cultural moments, the music that they refer to is always changing. The pop and rock labels refer more to the style’s song’s musical format, their ethos, and the fans than the music is aimed at.
Rock and pop music has it’s origins in the music of the blues, the genre that began the great pop music revolution. Blues music’s remarkable simplicity would become the cornerstone that the rock and pop genre was built on: the wonderfully human aspect of the simplicity and conciseness of blues music allowed it to express things that were incredibly personal in a very immediate and affecting way. Thus rock and pop took the format of the straight 4/4 rhythm with verse/chorus/verse/chorus/bridge/chorus from the genre of blues, as well as it’s reliance on the sounds provided by the pentatonic scale and the instrument of the guitar. Indeed, these two things have also become symbols for the music of rock and pop, and not without good reason. The pentatonic scale is psychologically engraved in all peoples across the world, and so is the most direct musical route to the centre of the mind. It spans all cultures and time periods: it is found in all societies, and seems fundamental to human civilisation. The guitar, on the other hand, would go on to be the choice of instrument for millions of kids around the globe, and as an instrument reflected it’s music: quick to pick up, easy to progress at, it seemed the perfect coat of arms for the new style with its instantaneous nature and infectious qualities.
Aside from these, one of the most important factors working influence upon the birth and formation of the genres of rock and pop would be something that has drastically affected almost everything else in the last 150 years: the development and perfection of technology. With the advent of microphones, speakers and the capacity to record, music was changed forever. The most obvious aspect of music which this had an effect on was the style of singing. No longer did singers have to provide their own amplification, and so the need to project one’s voice was lost, along with the techniques required to perform this extraordinary and very difficult feat. This meant that pop and rock singers had much more leeway and a greater deal of flexibility than anyone had ever experienced before. Gone were the constraints of bel canto and the aspirations to physical perfection: these were hastily replaced by a focus on the specific qualities of the individual’s own vocal style. Warts and all, the rock and pop audiences of modernity cried out to see the everyday reflected in their music, and so to articulate this they demanded a voice that they could relate to, a style that showcased the quotidian in an interesting and artistic format.
Aside from the singers voice, the improvement of the technology of amplification greatly influenced the sound of these genres with the fact that now music could be played louder than every before. Extra volume meant extra excitement: there was more of a rush at the dancehalls as people heard this incredible new music being pumped out, feeling the shimmering distortion of the guitars and the clattering drums travel through their bodies. A revolution of sound was underway, buoyed forward by the pressing powers of technology and invention.
The biggest factor, however, would be the last century’s growing tolerance and positive attitude towards emancipation and equality: indeed, this helped shape rock and pop music as much as the genres helped contribute to that cause. As the Victorian conventions and overhangs from the old world were gradually crushed and divided by the march of progress, a need for freedom in the light of reason meant that the consumer market became controlled by a much larger cross section of people: it was now the kids were moving into the driving seat, and they knew exactly what they wanted to listen to.
This continuing revolution that is rock and pop music should be understood and respected as one of the greatest social focuses and forces of our modern life. It is an unavoidable and all-permeating genre because it is so well loved by most of the world. And how could you not? With it’s focus on melody and irresistible charm, rock and pop music opens it’s arms to anyone who will listen. Here at boxoffice.co.uk we have a huge range of tickets from some of the greatest acts across this wide and highly varied umbrella style. Why not let yourself go to such wonderful acts as the ecstatic Yeasayer, the social commentary of Billy Bragg, the every hilarious Bowling For Soup, the legendary Chris de Burgh, the classic rock of Bryan Adams, the chilled out easy listening of Corrine Bailey Rae, the dirty rock of Grinderman, the charm of Robbie Williams or the sheer excellence of Sting.
Rock and pop music is unexplainably wonderful. So without further ado, go get yourself some tickets to some excellent shows, and let the music’s wonderful and simple magic release your deepest of emotions.
