Rock and pop music are generally considered to be closely related genres of popular music, but there is a difference between the two. Rock is an umbrella term which evolved from rock and roll, with sub-genres such as punk Rock, post Rock and alternative Rock. Pop music on the other hand is a genre that evolved from traditional (and later rhythm and blues) music and came to prominence in the 1950s and 60s. Rock, although derived from rock and roll, is generally considered a harder form of music than pop music. Rock tends to focus more on musicianship whereas pop is sometimes seen as less musically talented but more commercialized.
Rock music was developed in the 1950s and 1960s, while pop music developed in the 1970s. Rock tends to have a more serious tone. Rock music can be defined as loud angry or aggressive rock n’ roll songs that are filled with energy and make you want to dance or run around which were written during the time of wars, cultural revolution, space race etc. Rock also emerged alongside various other genres like folk, jazz and classical. Pop music is kind of different from Rock because it has more cheerful tones compared to Rock which has more angry tones.
Rock tends to have deeper lyrics than pop too because Rock came out along with poets who wrote sad poems about wars, death etc., where as pop came out along with disco so it was more upbeat to dance to. Rock music is often compared to hip hop because Rock came out after Rock n’ Roll, where as Hip Hop came out in the early 1970s which basically revolved around Rock beats. Rock has inspired many genres like punk rock n’ roll etc., Pop Music can be defined as songs that are written to make people happy or give them a reason to dance which were written mainly during Disco Era.
Rock music has had a number of changes throughout history. Rock is considered to be the most popular style of music in today’s generation. Rock is an offshoot of the blues genre, which developed during the 40s and 50s. This particular music genre had previously used mostly acoustic guitar techniques but then incorporated other instruments into their productions. Rock became its own genre when electric guitars began to be widely used in this new type of musical production. Rock artists are typically talented musicians with good singing voices that perform songs written by professional songwriters who are also known as “pop composers.
As mentioned before, rock music is mainly known for its use of electric guitars, but it has expanded further than just using this one instrument. Rock bands will typically include the following instruments into their productions: electric guitars, bass guitar, drums, and keyboard. Rock music is also based upon a 4/4 time signature beat with the emphasis on beats two and four. Rock songs are typically mid-to-up tempo songs that has about 150 beats per minute (BPM). Rock artists usually sing lyrical melodies that are set to chord progressions that use conventional musical modes like the major scale or the minor scale.
On the other hand, pop music is considered to be one of today’s most popular genres of music. Rock music is considered to be an offshoot of blues which was extremely popular with African Americans in southern areas during its early years. Pop music uses many different instruments including electric guitars like rock music, but it also uses different types of chord progressions that are not typically found in rock music. Pop songs are played at an up-tempo beat, but they are generally faster than Rock’s mid-to-up tempo songs.
Pop music is also based upon a 4/4 time signature with the emphasis on beats one and three instead of beats two and four like Rock music. The lyrics to pop songs are mainly sung by the vocalist which is common in Rock music too, although Rock does have some instrumentalists who can carry a tune as well. Punk Rock is a subgenre of Rock that first became popular during the 1970s. Punk Rock has several key characteristics that distinguish it from other genres including its speed, lyrics, and instrumentation. Rock was the first type of music to use electric guitars, but Punk Rock sped up Rock’s tempo even more than Rock artists do in their songs.
Punk Rock lyrics are typically political statements that advocate freedom for individuals in society, no matter who they are or what they look like. The most popular instruments used by Rock artists were electric guitars that would stand out because of how fast they can play their notes. All three genres discussed here have similarities and differences with each other, which is why Rock vs Pop Music is such a debatable topic among listeners today. Each genre will appeal to different people because of its unique style so listeners should experiment with all three genres before making a decision on which one they prefer the most.
Rock and popular music of the seventies was often very distinct from the music that had been created in years before; Rock was more rebellious and controversial while Pop is more about love and relationships. Rock is seen by many as a male type of music, but it does have some female influences, like Janis Joplin who certainly made her mark in Rock history. Rock began to dominate over Pop in the early nineties with the help of Nirvana; this band embodied Rock at its finest. Rock has since evolved and continues to evolve into different styles and genres today.
Pop may be seen as a less confrontational style of music than Rock, however, it can also make statements on pertinent social issues too. One example would be “I’m Every Woman” by Chaka Khan, an anthem of Rock that had many feminist overtones. Madonna is another Rock influence who became famous in the eighties for her music and image. Rock also has its share of collaborating artists while Pop usually sticks with just one or two guests on any given song. Pop appeals to a larger audience than Rock does because it provides more of a variety in terms of topics covered.
Rock is seen more as masculine while Pop is viewed as more feminine; both are important aspects of culture but their distinction must be understood. For instance, if someone were writing about the different styles between men’s clothing versus women’s clothing they would not use Rock vs Pop Music because they are both part of fashion and would not need to differentiate themselves within the article. Rock and Pop are both present in society today as they have been for many years, Rock music has evolved into other types of Rock such as Metal Rock while Pop is a constantly evolving type of music that still exists today.
Rock would not be different from Pop by stating that it is more masculine or Rock vs Punk because this would dilute the topic at hand, Rock vs Pop Music. The basic difference between Rock and Pop is the balance between lyrics and accompaniment musically speaking. Technically speaking, there can be no such thing as pure Rock or pure Pop since they share so much in common; however, general distinctions can be drawn between them if we look closely enough.
