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POP FACTS

Pop Analysis

Genres  > Pop Pop Facts About Pop When Noel Coward famously referred to the potency of cheap music he defined the power of pop music for all time.And yet the freedom of imagination and play which pop enshrines has often given birth to at least as much innovation and genius as more serious and self-conscious genres – as demonstrated by artists as diverse as The Beach Boys, David Bowie and Prince.
Read more about pop...
5 things you have to know

Ken Bruce

Just what is Pop? Radio 2's Ken Bruce will put you straight...

pop facts video   Watch Ken tell you five pop facts
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5 albums you have to own

Ken Bruce

Ken's back with his pick of the the five Pop albums you should be listening to.

pop albums video   Watch Ken tell you about five pop albums 
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Key events in pop   Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
The best pop album ever? According to some. The most famous? Possibly. The most lauded? Most certainly.
  Live Aid
A huge landmark moment in Pop in 1985. Bob Geldof organises ahuge pop concert, featuring hundreds of luminaries,to raise awareness of staving Africans. Pop with a message.
  Thriller
With 45 million worldwide sales powered by seven Top 10 US singles, seven Top 20 UK singles and eight Grammy Awards, Michael Jackson's Thriller is the best selling album of all time.
  The Charts Begin
The introduction of the Charts in 1952 became the foundation for judging a song's success - and has been ever since.
  The Beatles Audition
June 6th, 1962 - a great day for pop. The Beatles audition for George Martin at EMI's Abbey Road Studios. The sessions are taped and include the Lennon & McCartney songs "Love Me Do", "PS I Love You" and "Ask Me Why".

Key pop songwriters

Lennon and McCartney
  John Lennon & Paul McCartney
The Undisputed Heavyweight Songwriters of modern song. No-one comes close. Discuss.

hey jude audio   Hey Jude, performed by The Beatles

love me do audio   Love Me Do, performed by The Beatles

with a little help from my friends audio   With A Little Help From My Friends, performed by The Beatles
   

Bjorn Ulvaeus
  Benny Andersson & Bjorn Ulvaeus
The two blokes in ABBA, of course.Wrote a series of killer singles in the mid-70s, early 80s... "Dancing Queen", "Fernando", "Ring Ring" to name three. Clever melodies, sophisticated production - everyone a winner.

sos audio   SOS, performed by ABBA 

dancing queen audio   Dancing Queen, performed by ABBA 

knowing me, knowing you audio   Knowing Me, Knowing You, performed by ABBA
   

Barry Gibb
  The Bee Gees
Barry, Maurice and Robin Gibb clocked up hits in five decadesbefore Maurice's untimely death earlier this year. Wrote dozens of hits for themselves, and others, with their soundtrack to the disco movie Saturday Night Fever - featuring "Stayin' Alive", "Night Fever", "Jive Talkin'", etc - perhaps the high point.

for whom the bell tolls audio   For Whom The Bell Tolls

alone audio   Alone

stayin' alive audio   Stayin Alive
 

Genres Rock Pop Folk Country Easy Blues Soul Jazz Reggae

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