The following is an edition of Mac’s Tracks, The Mirror’s music column. All views, thoughts and opinions belong solely to the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Drury Mirror. 

Some people love pop, some hate it; some love to hate it. Its incessant earworm lyrics appeal to many. What we cannot deny is that pop music serves a cultural purpose. No matter what you think about mumble rap or the newest Camilla Cabello album, music on the radio tells us about ourselves and the world we live in.

Everything moves faster

Pop music has a formula, and a successful one at that. It is repetitive in tempo, lyrics and chord progressions used but still retains ingenuity. Max Martin, the Swedish producer behind most of the pop hits from the last two decades, emphasizes that pop must adapt to the increasing speed of life today.

“There’s less down time. Pop music follows the evolution of society in general: Everything moves faster,” he explained.

Grimes, the Canadian electronic producer and artist, offers a middle ground approach to pop. Heavily influenced by Mariah Carey, she told The New Yorker she wants to make “music that is as direct – as obvious – as the pop she loves.” For her, there is no shame in song patterns or simplistic lyrics. She curates her favorite hits on her Tumblr where it mixes with rock, house and anything in between.

Boiling it down

There is validity in disliking pop music for many of the same reasons why others enjoy it. Because it is built to appeal to a greater audience, it lacks the complexity that more experimental genres have and tends to stick to safer ground. The idol status that comes with pop stars may be distasteful to some as well.

Pop is becoming more generic; that’s fact. As Martin said, the style is speeding up and therefore condensing. There is less variation because it is forced to reach the widest market –  the more facets you add, the fewer people will be attracted to it.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: pop music is GOOD. It’s catchy, it’s fun and it brings people together with its easily memorized lyrics and danceable beats. We shouldn’t settle for basic tunes or let artists get away with rehashing the same material for decades, though. Pop, like any other genre, has the capacity for complexity and ingenuity. Michael Jackson and Lady Gaga revolutionized how we enjoy music and eventually, another pop star will come around to do the same for radios right now.

This week’s Mac’s Tracks Playlist travels down the memory lane of golden pop hits; be sure to give it a listen.

Are there any Top 40 musicians that you think are changing the game? What was the first song you heard on the radio that got you singing along?

Article by Maclen Johnson.