Is all pop music sounds the same?

According to a study prepared by a committee of researchers at the National Research Council (CSIC) of Spain, pop music recorded between 1955 and 2010 has reduced its harmonic and melodic variety and also has tended to compress the sound more and more . The result can be summarized briefly: pop all sounds the same and all the songs are noisier than previous decades.

About the last thing we have spoken several times in Cuchara Sonica. When referring to the loudness war or 'noise war', mentioned the widespread tendency to mix and master the following topics procedures that result in reduced dynamics and a higher saturation, which ends resulting in a depletion by we, the listeners. You may remember the article on which we talked about it. It was certainly a fact that had incipient little research and this study has shown. However, some explanation seems necessary to say that all pop music is becoming less diverse.

What do we mean by 'pop'?

In the cited research, explains that we have analyzed a total of 464.411 songs through logarithms and complex formulas that allowed collecting noise data, tone and timbre of each. It clarifies that the musical styles of the songs were rock, pop, hip hop, metal and electronics, which means that scientists have followed the wise decision to consider 'pop music' whatever is 'popular' in society . Following this pattern, Rammstein should have been included in the same category as Madonna, because both have been very popular at some point in their careers. The difference is that some metal make industrial-commercial, yes, Madonna and more mainstream pop in the strict sense of the word.

So get into the same bag to The Beatles, Bon Jovi and Justin Bieber? In theory, should have been, but as we have not had access to the list of songs analyzed, it is difficult to refute the study from this point of view. A priori, it seems hard to believe that all popular groups of the last fifty years have made little songs as varied as the study notes.

The work of the producer

We delve into data and dominant chords most used in the songs analyzed in the study. Apparently, the favorites are G Major (G), E minor (Em) and Re seventh (D7). Okay, all topics range from the same tones. That's where the work comes into play producer, that person is responsible for analyzing the market to try to guess what will work best on the charts. Once identified the main trends, its function is to adapt their products to them. That means you decide, among other things, what structure is best for a song and, of course, what shade is best suited to them and their possibilities in the music scene. In other words, the producer tries to get the best result for the band musical best and the most profitable it can be.

By having a lot of personality formation, the producers are to blame for secure fashion. If something works in the market, explótalo. That explains everything we hear people today have to electronics as the main ally. If you currently wins the genre, there were others that were decades in other different fashion, so each time just reflecting its popular music more generally.

Increasingly homogeneous culture

Globalization has generated not only very close ties-and dangerous-in the economic sphere, but has fostered cultural homogeneity, ie that companies acquire the most advanced cultural and consumption habits increasingly similar. From music, to fashion to food, we are seeing a loss of originality in favor of a global culture standard. This would explain the phenomenon of major music stars.

The conclusion?

Perhaps the contemporary popular music is louder than in the 50's, it is possible that a high percentage of mainstream songs have similar colors and tones is entirely likely that repeat structures to achieve commercial success, but I think we can say that all popular music sounds the same. Maybe we could do if acotáramos musical style. For example, surely find many similarities in the pure pop of all time, but always appears a new element, a twist that makes a renewed musical landscape. It is a fact that popular music has an expiration date, there comes a time when we must change, otherwise people get tired, stop listening and therefore consume.

No doubt the work and the professionalism of the study, but perhaps the technical issues discussed are not sufficient to generalize that all pop music sounds the same. We should not overlook the fact that people need to see something different in music to be popular.