The Album Review Club - Christmas Break Until 8th January

I’m pretty ambivalent about Coldplay, I think I did like their first couple of albums but Fix You is a terrible song, jostles with Imagine for my most hated.
Not my favourite either, but with Michael J. Fox on the Chuck Berry guitar from Back to the Future front and center as the band's inspiration and his current condition, it hit me differently than the song simply by itself normally would.
 
A pop band starts off wanting to be popular. A rock band just plays and maybe gets popular.

I’m of the belief that some artists (like athletes) are motivated more by fame and money and ambition, and some more by the simple joy of playing, creating or crafting a message expressed through their art.

In general I respect the motivation of the latter artists more, but that doesn’t mean I don’t love a LOT of what’s created in the primary pursuit of money and fame. The best is when the two come together.

And plenty of artists waft between the two camps, either moving from one to the other or even going back and forth several times. Some, like Kurt Cobain, can’t handle the battle between the two and self-destruct. Others just become shite.

I’ll leave it to those of you who know Oasis better than I to decide how their journey has evolved but there isn’t much question how it started — DM was made for arenas — obviously, right? Just listen to it! — and Noel joined Rain/Oasis assuming he’d drive the band to commercialism.

I should also note that I hear plenty of influences from great bands in Oasis (less Beatles, almost more Who) but that their sound is still their own, timing notwithstanding, and that counts for something.

I don’t think they’re overrated, and I’m of no view on the joy or drawbacks of the scene/craze they created. I think their best songs sound fucking great. Whether they ARE fucking great — well, I’m not quite as convinced there.

I wouldn’t say it’s right or wrong but that’s not how I define a pop and rock. In fact, I’m not sure I have the words to define them but, for me, it is about how they sound. Pop does tend to be more commercial and that lines up with your definition to a degree. Pop bands do want to sell records but but so do a lot of rock bands.
 
A pop band starts off wanting to be popular. A rock band just plays and maybe gets popular.
Really?
I have yet to identify an artist (group or individual) that doesn't want their art to be recognised and listened to by as many people as possible. They may choose to execute that art differently but they didn't go into this business 'just to play'. Your definition makes Led Zeppelin or any other 'super group' a pop group.
I thought your categorisation might have said something about the nature of the music....
 
I wouldn’t say it’s right or wrong but that’s not how I define a pop and rock. In fact, I’m not sure I have the words to define them but, for me, it is about how they sound. Pop does tend to be more commercial and that lines up with your definition to a degree. Pop bands do want to sell records but but so do a lot of rock bands.
Led Zeppelin - kings of Pop.
 
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Really?
I have yet to identify an artist (group or individual) that doesn't want their art to be recognised and listened to by as many people as possible. They may choose to execute that art differently but they didn't go into this business 'just to play'. Your definition makes Led Zeppelin or any other 'super group' a pop group.
I thought your categorisation might have said something about the nature of the music....

There are plenty of artists that just make music because they want to, how they want to.

Not that I limit pop to simply intent. Just pointing out, loads of bands write what they feel like rather than what they want to sell.
 
There are plenty of artists that just make music because they want to, how they want to.

Not that I limit pop to simply intent. Just pointing out, loads of bands write what they feel like rather than what they want to sell.
that's true. But I thought we were discussing mainstream categories of Rock and Pop. I have cousins who have been in bands for decades with no intent on doing anything rather than play a pub on a Saturday night. But to say Rock Musicians are defined because they fall into fame/success and it's not their primary aim is frankly nonsense.
 
I found these two definitions which seem to fit a little better and I put them here to get knocked down. Its on topic as we clearly need to determine if Oasis were indeed a pop group, or a rock group when they released DM. Interesting to categorise other artists: Elvis/Chuck Berry/David Bowie - Pop or Rock?

Rock music is a genre that originated in the 1950s, characterised by a strong rhythm, amplified instruments, and often centred on the electric guitar. It encompasses various subgenres and has been a vital part of youth culture and rebellion. In the UK, it’s not just a style of music but a cultural symbol that continues to influence art, fashion, and society. Rock music is often album rather than single based.

Pop music is the genre of popular music that produces the most hits. A hit is a song that sells many copies, and the latest hits are listed every week on the charts. To get on the charts, a song must be released as a single, although most singles are also released on an album. Songs that become hits almost always share certain features that are sometimes called the pop-music formula. They have a good rhythm, a catchy melody, and are easy to remember and sing along to. They usually have a chorus that's repeated several times and two or more verses. Most pop songs are between two and five minutes long, and the lyrics are often about the joys and problems of love and relationships.
 
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