Power pop

History and character

Power pop is melodic rock that grew out of the 1960s sounds of the Beatles, the Beach Boys, the Byrds and the Who. It puts hooks, vocal harmonies and energetic playing front and center, often with a contrast between a bright sound and melancholy or yearning lyrics. The term was coined by Pete Townshend of the Who in 1967, but it only came into common use in the late 1970s, when the genre found success.

The milestones: in the early 1970s came Badfinger (No Matter What, partly produced by Todd Rundgren), the Raspberries (Go All the Way, 1972), Big Star (Alex Chilton and Chris Bell, #1 Record) and Todd Rundgren; the critic Andrew Earles named 1972 the “year zero.” In the late 1970s came Cheap Trick (Surrender, I Want You to Want Me from the live album At Budokan), The Romantics (What I Like About You), Nick Lowe, Dave Edmunds, Dwight Twilley, The Records and The Knack: the success of My Sharona (1979), however, triggered a backlash and many labels stopped signing power pop bands. In the 1990s and 2000s the genre lived on in cult acts such as Jellyfish, The Posies, Teenage Fanclub and Matthew Sweet, and returned to the mainstream with Weezer (the Blue Album, 1994) and Fountains of Wayne (Stacy's Mom, 2003); Green Day and pop-punk fused power pop harmonies with punk energy.

Power pop is often considered derivative or “lightweight,” and its boundaries are debated (the critic Ken Sharp called it the “Rodney Dangerfield of rock 'n' roll”). For producers, it is a fundamental school of songwriting: irresistible choruses, layered guitars, high backing vocals, songs of 2:30–3:30 without a wasted second.

Scales and keys

Major (Ionian)

• Formula: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 (T T S T T T S). In E: E F# G# A B C# D#.
• Characteristic note: major 3rd and leading tone: euphoria, light.
• Chords: I E – ii F#m – iii G#m – IV A – V B – vi C#m – vii° D#dim.
• Use: the foundation of almost all power pop; I–IV–V and I–V–vi–IV choruses with power chords and open chords.
• Example: The Raspberries — Go All the Way; Weezer — Buddy Holly.
• Mistakes: using only power chords: the thirds in the vocal harmonies and arpeggiated guitars give the pop color.

Mixolydian

• Formula: 1 2 3 4 5 6 b7 (T T S T T S T). In A: A B C# D E F# G.
• Characteristic note: b7 (G): “British” 1960s rock.
• Chords (on the mode's scale): I A – ii Bm – iii° C#dim – IV D – v Em – vi F#m – VII G.
• Use: I–VII–IV riffs, bridging chords; in a major key the same chord is a borrowed chord (bVII).
• Example: many Who- and Cheap Trick-style riffs use the Mixolydian VII.

Major and minor pentatonic (riffs and solos)

• Major pentatonic: 1 2 3 5 6 — in E: E F# G# B C#. Melodic, “singable” solos (Badfinger).
• Minor pentatonic / blues: 1 b3 4 5 b7 — in E: E G A B D. More “rock” guitar riffs (My Sharona uses an ostinato riff between the tonic and notes of the pentatonic).
• Mistakes: long blues solos: power pop wants short solos that quote the melody.

Borrowed chords from the parallel minor

• bVI, bVII, iv (in E: C, D, Am): the melancholy “sigh” typical of Big Star and the Beatles.

How to choose

Major as the base; Mixolydian for riffs; borrowed chords from the minor for bridges and bittersweet moments; pentatonic for riffs and solos.

Harmony

Function

Livelier harmony than modern pop, but always singable: progressions of 4–8 chords, true cadences (V–I), secondary dominants (II7 → V), borrowed chords from the minor (bVI, bVII, iv), key changes in the bridge (often a third or a fourth away) and modulations for the last chorus.

“Beatles-style” techniques

• Major III and major VI as secondary dominants (in C: E7 → Am, A7 → Dm).
• Minor iv before the I (F–Fm–C).
• Inner chromatic lines in the guitars (C – C+ – C6 – C7).
• Suspended chords (sus4 → major) in intros (Byrds, Who).

Harmonic rhythm

1 or 2 chords per bar; the chorus often speeds up the harmonic rhythm to drive forward.

Voicing

Power chords in the distorted rhythm guitars, open chords and 12-string arpeggios, thirds and sixths in the vocal harmonies.

Typical progressions

Rhythm and groove

Straight rock feel in eighth notes with a firm backbeat on 2 and 4, often fast (125–150). Continuous eighth-note rhythm guitars (downstrokes) provide the energy; many songs use the Motown beat (snare on all four beats) in the choruses or stop-time in the pre-choruses. No swing; human but precise, tight playing. Half-time appears in the bridges for contrast.

Drums

Kick

Steps 1 and 9 with variations on the “2-and” (step 7) and the “4-and” (step 15) to push toward the next bar; double kicks in punk-oriented choruses.

Snare

Full on 2 and 4; in Motown choruses on every quarter note (snare + tambourine). Bright snare (medium-high tuning, crack at 3–5 kHz), few ghost notes.

Hi-hat, ride, cymbals

Half-open eighth-note hats in the verses; ride or crash-ride in the choruses; crash on beat 1 of each section. Tambourine in eighth notes or on 2 and 4 in the choruses.

Interaction

Bass and kick locked together; eighth-note rhythm guitars on top; the drums leave room for the vocal harmonies with cymbals that aren't too loud.

By section

Verse: closed hat, kick and snare; pre-chorus: stop-time or toms; chorus: ride/crash, Motown beat; bridge: half-time or toms; ending: repeated fills and crashes.

Fills

One-bar tom fills in sixteenth notes (Keith Moon style in a restrained version), snare rolls before the chorus, stops with a single crash hit.

Sounds

Acoustic drums in a medium room, overheads and room mics important; snare with a little room reverb.

Typical mistakes

Fills everywhere (power pop is tight); overly processed modern “metal” drums; tempo that slows down in the choruses.

Bass

• Sound: electric bass (Rickenbacker 4001 or Precision) with a pick, bright and present.
• Notes: eighth-note roots with melodic passing tones (McCartney style), fifths and octaves; countermelodies in the choruses.
• Rhythm: continuous eighth notes in sync with the guitars; Motown pattern in the choruses.
• Relationship with the kick: they play together on 1; use EQ to separate them.
• Examples: The Raspberries — Go All the Way, Cheap Trick — Surrender (pulsing bass), Weezer — Buddy Holly.

Harmonic instruments

• Rhythm guitars: two distorted guitars (medium overdrive, Marshall/Vox) hard L/R in power chords and eighth notes.
• 12-string/jangle guitar: Byrds-style arpeggios over the rhythm parts.
• Lead guitar: short, melodic solos, often harmonized in thirds.
• Piano and organ: pounded piano in the choruses, organ (Farfisa/VOX) in 1960s–'70s power pop, synth in new wave power pop (The Cars).

Voicing: power chords and open chords, mid register; leave room for the backing vocals above.

Melody and vocals

• Melody: ascending hook in the chorus, a range of an octave and a half, leaps to the high register on the title.
• Vocals: clear, youthful, often at the top of the range (tenor).
• Backing vocals: 2–3-part Beatles/Beach Boys-style harmonies in the choruses, supporting “ooh”s and “aah”s in the verses, call-and-response between lead and backing vocals, falsetto backing vocals.
• Effects: doubling (ADT), slapback, short plate; no obvious Auto-Tune.

Instruments

Lead and backing vocals, electric guitars (distorted rhythm, 12-string, lead), electric bass, acoustic drums, piano, organ, synth (new wave power pop), tambourine, handclaps.

Drum patterns

Synths and sounds

• Farfisa V — Combo organ: 1960s organ riffs and new wave.
• VOX Continental V — Combo organ: A brighter alternative for riffs and sustained chords.
• Piano V — Rock piano: Pounded eighth-note chords in the choruses.
• Prophet-5 V — New wave synth: Leads and pads in the style of The Cars (Greg Hawkes used a Prophet-5).
• Mellotron V — Strings and flutes: Beatles-style color in the bridges.

Song structure

Length 2:30–3:30.

Mixing and mastering

Sonic goal

Big, bright guitars, wide and luminous backing vocals, energetic and natural drums, a clear vocal above the guitars. References: Cheap Trick — Surrender, The Knack — My Sharona, Weezer — Buddy Holly, Fountains of Wayne — Stacy's Mom, Teenage Fanclub — The Concept.

Kick

EQ: HP 35 Hz, +3 dB at 60–80 Hz, −4 dB at 350–400 Hz, +3 dB at 3–4 kHz. Compression 4:1, attack 20 ms, release 80 ms, 3–4 dB. Center.

Snare

EQ: HP 80 Hz, +2 dB at 200 Hz, +3 dB at 4–5 kHz. FET compression 4:1, 4 dB. Plate 1.2 s or room 0.8 s. Parallel compression on the drum bus for punch. Center.

Overheads, hat, tambourine

HP 200 Hz on the overheads, −2 dB at 3–5 kHz if harsh; tambourine 40% to the side; compressed room mics (1176 “all buttons”) mixed underneath.

Bass

EQ: HP 40 Hz, +2 dB at 80 Hz, −2 dB at 250 Hz, +3 dB at 800 Hz–1.5 kHz (pick). 1176 compression 4:1, 4–6 dB. Amp saturation. Mono.

Guitars

• EQ: HP 80–100 Hz; −2/−3 dB at 300–500 Hz; +2 dB at 2–4 kHz; LP 10–12 kHz.
• Double-tracked takes hard L/R for the rhythm parts (not copies: different takes); 12-string at 50%; lead at center or 30%.
• Light compression or none (the distortion compresses).
• Space: short room; lead with 1/8 delay and plate.

Piano, organ, synth

HP 150 Hz, placed on the opposite side from the 12-string; short reverb.

Lead vocal

EQ: HP 80 Hz, −2 dB at 300 Hz, +3 dB at 3–5 kHz, air +2 dB. 1176 + LA-2A compression (6–8 dB). ADT or double at 30%. Slapback 100–120 ms + plate 1 s.

Backing vocals

Backing-vocal bus with HP 150 Hz, 6 dB compression, wide harmonies (60–100%), longer plate reverb; de-esser.

FX

Few: reverse cymbal in transitions, tape delay on the solo.

Buses and groups

Drum bus 4:1 with 3 dB + parallel; guitar bus glue 1–2 dB; mix bus with tape.

Sidechain

Not typical; possibly dynamic ducking of the guitars at 2–4 kHz from the vocal.

Master

Chain EQ → compressor 2:1, 2 dB → tape → limiter. Target −10/−8 LUFS (modern productions), −12/−10 for the 1970s sound. True peak ≤ −1 dBTP. PLR 9–12 dB.

Common mistakes

Guitars covering the backing vocals at 2–4 kHz; doubles made by copying the same take (phase and mono problems); bass without presence; master too loud, squashing the cymbals.

Reference tracks for the mix

Cheap Trick — Surrender (1978); The Knack — My Sharona (1979); Weezer — Buddy Holly (1994); Fountains of Wayne — Stacy's Mom (2003); Teenage Fanclub — The Concept (1991).

Reference listening

• The Who — I Can See for Miles (1967)
• Badfinger — No Matter What (1970)
• The Raspberries — Go All the Way (1972)
• Big Star — September Gurls (1974)
• Cheap Trick — Surrender (1978)
• The Knack — My Sharona (1979)
• The Romantics — What I Like About You (1980)
• Teenage Fanclub — The Concept (1991)
• Weezer — Buddy Holly (1994)
• Fountains of Wayne — Stacy's Mom (2003)