# Different nations different pop music?



## Agamemnon (May 1, 2017)

I think that e.g. American pop music is different from English or German pop music. Rock 'n' roll is an American invention but instead of simply copying this musical style I think both the English and the Germans transformed American rock/pop into a distinguishly unique own style of pop/rock.

To begin with I think American pop/rock has a very gut-like style (like coming from "Elvis' pelvis" you could say): it is all about raw emotion and thrills and has therefore a typically ordinary, low class, ******* feel to it...

I think the English mixed American pop/rock with their own popular styles like vaudeville and other theatrical genres and typically elevates the 'low' American style into a more highbrow, artistic and theatrical kind of pop/music. Think David Bowie, Roxy Music, Queen etc.

I think the Germans - culturally far removed from the American way of life - took their inspiration from modern art and e.g. Stockhausen and mixed this with pop/rock so German pop/rock tends to be very experimental and artistic in a typically German way (of course I am thinking of Krautrock and Die Neue Deutsche Welle).

I am Dutch and I don't think the Dutch has a very distinguished own sound but we are great imitators instead: a lot of great worldwide hits are by Dutch artists but most people in the world don't know these are Dutch songs because they sound very like American songs... And because I am Dutch I will give you some Dutch songs (and although the Dutch have produced especially a lot of worldwide pop hits I focus on classic rock songs):





















What do you think of the differences in style by nation?


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## Blancrocher (Jul 6, 2013)

Despite superficial differences, there are often clear indications of more fundamental influence:


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## norman bates (Aug 18, 2010)

I don't disagree with what you're saying, but considering the USA you're generalizing a bit too much. Before rock'n roll there was the great american songbook, with some of the best popular songs ever written, and even after that there were highly sophisticated artists like the beach boys, the steely dan, stevie wonder, etc.





















And speaking of sophisticated popular music, Brazil definitely developed a unique sound, with songs there are often harmonically complex in a way that it's hard to find in other countries. Japan too has a quite recognizable sound.


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## Agamemnon (May 1, 2017)

Blancrocher said:


> Despite superficial differences, there are often clear indications of more fundamental influence:


I am not sure I understand what you are saying. Do you mean to say that the similarities are bigger than the differences?


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## Blancrocher (Jul 6, 2013)

Agamemnon said:


> I am not sure I understand what you are saying. Do you mean to say that the similarities are bigger than the differences?


In some circumstances--mostly I was just taking the opportunity to post a video that I find witty and amusing.


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## SiegendesLicht (Mar 4, 2012)

Agamemnon said:


> I am not sure I understand what you are saying. Do you mean to say that the similarities are bigger than the differences?


I think he meant to say they all steal from one another....


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese (Jan 8, 2013)

Oz land rock has a harder Pub based edge to it or used to (all the older pub rock venues are almost all gone), which led to groups like AC/DC, Rose tattoo, The Aztecs, the Angels and many more becoming popular here.


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## Phil loves classical (Feb 8, 2017)

Asian pop music really sucks. Various relatives exposed me to a lot of it, against my will. It is totally unoriginal and sounds like a unintentional spoof of North Anerican music. They make Taylor Swift sound like Classic material.


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## norman bates (Aug 18, 2010)

Phil loves classical said:


> Asian pop music really sucks. Various relatives exposed me to a lot of it, against my will. It is totally unoriginal and sounds like a unintentional spoof of North Anerican music. They make Taylor Swift sound like Classic material.


Asia is quite big, so I don't know what you have listened but I don't think such a generalization is correct. Even considering just japan there are a lot of different things and even the mainstream pop genres I know like City pop has a peculiar harmonic character, with long melodies and sophisticated harmonies.
Few songs from the early eighties:


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## norman bates (Aug 18, 2010)

.............................
double post


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## Agamemnon (May 1, 2017)

norman bates said:


> Asia is quite big, so I don't know what you have listened but I don't think such a generalization is correct. Even considering just japan there are a lot of different things and even the mainstream pop genres I know like City pop has a peculiar harmonic character, with long melodies and sophisticated harmonies.
> Few songs from the early eighties:


To me this doesn't sound very original (just an imitation of the regular American disco/funk/jazz of the 70's). Prejudicial as I am, I associate Japanese culture with cuteness ('kawaii'). The Japanese seem to make everything cute, even metal:


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## chill782002 (Jan 12, 2017)

Speaking of Dutch bands, how about the Outsiders? One of the greatest Dutch rock and roll bands, in my opinion.


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## Agamemnon (May 1, 2017)

The Dutch did notice the British Blues wave (Rolling Stones, John Mayall, Eric Clapton, Fleetwood Mac etc).  I prefer Cuby & The Blizzards though:






Cuby & The Blizzards had Herman Brood on the piano who went solo and became by far the most charismatic Dutch pop singer of all time. He was mr. Rock 'n' Roll, perhaps more authentic than Keith Richards (actually I saw him as the Dutch Lou Reed): Brood was addicted to amphetamine (to "overcome his shyness towards girls") and alcohol, became a national TV celebrity, shocked the audiences with his life full of drugs, crime (he knew prison life) and prostitutes and finally killed himself when his body couldn't take the drugs and alcohol anymore (his liver started to fail I believed). But he was sweet, funny and very charismatic: the Dutch loved him despite he did everything God and authorities forbade (or perhaps that's actually why the Dutch loved him). He could have made it in the US too but his tour in the USA failed miserably because somebody stole his amphetamine there so he got sick! BTW, he was a great painter too!






Actually, as a child and up to this very day, I like the Dutch symphonic rockband Earth And Fire. Their music is actually about the only symphonic rock I really like very much, I think because it has some dark undertones (and great melodies):


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## chill782002 (Jan 12, 2017)

And my favourite Dutch band of all, the mighty Supersister. Recommended for fans of early Soft Machine.


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## norman bates (Aug 18, 2010)

Agamemnon said:


> To me this doesn't sound very original (just an imitation of the regular American disco/funk/jazz of the 70's).


well there are certainly similarities with the yacht rock movement, but still the melodic taste is different. But still it's very good pop music imho.



Agamemnon said:


> Prejudicial as I am, I associate Japanese culture with cuteness ('kawaii'). The Japanese seem to make everything cute, even metal:


Believe me, there's a lot of japanese music that is not cute at all, from Merzbow to Les Razilles denudes (basically the japanese version of Velvet Underground) to guitarists like Keiji Haino or Masayuki Takayanagi (one of the most extreme free jazz guitarists ever), to experimental jazz stuff, microtonal pop music etc. Japrocksampler written by Julian Cope is a good introduction to japanese rock music. 
And since you've mentioned blues rock:





Anyway I don't see anything bad with cuteness, I mean even Duke Ellington, Debussy or Mozart played cute music. 
It's difficult to think of something worse than Babymetal and not just in Japan, so it's not a good example.


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## Phil loves classical (Feb 8, 2017)

norman bates said:


> Asia is quite big, so I don't know what you have listened but I don't think such a generalization is correct. Even considering just japan there are a lot of different things and even the mainstream pop genres I know like City pop has a peculiar harmonic character, with long melodies and sophisticated harmonies.
> Few songs from the early eighties:


I agree it was better back in the 80's, but I've heard contemporary Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese pop, and it sucks.


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