Emerging trends in Pop songwriting/production?

[SongsByGROVER]

Hey everyone! I just found this forum yesterday...Been reading a lot of interesting stuff; seems like an awesome place to talk about hit songwriting, with all the updates on what all these mega-hitmakers are up to!

I was just watching this 25 minute rundown of every one of Max Martin's hits up to 2014, and it made it very apparent to hear the changing trends in chart-topping pop music over the last 2 decades:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_unaxZFWLRs

Thinking it'll be an interesting conversation to make predictions of where pop music is headed over the next few years, driven of course by the hitmakers we all know and love.


Things I've noticed in the last year or so:

- House tempo four-on-the-floor beats seemed to fall out of favour a bit with the rise of Trap into the charts. It felt like nearly every big hit from the early 2010's was four-on-the-floor at a tempo like 120-130 bpm ish... now they're more often slower, maybe around 100-115bpm, or a different rhythm, or both.

- I feel like the general preference seem to be tending towards "moody" rather than "happy"... not too many choruses starting on the major I chord i think.

- Unusual sounds seems to be a big trend, like flutes or weird samples etc as leads rather than standard synths (e.g. Diplo/Skrillex, Kygo, the new Bieber album)... i think this will continue in a big way.

- I predict a big trend of funkier pop, hinted at by Can't Feel My Face and Derulo's last few songs. I'm making most of my productions all about the basslines at the moment!


I don't think copying the past is the way to excel in the future, and that to move forward you need to be looking forward, not back. So anyone care to guess which direction "forward" might be in?!

[J_A24]

I think mainstream music is becoming more organic and creative on many levels, not only sonically, but in the way it's being created and presented.

Sonically, you'll get the nu-disco thing seeking new heights, but you'll also get more alternative sounding music i.e. Nikki and the dove, Tove Lo, Son Lux. Less airy synths, more organic and acoustic sounds.

[j.fco.morales]

I think mainstream music is becoming more organic and creative on many levels, not only sonically, but in the way it's being created and presented.

Sonically, you'll get the nu-disco thing seeking new heights, but you'll also get more alternative sounding music i.e. Nikki and the dove, Tove Lo, Son Lux. Less airy synths, more organic and acoustic sounds.

I absolutely agree with you.
During 90s and 00, most of the popular music was about having fun and mostly built over a beat or 4 chords.
Since these new english artists became popular -since the release of Amy Winehouse's Back To Black- people became more interested in lyrics and songs that say something.

And I love that. Honest songwriters!

[ArmstrongandStayte]

Interesting

Only been on here 5 mins and I'm learning all sorts

melody is king. Simple. But there are territories where lyrics aren't as important, yet the tracks are just as successful - kpop/jpop for example. There's a lot of translation, but the melody is the bit that is important.

Just my 2p, for what it's worth

Dan