PITCH
In music, pitch refers to how high or low a note is.
Rhythms & Riffs
All throughout the song, Like a Drum, catchy rhythms and riffs are incorporated, as they are common pop music characteristics. A riff is catchy melody which repeats in a song. By incorporating many catchy rhythms and riffs within this song, it will increase the popularity as majority of listeners within the youth age range are drawn to catchy and repetitive sections of songs. The most common riff used in Like a Drum is found within the chorus. It is a section of music which commonly repeats multiple times within the entire duration of the song. Catchy rhythms & riffs are pop music characteristics, hence why they are used within my chosen song.
Synthesiser
Within the majority of pop songs, an instrument called a synthesiser is used. A synthesiser is a keyboard which can create many different sounds and sound effects. As a substitution for a large group of instruments, Like a Drum uses a synthesiser to create electronic sound effects in the piece of music. Incorporating the use of the synthesiser enhances the electronic sound of pop songs, which is a major pop music characteristic used in my chosen song.
Pop vs Rock - Instruments
Generally speaking, pop songs do not incorporate as many instruments as rock music. The reason for this being that pitch of instruments in pop songs are much higher as opposed to rock songs. This means that the sounds needed in a pop song for it to be popular and successful can be created using technology. Like a Drum uses these techniques and does not have a large amount of instruments, but uses technology to create a better pitch and thicker texture to the sound of the music. A minimal amount of instruments is a pop music characteristic.
Youth Approval
The lyrics of many pop songs revolve around parties, having fun, living life to the fullest or more commonly...love. These theme of lyrics appeal to one main age group which determines the success of a song - teenagers. Pop song lyrics are usually aimed to gain the attention of teenagers. This is one of the most popular pop music characteristics.
Solo Vocalist
My chosen song, Like a Drum, has only one main vocalist - Guy Sebastian. This allows those who hear the song to fully immerse themselves in the pitch of the lead vocalist, as opposed to multiple people singing at one, drowning out the significance of the instruments in the background. Having a solo vocalist is not one of the most popular pop music characteristics, yet is still very important, especially in my own choice of song.