[A digression on the topic of pop music: I'm well aware that there are numerous people out there who are of the (rather strong) opinion that the only music worth anything is the sort produced with care--immediately excluding anything mass-manufactured by the Western pop music machine. And I suppose I can understand that sentiment--that was purist me, before Sec 3, and when I say I was purist I mean I was CLASSICAL OR NOTHING, FOLKS.
While I can see, and sometimes agree (especially with regards to rap) with the opinion that much mainstream pop (or anything formed of loops, lazy singing and autotune) is worth little more than titillating sound--akin to the ring of a bell, or an inexplicable boom--which snatches interest for some time then loses it as fast, it seems simply unfair to decide it is all trash because it's shallow and simplistic.
Mainstream pop music has its defining mission, as a genre. Just as Jazz is interested in sophistication and improvisation, Trance seeks to numb, Rock appears to promise and provide release in its intensity--pop is made to tickle the senses, to interest, to excite. And that is exactly what I listen to it for.
And ultimately, who says it's entirely unsophisticated? Attaining that mindless, overjoying sensation is not a matter of looping any jumble of beats and playing one-note instrument tracks over them. It's an art, to be able to stimulate so intensely. The writer needs to study the audience, think about about what it wants. Coke wasn't invented through recycling of old ingredients from other popular drinks. Things aren't addictive just because you stir "instant addiction potions" together. (Except for MSG in food, I suppose.) A repetitive hook isn't going to hook every single time just because, oh, that line's repeated and those other songs with repeated lines became number ones. It must be crafted carefully to appeal.
Besides, close analysis has turned up the conclusion that, generally, the hooks of phenomenally popular pop songs have melodies more complex than your average mass-produced pop tune. Yes, I do analyse catchy tunes, pick them apart, try to work out what makes them tick. The monotonous ostinato we associate with pop music just isn't popular. There's a reason Friday's lauded for being so hilariously terrible. Tonal variation is. Sixth and octave jumps are particularly exciting. (I'll mention also that melodies whose notes are 80+% within the pentatonic scale feature in an overwhelming majority of pop hooks--it's a good idea to avoid semitones unless you want something semi-depressing.)
Overall I know there's no changing anyone's taste by pushing arguments, but it's just that I find it unfortunate people devalue pop music just because it's not "smart". There are times for your senseless autotune-, sound edition-, beat loop-heavy pop staples, and there are times for things more sophisticated. Times when you need that five minutes' numbing ecstasy, and that rich and unabashed instrumentation (even electronic) absolutely, overwhelmingly inundates you with such.]Well yes I have been quite eager to express just how painfully much I love Call Me Maybe (annoying or not to those who dislike pop), but I didn't think she could equal that feat of a song! Carly is one who really has a feel for catchiness. Of course while I love Call Me Maybe to death, it was largely a song whose popularity I took independent of the artiste, especially since I doubted anything else could be half as good, let alone anything else by her.
What had me really start following, then, was her collab with Owl City (whose song lyrics have utterly transformed my life and whom I am unashamed to say I rabidly follow). Good Time isn't much like him in terms of style, but while his turn to pop music has upset a great many fans, I'm pretty overjoyed about that because 1) my favourite songwriter is getting huge amounts of publicity from this one and 2) it just goes to show that he can handle both the philosophical and the mindlessly blithe, two ends of a spectrum most other artistes choose one end of and settle at.
(Reminds me somewhat of Katy Perry, along a different spectrum, and yes, I do miss her old music dearly. Not to say Firework isn't absolutely spectacular. And for the measure California Gurls is another of those things I just get up and wild listening to.)
Well, anyway. That's when I began to get really interested in Carly and her music, mostly because of the personality she shows through her stage sense and gestures (which really allow one to predict a lot about one's songwriting style, believe me). Listening to the previews for her album Kiss practically sealed the deal for me.
Re: the actual previews of Kiss. Everything's CATCHYYY! There's something uncannily J-pop about everything on the preview. Which means AWESOME because I love J-pop. This is likely the first time I'm liking everything in a pop album (so far).
