How any pop music/musician changed music history?

[Bob]

(Recent pop, not popular as in, "Well Mozart and Verdi were very popular in their day, so that's pop music too you know..."  I thinking of the type of poplar music that's on the radio, 1930's or whenever to the present, not jazz, not classical, etc.) 

Frank Zappa was mentioned in classes for pieces in different meters.

I'm thinking there's probably something with hip hop or rap, electronic music, and something with sampling maybe.

And then I still stand by the idea that technology will produce some other way of creating music.  Autotune comes to mind.


Otherwise in terms of musicians.... Take Elvis, the Beatles, David Bowie, anyone else... Did they do anything that changes music/history beside just being popular and their own showmanship style (which isn't really music, is it?)?

[visitor]

Billy Joel comes to mind, we studied him quite a bit while on a Beethoven harmony section in our advanced theory classes at music/undergrad (i think it was around end of theory III or beginning of theory IV, since theory V focused on 20th century /new Viennese school etc.

He is remarkably talented as performer and composer, not sure about 'history' since usually history tends to be blind to a lot of genius when it's alive and in front of them and only after about a few decades to people wake up.

He did a really great colab w Schirmer and relased a set of wonderful solo composed works for piano that I think are a great addition to the modern lit but in a 'classical/romantic/impressionist' vein

ie

i have the scores and album. great across the board. lots of variety and inspirations, ie

[stevensk]

Pop music is basically light calssaical music from anno 1780 whith drums, electric instruments and groaning amateur singers

[Petter]

The backbeat, originated in Africa. Layers of rhythm. Pop and rock music via Jazz absorbed the backbeat and a blues sensibility, the rest is history. 

[rubinsteinmad]

Taylor Swift is like a modern Muse.
And Katie Perry took the concept of Aida to a whole other level. (i. e. in the song "Dark Horse")
I think Michael Jackson's "Heal the World" is a very beautiful song.

[dcstudio]

Andrew Lloyd Weber.. Jesus Christ Superstar... ok not pop... but not classical... musical theater.

The Who.. Tommy.   a rock opera

The Moody Blues... Nights in White Satin. these guys toured with the London symphony

Pink Floyd-- they invented "looping."

Boston... he invented that effect and the Polaroid one-step camera

ELO--the first to get busted using "backing tracks" at their concerts

Danny Elfman.... an original member of Oingo Boingo  (I know what boys want) who has composed some of the most memorable movie scores there are.

Thomas Newman... a pop star in the '80s with a song called "In Cars"  who has been nominated for Oscars for  his movie scores.

Thomas Dolby... she blinded me with science whose dad or granddad invented "dolby" or doubly if you like "this is spinal tap"--not sure if he counts.

[Bob]

Is there any new technique though?  Are they doing anything that hasn't been done before?

Is the Pink Floyd looping repeating recorded clips?  Didn't the minimalists do that?



I think I've already asked this question....

[dcstudio]

Is there any new technique though?  Are they doing anything that hasn't been done before?

Is the Pink Floyd looping repeating recorded clips?  Didn't the minimalists do that?



I think I've already asked this question....

Pink Floyd invented the echo effect and a couple of other looping techniques back in the '60s.

you weren't very specific... audio production is a big part of modern music history in my book.   Has a pop star reinvented tonal harmony?  not that I am aware of... neither has anyone else though.  what about the Moog synthesizer? that certainly changed music history.

a pop piano star?  Billy Joel did some stuff... but it's a lot like Gilbert and Sullivan in places... Frank Zappa was an innovator... but he didn't invent new piano technique.   There's those guys that hit the strings inside the piano and all that stuff... is that what you mean?

Missy Eliot had a producer that invented some new rhythmic styles... can't remember his name... that was hip hop...

[rubinsteinmad]

Pop musicians write for new instruments not used previously. Also, the style of music is not exactly the same

[dcstudio]

Pop musicians write for new instruments not used previously

that's a pretty broad statement... and not completely accurate.

the majority of pop stars don't write their own music... if they do it's usually thematic or lyrics--there's always another name next to theirs in the writing credits.   There are exceptions...but aside from the whole synthesizer thing... which was embraced by pop stars--but whether or not they were "innovative" is another issue entirely--what pop stars wrote for new instruments?.  


I have never considered Rick Wakeman a pop star... but he was an innovative keyboard player no doubt.  Keith Emerson did some cool stuff with his moog too.

[rubinsteinmad]

Oops, I guess Emily made her mistakes again 

[themeandvariation]

DC, you say:
"Thomas Newman... a pop star in the '80s with a song called "In Cars"  who has been nominated for Oscars for  his movie scores."

I think Gary Numan did "Cars"…
Although I like Thomas Newman as well… But they are not the same person..

[dcstudio]

OMG... you are right... I was alive then, too... do you know for like the last 20 years I thought they were the same person... WOW!!  That song was so unbelievably annoying I wanted to believe that guy had redeemed himself with the shawshank redemption score...LOL

well, guess I told you guys I tend to get people mixed up---I guess in this case I had a composite type person...

dang... 

[pianoplunker]

that's a pretty broad statement... and not completely accurate.

the majority of pop stars don't write their own music... if they do it's usually thematic or lyrics--there's always another name next to theirs in the writing credits.   There are exceptions...but aside from the whole synthesizer thing... which was embraced by pop stars--but whether or not they were "innovative" is another issue entirely--what pop stars wrote for new instruments?.  


I have never considered Rick Wakeman a pop star... but he was an innovative keyboard player no doubt.  Keith Emerson did some cool stuff with his moog too.

Rick Wakeman and Keith Emerson - Both of them made me recognize how much influence that classical music has had on everything. But I have always considered Ray Manzarek of the Doors as the MVP. this is in regards to music that uses electricity and is on the popular side of the 1960s

[pianoplunker]

(Recent pop, not popular as in, "Well Mozart and Verdi were very popular in their day, so that's pop music too you know..."  I thinking of the type of poplar music that's on the radio, 1930's or whenever to the present, not jazz, not classical, etc.) 

Frank Zappa was mentioned in classes for pieces in different meters.

I'm thinking there's probably something with hip hop or rap, electronic music, and something with sampling maybe.

And then I still stand by the idea that technology will produce some other way of creating music.  Autotune comes to mind.


Otherwise in terms of musicians.... Take Elvis, the Beatles, David Bowie, anyone else... Did they do anything that changes music/history beside just being popular and their own showmanship style (which isn't really music, is it?)?

Floyd Cramer brought a pentatonic style of piano playing to the recording studio which extended the role of piano in modern pop, country

[dcstudio]

Floyd Cramer brought a pentatonic style of piano playing to the recording studio which extended the role of piano in modern pop, country

so dude, how old ARE you?  like 108?  I have not heard that name in 25 years at least...

he was one of my dads favs. 

[pianoplunker]

so dude, how old ARE you?  like 108? 

exactly 1/2 * 108

[dcstudio]

54 is still pretty young to know Floyd... must have been part of your parents record collection as well

[thalbergmad]

Hendrix of course.

Thal

[ahinton]

Hendrix of course.

And there I was thinking that this was a relatively decent gin; oh, no, sorry, that's Hendricks, of course - silly me!

But to return to the thread topic, mightn't one of the contenders be Liszt?

Best,

Alistair

[Bob]

1930- pop music.  Liszt is too early.

[pianoplunker]

(Recent pop, not popular as in, "Well Mozart and Verdi were very popular in their day, so that's pop music too you know..."  I thinking of the type of poplar music that's on the radio, 1930's or whenever to the present, not jazz, not classical, etc.) 

Frank Zappa was mentioned in classes for pieces in different meters.

I'm thinking there's probably something with hip hop or rap, electronic music, and something with sampling maybe.

And then I still stand by the idea that technology will produce some other way of creating music.  Autotune comes to mind.


Otherwise in terms of musicians.... Take Elvis, the Beatles, David Bowie, anyone else... Did they do anything that changes music/history beside just being popular and their own showmanship style (which isn't really music, is it?)?

I would say the Beatles changed music history by bringing different music genres into 4 piece pop band. Orchestration of classical stylings or ragtime stylings for example. Also using a wide variety of electrical and acoustic instrumentation like the sitar ( citar ? ), the harp, etc   All into 3:30 second songs. Most pop groups tend to be in a particular style, with only a few instruments ever used

[pianoplunker]

54 is still pretty young to know Floyd... must have been part of your parents record collection as well

I had never heard of him until my piano teacher had me listen around 1975-ish as part of lessons. Then later when I was in a band someone ( much older ) requested "Last Date".   I was just a little shocked because I never thought of Floyd Cramer as someone who would even be known by others.  We ended up putting it on our setlist permanently.