The Pop of Today Vs Pop Of Yesterday

DriveYourCarDownToTheSea · 03-07-2014, 05:21 PM

I see three: Pop, rock and Motown.

Not that that makes it much more diverse.

listener101 · 03-07-2014, 07:01 PM

The year 1965 was not as diverse as the years immediately following. That late 1960's psychedelic revolution really opened things up for eclectic experimentation.

I find the 1980's pretty diverse for the most part. Here you have soul, disco, funk, r&b, rock, soft rock, country, straight ahead pop, and even some really innovative new wave stuff. You could find all that back to back on the same radio station back then.

1980 Billboard top 100

1 "Call Me" Blondie
2 "Another Brick in the Wall, Part II" Pink Floyd
3 "Magic" Olivia Newton-John
4 "Rock with You" Michael Jackson
5 "Do That to Me One More Time" Captain & Tennille
6 "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" Queen
7 "Coming Up" Paul McCartney
8 "Funkytown" Lipps Inc
9 "It's Still Rock and Roll to Me" Billy Joel
10 "The Rose" Bette Midler
11 "Escape (The Piña Colada song)" Rupert Holmes
12 "Cars" Gary Numan
13 "Cruisin" Smokey Robinson
14 "Working My Way Back to You/Forgive Me, Girl" The Spinners
15 "Lost in Love" Air Supply
16 "Little Jeannie" Elton John
17 "Ride Like the Wind" Christopher Cross
18 "Upside Down" Diana Ross
19 "Please Don't Go" KC and the Sunshine Band
20 "Babe" Styx
21 "With You I'm Born Again" Billy Preston and Syreeta
22 "Shining Star" The Manhattans
23 "Still" Commodores
24 "Yes, I'm Ready" Teri DeSario & KC
25 "Sexy Eyes" Dr. Hook
26 "Steal Away" Robbie Dupree
27 "Biggest Part of Me" Ambrosia
28 "This Is It" Kenny Loggins
29 "Cupid/I've Loved You for a Long Time" The Spinners
30 "Let's Get Serious" Jermaine Jackson
31 "Don't Fall in Love with a Dreamer" Kenny Rogers & Kim Carnes
32 "Sailing" Christopher Cross
33 "Longer" Dan Fogelberg
34 "Coward of the County" Kenny Rogers
35 "Ladies' Night" Kool & the Gang
36 "Too Hot" Kool & the Gang
37 "Take Your Time (Do It Right)" The SOS Band
38 "No More Tears (Enough Is Enough)" Barbra Streisand & Donna Summer
39 "More Love" Kim Carnes
40 "Pop Muzik" M
41 "Brass in Pocket" The Pretenders
42 "Special Lady" Ray, Goodman & Brown
43 "Send One Your Love" Stevie Wonder
44 "The Second Time Around" Shalamar
45 "We Don't Talk Anymore" Cliff Richard
46 "Heartache Tonight" Eagles
47 "Stomp!" The Brothers Johnson
48 "Tired of Toein' the Line" Rocky Burnette
49 "Better Love Next Time" Dr. Hook
50 "Him" Rupert Holmes
51 "Against the Wind" Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band
52 "On the Radio" Donna Summer
53 "Emotional Rescue" The Rolling Stones
54 "Rise" Herb Alpert
55 "All Out of Love" Air Supply
56 "Cool Change" Little River Band
57 "You're Only Lonely" J.D. Souther
58 "Desire" Andy Gibb
59 "Let My Love Open the Door" Pete Townshend
60 "Romeo's Tune" Steve Forbert
61 "Daydream Believer" Anne Murray
62 "I Can't Tell You Why" Eagles
63 "Don't Let Go" Isaac Hayes
64 "Don't Do Me Like That" Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
65 "She's Out of My Life" Michael Jackson
66 "Fame" Irene Cara
67 "Fire Lake" Bob Seger
68 "How Do I Make You" Linda Ronstadt
69 "Into the Night" Benny Mardones
70 "Let Me Love You Tonight" Pure Prairie League
71 "Misunderstanding" Genesis
72 "An American Dream" The Dirt Band
73 "One Fine Day" Carole King
74 "Dim All the Lights" Donna Summer
75 "You May Be Right" Billy Joel
76 "Hurt So Bad" Linda Ronstadt
77 "Should've Never Let You Go" Neil & Dara Sedaka
78 "Pilot of the Airwaves" Charlie Dore
79 "Off the Wall" Michael Jackson
80 "I Pledge My Love" Peaches & Herb
81 "The Long Run" Eagles
82 "Stand by Me" Mickey Gilley
83 "Heartbreaker" Pat Benatar
84 "Déjà Vu" Dionne Warwick
85 "Drivin' My Life Away" Eddie Rabbitt
86 "Take the Long Way Home" Supertramp
87 "Sara" Fleetwood Mac
88 "Wait For Me" Hall & Oates
89 "Jojo" Boz Scaggs
90 "September Morn" Neil Diamond
91 "Give Me the Night" George Benson
92 "Broken Hearted Me" Anne Murray
93 "You Decorated My Life" Kenny Rogers
94 "Tusk" Fleetwood Mac
95 "I Wanna Be Your Lover" Prince
96 "In America" Charlie Daniels Band
97 "Breakdown Dead Ahead" Boz Scaggs
98 "Ships" Barry Manilow
99 "All Night Long" Joe Walsh
100 "Refugee" Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

Today's pop vs. yesterday's pop ? That's a loaded question but I find the stuff is much better today for loudness and rhythm, the stuff of yesterday had much more emphasis on chord changes and dynamics (less consistent volume-wise). I personally prefer the pop of yesterday but the pop of today packs a seriously energetic punch.

All IMO, YMMV.

03-07-2014, 05:21 PM	#1 (permalink)
DriveYourCarDownToTheSea AllTheWhileYouChargeAFee Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Kansas City Posts: 1,188	I see three: Pop, rock and Motown. Not that that makes it much more diverse. __________________ Stop and find a pretty shell for her Beach Boys vs Beatles comparisons begin here

03-07-2014, 07:01 PM	#2 (permalink)
listener101 Groupie Join Date: Feb 2014 Posts: 27	The year 1965 was not as diverse as the years immediately following. That late 1960's psychedelic revolution really opened things up for eclectic experimentation. I find the 1980's pretty diverse for the most part. Here you have soul, disco, funk, r&b, rock, soft rock, country, straight ahead pop, and even some really innovative new wave stuff. You could find all that back to back on the same radio station back then. 1980 Billboard top 100 1 "Call Me" Blondie 2 "Another Brick in the Wall, Part II" Pink Floyd 3 "Magic" Olivia Newton-John 4 "Rock with You" Michael Jackson 5 "Do That to Me One More Time" Captain & Tennille 6 "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" Queen 7 "Coming Up" Paul McCartney 8 "Funkytown" Lipps Inc 9 "It's Still Rock and Roll to Me" Billy Joel 10 "The Rose" Bette Midler 11 "Escape (The Piña Colada song)" Rupert Holmes 12 "Cars" Gary Numan 13 "Cruisin" Smokey Robinson 14 "Working My Way Back to You/Forgive Me, Girl" The Spinners 15 "Lost in Love" Air Supply 16 "Little Jeannie" Elton John 17 "Ride Like the Wind" Christopher Cross 18 "Upside Down" Diana Ross 19 "Please Don't Go" KC and the Sunshine Band 20 "Babe" Styx 21 "With You I'm Born Again" Billy Preston and Syreeta 22 "Shining Star" The Manhattans 23 "Still" Commodores 24 "Yes, I'm Ready" Teri DeSario & KC 25 "Sexy Eyes" Dr. Hook 26 "Steal Away" Robbie Dupree 27 "Biggest Part of Me" Ambrosia 28 "This Is It" Kenny Loggins 29 "Cupid/I've Loved You for a Long Time" The Spinners 30 "Let's Get Serious" Jermaine Jackson 31 "Don't Fall in Love with a Dreamer" Kenny Rogers & Kim Carnes 32 "Sailing" Christopher Cross 33 "Longer" Dan Fogelberg 34 "Coward of the County" Kenny Rogers 35 "Ladies' Night" Kool & the Gang 36 "Too Hot" Kool & the Gang 37 "Take Your Time (Do It Right)" The SOS Band 38 "No More Tears (Enough Is Enough)" Barbra Streisand & Donna Summer 39 "More Love" Kim Carnes 40 "Pop Muzik" M 41 "Brass in Pocket" The Pretenders 42 "Special Lady" Ray, Goodman & Brown 43 "Send One Your Love" Stevie Wonder 44 "The Second Time Around" Shalamar 45 "We Don't Talk Anymore" Cliff Richard 46 "Heartache Tonight" Eagles 47 "Stomp!" The Brothers Johnson 48 "Tired of Toein' the Line" Rocky Burnette 49 "Better Love Next Time" Dr. Hook 50 "Him" Rupert Holmes 51 "Against the Wind" Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band 52 "On the Radio" Donna Summer 53 "Emotional Rescue" The Rolling Stones 54 "Rise" Herb Alpert 55 "All Out of Love" Air Supply 56 "Cool Change" Little River Band 57 "You're Only Lonely" J.D. Souther 58 "Desire" Andy Gibb 59 "Let My Love Open the Door" Pete Townshend 60 "Romeo's Tune" Steve Forbert 61 "Daydream Believer" Anne Murray 62 "I Can't Tell You Why" Eagles 63 "Don't Let Go" Isaac Hayes 64 "Don't Do Me Like That" Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers 65 "She's Out of My Life" Michael Jackson 66 "Fame" Irene Cara 67 "Fire Lake" Bob Seger 68 "How Do I Make You" Linda Ronstadt 69 "Into the Night" Benny Mardones 70 "Let Me Love You Tonight" Pure Prairie League 71 "Misunderstanding" Genesis 72 "An American Dream" The Dirt Band 73 "One Fine Day" Carole King 74 "Dim All the Lights" Donna Summer 75 "You May Be Right" Billy Joel 76 "Hurt So Bad" Linda Ronstadt 77 "Should've Never Let You Go" Neil & Dara Sedaka 78 "Pilot of the Airwaves" Charlie Dore 79 "Off the Wall" Michael Jackson 80 "I Pledge My Love" Peaches & Herb 81 "The Long Run" Eagles 82 "Stand by Me" Mickey Gilley 83 "Heartbreaker" Pat Benatar 84 "Déjà Vu" Dionne Warwick 85 "Drivin' My Life Away" Eddie Rabbitt 86 "Take the Long Way Home" Supertramp 87 "Sara" Fleetwood Mac 88 "Wait For Me" Hall & Oates 89 "Jojo" Boz Scaggs 90 "September Morn" Neil Diamond 91 "Give Me the Night" George Benson 92 "Broken Hearted Me" Anne Murray 93 "You Decorated My Life" Kenny Rogers 94 "Tusk" Fleetwood Mac 95 "I Wanna Be Your Lover" Prince 96 "In America" Charlie Daniels Band 97 "Breakdown Dead Ahead" Boz Scaggs 98 "Ships" Barry Manilow 99 "All Night Long" Joe Walsh 100 "Refugee" Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers Today's pop vs. yesterday's pop ? That's a loaded question but I find the stuff is much better today for loudness and rhythm, the stuff of yesterday had much more emphasis on chord changes and dynamics (less consistent volume-wise). I personally prefer the pop of yesterday but the pop of today packs a seriously energetic punch. All IMO, YMMV. Last edited by listener101; 03-08-2014 at 08:01 AM.