quote:

Originally posted by SYSTEM-J I'm not saying they don't. But poppy music is still more likely to use one-off elements, such as a guitar solo, a middle eight or a distinctive intro.

can you name some of your favorites? just to see how you are defining pop music?

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I would say that your theory applies to my own experience.

In my own listening practices, super repetitive tracks tend to be reserved for very particular moods, and usually once at a time. The music I (re)listen to the most frequently is usually more song-based music of shorter length.

The drawn-out tracks are nice for certain specific moods I might have. I would think of them more like minimalist paintings or specific colors inspire a narrow but intense resonance. Without the right mood, the tracks tend to be unfavorable or boring even - if it's repetitive, it's got to be just what I want to hear at the moment.

Club tracks can be very fickle like this.

The things I listen to more frequently tend to be the music I would classify simply as 'good'. Music that always hits the spot or resonates with me no matter what my listening circumstance or mood is.

I also tend to listen more to entire albums on repeat than individual tracks, which means that individual tracks in the albums get higher play counts than they would if I didnt have the album.

Music that is shorter and sweeter tends to encourage me to want to immediately want to listen again, as if I can't get enough of the feeling.

I also tend to like to listen to extended sets of music than individual tracks. In general I don't favor listening to something over and over again - I think as a DJ I can't help but hear a song and then feel inspired to place another song after it which compliments the previous song and takes me somewhere else, or builds something, compounding and elaborating on the theme or mood.

quote:

Originally posted by sandstorm03 can you name some of your favorites? just to see how you are defining pop music?

Wasting half an hour listening to this tracks has reminded me of another thing: I don't listen to much pop music, but the few pop songs I do like I really fucking like.

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i like this passage from Hazrat Inayat Kahn's "Mysticism of Sound & Music" as much as it relates to what I was talking about specificity of mood in repetitive tracks.

quote:

Mahadeva made his instrument as a help for the human body and mind, considering its condition in the morning, in the midst of the day, in the afternoon, in the night and when waking at dawn. He found that at every time of the day and night a particular effect was made upon the human body and spirit, and that a rhythm akin to that particular time should be prescribed psychologically and mystically in order to elevate the soul. And therefore a psychological science of music was made by Mahadeva, a science which was called Raga which means emotion; emotion controlled and used to the best purpose.

Intersting topic.

I wonder if it's because poppier music generally has something catchy like a melodic hook or a chorus, which you only hear a few times in the song; whereas more repetitive music, and in particular, electronic music is more consistent throughout the piece. So, rather than getting your fix only once or twice in a few miniutes, for repetitive music it is more constant and therefore you don't need to replay the tune as often.

I thought about this yesterday after you posted it and I still have no clue. pop music of the most formulaic kind is very repetitive and is given far more repeated play by the common person* than the so called ultra repetitive music (dance music or un-danceable minimalist type music or hypnotic type music) listened by the so called enlightened person. this is just elaborative bull saying, well I still have no clue.

jack you said "But poppy music is still more likely to use one-off elements, such as a guitar solo, a middle eight or a distinctive intro."
I usually find that it's this part of "pop" music that is usually taken out of it's context and looped up and made into a ultra repetitive dance-music track.

like i heard Abba's 'gimme gimme gimme' on radio recently but i came in right around the breakdown halfway in, and i as sampling type producer just thought. wow. that's amazing, never noticed that before, someone needs work that into it's own groove.



*even though a lot of these people don't really have a specific taste but follow commercial radio and tv. my younger sister for instance, who even though has a particular liking of stuff still has 30 tunes in her spotify playlist and are plowing through them everyday.

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Last edited by montana on Oct-27-2010 at 08:34

quote:

Originally posted by montana my younger sister for instance, who even though has a particular liking of stuff still has 30 tunes in his spotify playlist and are plowing through them everyday.

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I meant her.

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quote:

Originally posted by MrJiveBoJingles When I think of non-repetitive stuff, I think of epic things that move through a whole bunch of different melodies and moods, like a symphony or multi-part prog rock track. So it would be the opposite for me.

I think this is in line with my own thoughts.
I didn't really think of ultra-repetitive and repetitive, but just repetitive (ultra-repetitive included) and non-repetitive.

In general I think people just like repetitive tracks more.
EDM tracks which were successful in top40 often were/are very repetitive IMO.

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daft punk begs to differ

Agree, although I listen to alot of repetitive music too.