Popular Music

Popular music, pop music, or even just pop for short. I’m sure you have an idea what this is, but just to make sure I’ll tell you anyway. Popular music is music that is popular, or trendy, at the time it is written. The time could be 10 years ago, 20 years ago, 50 years ago, or 100 years ago. Each time has its own popular music. And the popular music from each time has its own special sound. However they all have something in common. This something is that they were all trendy when they were written.

I bet you weren’t expecting that! I bet when you saw this page you thought of popular music now. I bet you thought of music that’s trendy at the moment; music on the pop charts; music you hear on the radio; music you hear at parties. Here’s a video example. It’s ‘Gift Of A Friend’ from Demi Lovato’s 2009 album ‘Here We Go Again’:

Did you enjoy that? It was fun wasn’t it?

But do know what some people think when they see this sort of video. They think, ah pop! That’s real music. That’s the only music worth listening to. That’s the stuff kids really want to listen to. That’s the stuff kids really like. Any other type of music is boring and old-fashioned.

But you don’t think that do you? No, I thought not. But many people really do think this.

And I think this is sad. The music video above is certainly fun. It’s great if people enjoy it! But it’s very sad if someone thinks that every other type of music is rubbish.

Suppose someone only ever watched one type of movie. Suppose they only ever watched cartoons. Think of all the movies they would be missing out on! What about ‘Harry Potter’ or ‘Mamma Mia!&#146? Or suppose someone only ever read comics. Think of all the wonderful books they would never know. Imagine never knowing ‘Horrid Henry’ (or ‘Harry Potter’ for that matter)! Or imagine someone who only ever ate one type of food. Suppose this someone only ate bread. They wouldn’t grow up very strong would they?

It’s the same with music. If someone only ever listens to one type of music, they will miss out on so much. They will miss out on the chance to hear a type of sound they have never heard before. They will miss out on the chance to feed their minds with something new. And their musical minds won’t grow as much as they could.

Music is about communicating. Different types of music says different things. And each type of music says something about the people who wrote it and the people who play it. If someone ignores a certain type of music, then they ignore a certain type of people. That’s not a good idea is it? I certainly don’t like being ignored.

So, yes, popular music is fun. Yes, kids love it. Yes, everyone should enjoy it. But everyone should listen to other types of music as well. Kids really can love other types of music. There are so many surprises in store. And there’s so much feed your mind on, especially if you are a child—because your mind is still growing.

Here’s something to think about. Did you know that some of Mozart’s music was very popular when he wrote it? In Mozart’s time, people used to go round singing, humming and whistling Mozart’s music—just like people do with popular music today. Mozart’s music may not be trendy now, but it was once. Once upon a time, people would have thought the same sort of things about Mozart’s music as many people think of pop music today. They would have thought, ah Mozart! That’s real music. That’s the stuff kids really want to listen to. That’s the stuff kids really like.

What do you think? If kids liked Mozart over 200 years ago, do you think they might like it now? Why don’t you find out for yourself!