The Art of the Pop Song

Settled down in Israel now..

I love pop songs. Attempting to write pop songs has really led me to understand that pop writing in itself is really an art. I don't understand people who diss pop songs as something bad, something you should avoid as a musician. To me, pop song writing is one of the least self-indulgent forms of music. How do you manage to cram a story into a mere 3min++ of music? No extended guitar solos for you. No unnecessary wanking. Everything into a clear concise format that tells the story, sets up the groove and most importantly move the listener - no more. Oh, and it helps if you have a killer hook. Of course, books will tell you to do this and that to make something into a commercial pop song, leading many musicians to feel that they are manufacturing something. After all, no one, not just musicians, like to be told what to do. Behind every pop song are a team of really experienced guitarists/songwriters/arrangers/lyricists and whatever else the song needs.

So the next time you hear britney on the radio - look beyond the singing, absorb the arrangment and what makes it essentially "pop" - that is, if you want to write pop songs :D.