FORMAL FUNCTION OF THE POP-DROP IN POPULAR MUSIC

Date
2019-05
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Delaware
Abstract
Often considered the most important part of a popular song, the true “chorus” of current popular hits has become increasingly difficult to locate. Techniques of Electronic Dance Music—a prominent subgenre within today’s realm of popular music—have created a shift in expectations across an array of musical elements, including form. The drop section from the EDM genre has shifted the formal hierarchies of collaborative songs in order to accommodate this formal expectation. Drops depend on momentum-building devices in order to create enough tension for release. When these momentum-building devices occur during the singer’s hook, rather than preceding it, they shift the musical importance away from the hook, such that it can no longer be considered the song’s climax, as it may have been otherwise. Numerous chart-toppers feature this new formal trend dubbed the “pop-drop.” The original framework for this form stems from the success of remixes, such as “I Took A Pill In Ibiza.” As these collaborations developed into joint projects featuring original material, the form and formal hierarchy solidified into a set of expectations, which can be observed in the song “Stay” by Zedd and Alessia Cara. This structure relies heavily on density of texture in particular as an important formal cue. More conventional indicators such as melody and lyrics do not always serve as a reliable formal cue within this context, demonstrated prominently in the song “Bones” by OneRepublic and Galantis. The use of the pop-drop has become so widespread that it has surpassed the need for collaboration with EDM artists, as shown by Dua Lipa with her hit “New Rules.” This project aims to analyze these changes in popular form and offer new ways to categorize sections within today’s popular music.
Description
Keywords
Music, Music Theory, Pop-drop
Citation