Noooot really, but only because LP has had 'boy band tendencies' forever. In The End could easily count as a boyband ballad with just a tad more 'Ugh, feelings!'
Well, i can see all the 6 guys dancing in the video to this song. Just imagine they doing it like Nsync. Man, they definetely should do it.
Gotta love how a song that was written for Mike's kids and intended to be viewed as a 'time capsule' to them when they get older, is still viewed as boyband-ish and 'bubble gum pop' instead of being taken for what it actually is: a sentimental and beautifully written song. I can't with this fanbase sometimes
Again, I swear, it seems like 99% of the people who use that label have no idea what bubblegum pop is. There've been precisely zero defining characteristics of that subgenre in anything LP has made for their studio albums.
And what's so stupid about this whole deal is that even if there was that subgenre of pop in the bands music, that doesn't instantly make the song crap. There's this ridiculous mentality that pop = lazy, crappy or uninspired and it drives me nuts.
To be fair, I think this connotation came to be because of 2003's "Meteora" For real, though, pop music is crazy right now. So diverse, and every artist is pulling from different influences to try and craft a unique thing within the overall scope. Other genres, relatively speaking (and not naming names), are pretty rigid so you really either dig it as a whole or you don't
100% agree, pop is one of the most diverse genre I've heard. of course that dosn't make it automaticly better than other genres. but I should say it's definitely my favorite genre. For example, I love Metalcore but every fucking band sound exactly the same.
Heavy is actually a big hit. Right now its on #54 on Billboard Hot 100 and #17 on iTunes US chart. I think it will break the top Mark when the album releases.
Part of this, I realise, is because artists are constantly coming from other genres and dipping into the pop sphere - if not permanently, maybe for one album, one song or even just a guest appearance. Among other things, this allows different audiences to cross-pollinate. The opportunity to push against boundaries and introduce innovative ideas into the larger conversation is what keeps pop music in a state of flux. On a side note, I want to say that another thing I love about pop music is how, collectively, pop fans never pretentiously accuse any genres of not being "real music", even if they don't like them.
Pop can be nice for sure, but you cannot deny it tends to be associated with formulaic structures, which might make it appear "lazy". I remember one of the Massive Attack guys talking about how uninspired he found to take a couple of bars, making them a verse, another couple of bars, making them a chorus, adding some variation for a bridge, and BOUM, you got your basic pop song. Don't get me wrong, I know what LP is about, and I have very little problems whatsoever with formulaic songs. But every Pop criticism isn't 100% unaccurate either.
And what does Massive Attack do sooo differently? I'm willing to bet they have a good number of songs with verses and choruses.
Oh, I'm not there to start a fight about different or hipsterish Massive Attack or whatever artists are Though the guy said that during the promotion of an album having no songs under the 5:00 mark, so, at the very least, he was consistent at the times.
Well for one thing they've written several songs that break, by far, the 3-4 minute mark, and they tend to have a much less defined structure to their songs. They have of course written some songs with a more traditional structure, but they prefer music that is a bit less predictable in that sense. Not saying one is better than the other btw. I happen to like Massive Attack but I'm loving some of this new stuff from LP too. It all sounds great to me.
I don't like it when someone start to say pop is lazy because it use verse/chorus structure, what? 95% of Mainstream music use verse/chorus & 4 time signature (even Trip Hop under my knowledge). but why should I strat listening to music that doesn't has verse/chours? because it isn't mainstream? must I feel above the pop fans for listening to progressive music, to satisfy myself? NOPE! I take music as entertainment not as symbol, that I have a better music taste than you because I listen to some weird shit".
Hmmmmm! I don't know with this one. Super happy to hear Mike, I was worried this album would be another MTM, but still incredibly disappointed at the lack of Chester. Did he provide backing vocals perhaps? Couldn't tell. I love the tune, I love the way Mike sings it, I love the confidence, like the lyrics mostly and it's better then Heavy. However I hate how repetitive it got towards the end, it was just "Invisible" over and over, which I don't like, shame because it started out so strong. More worryingly 4 out the tiny 10 tracks are out before album is!!! That's nearly half! Am I the only one concerned? And 10 tracks? seriously? Wanted to comment on GGB, which I loved, but feel it's too late. Finally am I the only one who thinks One More Light should be released as a single? Considering the album was named after it? I take it, it sums the album up, as I'm assuming to name an album after a song it's a pretty important one, and shouldn't it reflect the album as a whole? Or am I just taking this waaaaaaayyyyy too seriously?
Rebecca Black's "Friday" was literally "Bubblegum Pop*" Hired a producer to write, direct, and handle everything from composition of music to marketing, in an effort to quickly cash in on a pop hit, directed towards middle and high schoolers. Regardless if "Friday" was a good song or whether or not she has put out good music since then is irrelevant to the initial launch of her career. Linkin Park do not in this category in any way shape or form. All the band members were making music on their own, before labels or money came into the picture, because they enjoyed making music and they would not have continued to make it still if they still did not enjoy the creative stimuli that song creation brings. Saying they are bubblegum pop is pure nonesense. This is solely one interpretation of "Bubblegum Pop" out of many, and quite a cynical one at that. Anyway, like @Derek said pop does not mean shit, or lazy, or uninspired, or generic. A pop album can be as good or greater than any other genre and the reverse holds true as well. Take for example Carly Rae Jepsen's E-MO-TION. I consider that to be one of the best albums of the last few years, period.