Power Pop is one of those genres that people squeeze everything into. I've heard absolutely everything squeezed into it . Until it's absolutely meaningless.. Even the definition is utterly useless. How can you possibly tell what is and what isnt descended from the Beatles ? Unless you ask the person who made the record if that's what they were thinking when they made it. And if they weren't ,can you no longer call that song power pop? Or is it still power-pop even though the person who made it says that it's not? it's a pointless exercise in futility.
Power Pop is one of those genres that people squeeze everything into. I've heard absolutely everything squeezed into it . Until it's absolutely meaningless.. Even the definition is utterly useless. How can you possibly tell what is and what isnt descended from the Beatles ? Unless you ask the person who made the record if that's what they were thinking when they made it. And if they weren't ,can you no longer call that song power pop? Or is it still power-pop even though the person who made it says that it's not? it's a pointless exercise in futility.
But arguing about what it is and isn't makes for a good thread, no?
But arguing about what it is and isn't makes for a good thread, no?
Actually debate does make for a good thread. It's much more interesting than a list thread. List threads are fucking boring.
rkm wrote:
Power Pop definition: descending from the Beatles and the Byrds, with an emphasis on melody and harmony, with guitars that jangle and crunch.
I totally agree with the emphasis on harmony with the rocking guitars, but I don't agree with the decending from The Beatles and Byrds part. As bobbyb5 put it, how do you can claim which artists descended from The Beatles? I don't think they rocked that hard anyway. I think of Big Star as an accurate starting point. And rkm has already listed them with Radio City. Personally I prefer #1 Record; I mean it has the theme song of That '70s Show.
But anyway, I love The Cars and I'd classify their early music as Power Pop before they became more New Wave. When did they stop being Power Pop and start being New Wave? I don't know; it was a gradual shift, and their music was often both. Another band that crossed genres was The Replacements, whom I consider a mix of Power Pop and punk.
I could go on, but if you want a list, then here are some albums I really like and associate with the term "Power Pop." Feel free to disagree:
Aforementioned #1 Record by Big Star
Third Eye Blind by Third Eye Blind
So Much for the Afterglow by Everclear
Pleased to Meet Me by The Replacements
The Cars by The Cars
Grave Dancers Union by Soul Asylum
New Miserable Experience by Gin Blossoms
The Modern Lovers by The Modern Lovers
It's a Shame About Ray, The Lemonheads
Sports by Huey Lewis
Bleed American by Jimmy Eat World
Fountains of Wayne by Fountains of Wayne
Weezer (Blue) and Pinkerton by Weezer
This may not be the best album I listed, but it's pretty fucking awesome, and is in my opinion the album that best defines the genre. If you like Power Pop but somehow haven't heard this album, listen to it now:
Kudos to street spirit for mentioning Fountains of Wayne, Soul Asylum and Weezer in the same thread. I'm in 90s power pop heaven! Personally I would go for Utopia Parkway, Let your dim light shine and Weezer (green album) though, but still great choices.
I find power-pop pretty recognisable but I suppose some bands are more exemplary than others. I think: up-tempo rock beat +big guitar sound (but not heavy)+big emphasis on catchy pop hooks + very little deviation from this= power pop.
Fountains of Wayne exemplify the genre perfectly for me, but then again I grew up in the 90s so am biased towards this era.
My general feeling is that the definition of powerpop is mainly focused on what it isn’t:
Powerful but not hardrock or punk
Guitar based but not focused on guitar solo’s
Independent minded but not indie
Commercial but not simple pop
Not too difficult but based on hooks but nevertheless based on an original twist (cf the stop go moment in in My Sharona which I suppose must be one of the quintessential powerpop songs).
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