That’s the question we’re asking, answering, and passing along with podcast host/historian Charlie Harding in Ep 8 of “Themes and Variation.”
Tag: popular music
A Harmonic Analysis of Michael Jackson’s Protest Song “They Don’t Care About Us”
Through means of Dancehall rhythms, modal interchange, and ostinato, Michael Jackson gives us glimpses of Black American heritage in his protest song.
Introducing “Enough Is Enough: A Black Lives Matter Playlist”
Curated by Efa Etoroma Jr., “Enough Is Enough” is a powerful Spotify playlist accompanied by analysis that sheds light on contemporary Black protest songs.
Why Leon Bridges’ Powerful New Song “Sweeter” Works on Every… Single… Level
We break down the devices that help Leon Bridges and Terrace Martin’s song, “Sweeter,” function on every level, musically, poetically, and emotionally.
How to Use a Jazz Turnaround in Your Pop or Folk Song
Borrowing a nifty couple of chord changes from the jazz world can really elevate your songwriting, no matter the genre or style.
Listening Back to the Music of My Youth: How My Ears and the World Have Changed
A humble meditation on the way pop music’s sound and messaging has changed in the last 20 years, and how that makes me feel as a listener.
Learn Modern Pop Vocal Production in Soundfly’s New Online Course
In Soundfly’s new course, Modern Pop Vocal Production, you’ll how to produce vocals at home that sound modern, polished, and professional.
Exploring Tonal Hierarchies in Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance with Somebody”
In his ongoing attempts to seek out the answers to why we like the music we like, Hunter Farris has uncovered a melodic hierarchy via Whitney Houston.
The Most Poetic Lyrics We Heard in Pop Music in 2018
We’ve compiled some of our favorite lyrics to hit the Billboard pop charts last year and isolated them to give them the attention they deserve.
St. Vincent’s “Los Ageless” – a Song or a Production?
As an example of a song that could be called both a “production” and a “song”, we look at St. Vincent’s “Los Ageless” to break down those differences.