Pop is the abbreviation of popular and is simply known as ‘pop’. It is contemporary style music and is distinguished from other genres for its danceable beat or rhythms, simple melodies, and repeating pattern of the harmonies. The song’s lyrics are mostly emotional, related to dancing or love.
Origin
The origin of pop goes back to the late 19th century when pop was found in a variety of assorted musical styles that included jazzy piano harmonies of ragtime or a typical musical trend associated with the late 19th century.
A brief history of Pop
In 1954: Elvis Presley fused country music with some black rhythms and blue structure to create rock and roll sound in ‘That’s All Right’. Soon enough, Elvis became the first teen icon to have made pop music a youth element.
In 1960: This era was predominated by The Beatles, from 1961 to 1970 who with their folk-rock sound became mainstream. They were the first ones to have ever played in the Shea Stadium in New York. The ’60s was also the time when the concept of outdoor concerts and music festivals came into existence. Songs started having a more political and social message.
In 1970: This era saw the emergence of reggae, punk, glam rock, and heavy metal. With Bee Gees recording ‘Saturday Night Fever’, the international dance phenomenon ‘disco’ was born. Michael Jackson set the trend of video promotion and soon, Madonna emerged as the new pop icon with her skill to adapt to every innovative trend.
In 1980: This was the era of Indie music and the decade also saw the first raves sound that is when the disco is transformed into high energy dance melodies. From the 80s, through the 1990s, to the early 21st century several genres like rap, hip-hop, grunge, and new rock came into existence.
And, now Pop owns the global industry.
With years rolling, several artists have remarkably established themselves as the face of pop. Irrespective of age, ethnicity, and sex, the pop singers have wrapped the audience with their melodious singing skills along with breathtaking songwriting style and immersive beats.
With new songs hitting the charts every other day, the competition has become increasingly fierce in the music industry.
Here listed are the top 5 singers in the history of pop who have consistently maintained their stardom with the best combination of beats and their infectious vocals.
1. Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson counts his name amongst the larger-than-life pop music figures. He is one of the greatest pop stars of all time who had hit the spotlight at the age of 11 in 1969. And, at the end of the next decade, he became the leading adult recording artist.
Born on August 29, 1958, Michael Joseph Jackson was an American singer, songwriter, and dancer who became the world’s biggest pop icon in the 1980s. His career was influenced by various rumors and other criminal investigations but nothing could stop him from shining through.
Some of his best creations are:
2.Lady Gaga
Born on March 28, 1986, as Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, Lady Gaga is an American singer, songwriter, actress, dancer, philanthropist, and fashion designer who started performing at open mic nights at the age of 14.
Over the years, Gaga has been releasing some of the top pop singles that ahs fetched her swift success. Her smashing hits for over half a decade have amused her fans completely. The pop sensation is most popular for her unconventional style, provocative lyrics, flamboyant outfits, and visual experimentation. Her strong vocals have always been a favorite amongst the crowd, irrespective of the genre.
Some of her best creations are:
3.Beyoncé
Born on September 4, 1981, Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter is an American songwriter, singer, dancer, record producer, and actress who started her journey with the famous pop girl group named Destiny’s Child. Some of the hits from that group included ‘No, No, No’, ‘Say My Name’, and ‘Survivor’. She soon launched her successful career as a solo artist.
In 2004, Beyoncé bagged five Grammy Awards that included the best contemporary R&B album and also the best female R&B vocal performance. Her biggest hit to date is ‘Crazy in Love’ released in 2003.
Beyoncé has firmly established herself as a high-quality, top-tier pop singing sensation.
Some of her best creations are:
4.Justin Bieber
Born on March 1, 1994, Justin Drew Bieber is a Canadian singer, record producer, and songwriter who is currently the biggest sensation in the pop music world.
At a young age, Bieber has encountered several controversies related to his personal life that have in some way made him stand out. Both the critics and his fans have agreed that Bieber is undoubtedly born with music in his nerves and his every track goes on to top the charts across all platforms.
Justin Bieber has won a Grammy Award and also an American Music Award and has been listed amongst the Top 10 most powerful celebrities in the world by Forbes.
Some of his best creations include:
5.Katy Perry
Born on October 25th, 1984, Katy Perry is an American singer and songwriter who come from a very restrictive household. The pop star broke into the world of music at the age of 15. Katy debuted with her album ‘Katy Hudson’ in 2001 but received a low response. She went on to change her image completely with the smashing single ‘I Kissed a Girl’ and soon went on to top the charts with her other albums like Prism, Teenage Dream, and Witness.
So far Katy has released numerous blockbuster songs under her name and is considered to be one of the best things to have happened to pop lately. She has also won 4 American Music Awards so far.
Perry has always advocated publicly for LGBT rights and has even dedicated the video of her song ‘Firwork’ to the project named ‘It Gets Better Project’. She has created 4 Guinness World records and has sold over 100 million records internationally.
Her music remains one of the best-selling ones of all time.