POP, Rock and Hip Hop

Pop music style is usually mainstream and conventional and can be enjoyed by anyone as it does not require to be in the frame work of any particular style. The primary objective of the piece of music is to be for the listening pleasure of the public. In 1926 pop music was meant for songs that are popular but since 1950s, it has been used to describe a musical genre which is a lighter alternative to rock and roll.

The usual format of pop music is the song which is customarily less than 5 minutes in duration, which can take the form of a lone singer to a orchestra backed music. Typical line up of a pop band will consist of a bassist, lead guitarist, drummer and a keyboardist.

Pop songs are usually rhythmic and focuses on catchy tunes with verse-chorus-verse arrangement, with the chorus being completely different to the verse melodically, harmonically and rhythmically.

Most common themes are romantic love and feelings. Rock Music began in the United States in the 1950s to appeal to the younger generation. It was a mix of African-American rhythm and blues with country music.

It was made popular originally by late Elvis Presly and later groups like Beatles and Rolling Stones which added their own styles. In the late 1970s saw a new version of rock `n' roll music which was called `punk rock`.

The main instrument used for rock music is the electric guitar. Charlie Christian was the first to perform using the amplified guitar as a solo instrument but several other musicians like Aaron Thibeaux Walker, Chuck Berry, Jimi Hendrix, Les Paul and Carlos Santana gained international fame for use amplified guitars as solo instruments. Other instruments that are commonly used in rock music are various key board instruments including the electric piano, organ, synthesizer, electric bass guitar and drum set.

Rock styles share technical similarities in using styles that are based on tonic, subdominant and dominant chords. Rock music is mostly performed at high volume. Performers wore long dyed hair spray-teased hair, lipstick and eyeliner, gaudy clothing, leopard skin or printed shirts or vests, tight denim, leather or spandex pants, head bands and jewelry and long hair. When performing live the musicians engage in head banging, such as rhythmically beating time with the head,

Hip Hop music which is also known as rap music is a music genre which has a vocal style called rap which is accompanied with backing beats. Hip hop music is a hip hop culture among African Americans and Latinos which started in the Bronx in New York in 1970s. Rapping which is also referred to as Mcing is a vocal style in which the performer speaks rhythmically to a beat. Rap is a integral part of hip hop music. The roots of hip hop originates from African American and Western African music. Hip Hop rose to fame during the 1970s when block parties became popular in the Bronx of New York City. Block parties were usually accompanies with funk and soul music and the DJs at block parties began isolating the percussion breaks to hit songs. This was a common technique used in Jamaica and had spread through the vast Jamaican immigrant community in New York city. The God Father of Hip Hop is DJ Kool Herc.

Pop, Rock and Hip Hop are the most popular music of this generation.