@oneonlysophie Definitely agree with your points. I think they serve 2 very unique purposes: records are usually for widespread music propagation and popularity, while live concerts are seen as an affair for dedicated fans to enjoy a different perspective on a bands music #POPMUSW22
@abbey_hutchings Totally agree with your points here, live concerts are such a unique moment in time and each live performance will never be exactly the same, it will have small differences to a recording. It's like your own private memory of the experience/song each time #POPMUSW22
Especially today, pop music can have a lot of production (not necessarily a bad thing), like niche vocal effects or complex drum machine beats, that can be hard to replicate in a live setting. A live version of a song is often more intimate, its a unique moment in time #POPMUSW22
@oneonlysophie 100% agreed, I think its emblematic of a long history of white culture stealing from POC and black culture for years, like in the cases of Blues and R&B, and just further proves how difficult it was for POC to get the recognition they rightly deserved. #POPMUSW22
@morganrose99_ Great point Morgan, I think "schlock" music and artists can actually be good covers/musicians, but the trend of stealing without credit definitely gives the whole practice a "scummy" connotation. #POPMUSW22
I think "schlock" music was considered worse mostly due to the covers being less genuine. The original song is the artists vision without censorship and with real emotion attached, where these "sanitized" covers don't retain the same artistry that the writer had. #POPMUSW22
@JessSpooner6 Great analysis! The gospel singing influence is definitely apparent in his music and vocals, with a huge range and melodies rapidly darting back and forth. I think its a huge reason for his unique "breaking voice". #POPMUSW22
@katheri83015055 Well said! He was obviously dealing with a lot of internal emotional turmoil (as well as a heroin addiction for a lot of his life) and I think this pain and distresses surfaces in his music and lyrics often. #POPMUSW22
Ray Charles uses his breaking voice to signify passion and heightened emotion. This "breaking voice" is usually used at the emotional apex of songs, with his strained voice emphasizing the love, sorrow, passion, or other strong emotion he is currently singing about. #POPMUSW22
@NimlaAlam That's a great observation! I feel like people place a lot of weight on exactly what streaming service people choose to use (Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal, etc.) and make judgements based on it (wealth, taste, values). #POPMUSW22
@JEmilyAmaral1 Agreed, I feel like "the algorithm" knows more about me than I do sometimes, in both a positive and negative way. Having new music and new ways to explore genres and tastes I wouldn't come across normally is very nice. It also gives new/smaller artists more exposure #POPMUSW22
Streaming services in particular have had a huge impact on experiencing & sharing music. Being able to share the link to a song quickly or even treating music & taste like a type of social media (i.e. "Spotify Wrapped", Soundcloud Comments) makes sharing music easier #POPMUSW22
@LarissaCostello Spot on. I feel like so much of "pop country" hinges on stereotypical "country" activites like "drinking beer", "hunting", "driving trucks", "wearing blue jeans", etc. Its mostly to pander to a certain demographic, but I dont think it always has to be this shallow #POPMUSW22
@etiguin Fully agree, since pop artists have to promote snd stay relevant, popularity on social media is front and center in their lives.
It's gotten to the point where some of the pop artists big today (ex. Billie eilish, olivia rodrigo) write about the struggles of fame #POPMUSW22
I think pop music isnt inherently a "dumbed down" form of music. Some pop music can be complex which maybe be a boon to its popularity. But, I think most pop songwriters think that the general public will not identify with more "complex" songs, so they keep it "dumb" #POPMUSW22