Week 6: And It Spread(sheets)
Maya P -
Welcome back! It’s week six, and progress has been made. Honestly I have not much to update about since I have been out of town for a while. I’ll just give a short update on some of my research for now, the bulk research update will come later as we head into the upcoming song making weeks.
For research, I’ve ended up using the ol reliable method of data collection: a massive Google spreadsheet. I spend time systematically decomposing songs and placing all their different aspects into this massive chart so I can compare them all with relative ease. This has helped me deal with the potential scale of this research and honestly, the less complicated the better. My song analysis includes many throwback terms from my old posts: I look at tempo, key, instruments, song structure, lyric themes, production style, and if any features/collabs are going on to take note of. There are a few common characteristics that many of the top pop songs have so far (and we’ve discussed a lot of them already):
Musically, artists rely on catchy, anthemic choruses. There are emotional dynamics, and production elements cater to both emotional depth and mass appeal. Lyrics include universal themes of love, empowerment, heartbreak, and personal growth. Many of the songs are made with wide audiences in mind. There is high-quality and polished production, and many genres intersect with pop to keep songs fresh and bring new appeal to a longstanding genre. Many of these “million-dollar” hits maintain a strong cultural relevance, with the integration of an artist’s persona and brand into their music creating songs that last beyond the charts and are cemented into history.
So that’s my update for the week. It’s interesting to see the things I have discussed in depth on my blog reflected in the research I have done. Over the last few weeks, I have grown a much sharper ear for the musicality of what I am listening to and I have grown a bigger appreciation for the intersection of artistry and the science of music as well. So much goes into all our favorite songs and I am happy that I get to share more about what makes music so special to us. I hope you’re enjoying the blog thus far and I’ll be back with some fun updates and the start of writing and producing a song! Leave any questions below and I’ll see you soon.
Song of the Week: And It Spread – The Avett Brothers
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