Can pop music stand the test of time?
Hannnah Webber, Staff Writer
Published On: 10/20/2009
I had the pleasure and privilege of seeing Sir Paul McCartney live in concert at Atlanta’s Piedmont Park. This was undoubtedly the best experience of my life, and I could go on for pages about why that is so, but that is not the point that is to be made here.
During that three hour concert, McCartney played about thirty songs from his catalogue that spans over 45 years, and all 50,000 people in the rain-soaked crowd knew every word to each of those thirty songs. It’s not just the fact that McCartney is a former Beatle that makes his songs continue to be popular so many years after they were written. It is also the fact that he is a brilliant songwriter with the ability to write songs with longevity; songs that can be just as relevant and catchy today as they were in 1964.
At the time that he wrote songs like “Yesterday,” “Let It Be,” “Hey Jude,” “Band On The Run,” and “My Love,” McCartney most likely didn’t know those tunes would still be popular and adored thirty and forty years later. From the content of his songs, it seems that McCartney writes from the heart, for his own enjoyment and sometimes just for his friends and loved ones. He’s just so good at what he does that his songs become anthems for the masses; everyone can relate to at least one of his songs.
The Beatles and McCartney are probably a special case, but this got me thinking: what artists of today will still be popular thirty or forty years from now?
The first popular act that comes to mind is U2 (probably because they are one of my favorite bands). They have a new album out that has done very well on the charts this year. U2 has been popular for thirty years now, though. They have already proven they have the ability to stand the test of time. Therefore, they don’t really count for this topic.
The same goes for other currently popular bands and artists that rank among my personal favorites: Green Day, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Morrissey, who have all been making music for at least twenty years.
It’s hard to say what will and will not be popular in thirty years. However, it’s hard to think about listening to songs like Rihanna’s “Umbrella,” Lady Gaga’s “Poker Face,” Katy Perry’s “I Kissed a Girl,” or anything by Miley Cyrus or the Jonas Brothers in 2040 and thinking, “Now that music came from a time when they knew what they were doing.” No offense is meant in saying that – I respect these artists for making popular music and being successful in such an unforgiving industry. This is just one opinion; there are certainly people in the world now who will feel nostalgic about that sort of music and who will believe it was the best music ever written.
The list of artists whose current music I believe could still be popular in thirty or forty years includes John Mayer, Jason Mraz, Norah Jones, Keith Urban, John Legend, Coldplay, and Alicia Keys. Not everyone will share this opinion, so if you have a different list of artists with staying power, let me know. In thirty years, we will see who passed the test of time.
Email: hwebber@uab.edu
