Pop vs Rock

Written for Collapse Board

Before they switched off Pandora in the UK, I found its deliberately anti-genre stance interesting because it would place frivolous ‘pop’ songs next to ‘credible’ artists. It’s probably stretching it to call any of these ‘rock’, but they’re of the type admired by people who don’t generally buy records by Beyonce, etc.

Stripped of the genre tag, note for note, there’s really not much difference between the songs. Wallace Wylie pointed out what’s wrong with the package of pop. If you take that away, you’ve got some great music that the middle-aged chin-strokers would probably like if they just started thinking of it as music. For example: 

10 cheesy 80s videos I’d rather be watching than Lady Gaga’s new song

Oh dear – Ms Germanotta’s not doing too well lately, is she? Still, let’s not dwell on the ill-advised and move to the more positive territory of 10 cheesy videos from the 1980s I’d rather be watching.

10. Irene Cara – What a Feeling (Flashdance)
[caution: violence against chairs]

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