Power pop is a music genre which is a more aggressive form of pop rock. [1] Although its mainstream success peaked in the late 1970s and early 1980s, the genre continues to influence new artists. [2]
The following list is divided in two sections. The first section includes notable power pop bands and solo artists, while the second section includes power pop songs by power pop artists, as well as power pop songs by artists whose main music genre is not power pop. Solo artists are listed alphabetically by last name, and groups are listed alphabetically by the first letter (not including the article "the").
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Artists: 0–9 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z Songs |
Synth-pop is a music genre that first became prominent in the late 1970s and features the synthesizer as the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s and early 1970s by the use of synthesizers in progressive rock, electronic, art rock, disco, and particularly the Krautrock of bands like Kraftwerk. It arose as a distinct genre in Japan and the United Kingdom in the post-punk era as part of the new wave movement of the late 1970s.
Big Star was an American rock band formed in Memphis, Tennessee in 1971 by Alex Chilton, Chris Bell, Jody Stephens (drums), and Andy Hummel (bass). They have been described as the "quintessential American power pop band", and "one of the most mythic and influential cult acts in all of rock & roll". In its first era, the band's musical style drew influence from 1960s pop acts such as the Beatles and the Byrds, producing a style that foreshadowed the alternative rock of the 1980s and 1990s. Before they broke up, Big Star created a "seminal body of work that never stopped inspiring succeeding generations" according to Rolling Stone. Three of Big Star's studio albums are included in the Rolling Stone list of the Top 500 Albums of All-Time.
Power pop is a subgenre of rock music and form of pop rock based on the early music of bands such as the Who, the Beatles, the Beach Boys, and the Byrds. It typically incorporates melodic hooks, vocal harmonies, an energetic performance, and cheerful-sounding music underpinned by a sense of yearning, longing, despair, or self-empowerment. The sound is primarily rooted in pop and rock traditions of the early-to-mid 1960s, although some artists have occasionally drawn from later styles such as punk, new wave, glam rock, pub rock, college rock, and neo-psychedelia.
The Knack was an American rock band based in Los Angeles that rose to fame with its first single, "My Sharona", an international number-one hit in 1979.
"My Sharona" is the debut single by the Knack. The song was written by Berton Averre and Doug Fieger, and it was released in 1979 from their debut album, Get the Knack. It reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, where it remained for six weeks, and was number one on Billboard's 1979 Top Pop Singles year-end chart.
"Surrender" is a single by Cheap Trick released in June 1978 from the album Heaven Tonight. It was the first Cheap Trick single to enter the Billboard Hot 100 chart, peaking at number 62. Its success in Japan, as well as the success of its preceding singles "Clock Strikes Ten" and "I Want You to Want Me", paved the way for Cheap Trick's concerts at Nippon Budokan in Tokyo in April 1978 which were recorded for Cheap Trick at Budokan, the group's most popular album.
"Good Girls Don't" is a 1979 hit single written by Doug Fieger and released by the rock band The Knack, off their album Get the Knack. It was the follow-up to the group's number-one hit single, "My Sharona". "Good Girls Don't" was a No. 1 hit in Canada. It reached #11 on the Billboard Hot 100, #10 in Record World, and #11 in Cash Box, as well as No. 66 on the United Kingdom chart. It also reached No. 20 in New Zealand. The song has since been covered by a number of artists, including The Chipmunks, Ben Folds, The Chubbies, and The McRackins.
"Hanging on the Telephone" is a song written by Jack Lee. The song was released in 1976 by his short-lived US West Coast power pop band the Nerves; in 1978, it was recorded and released as a single by American new wave band Blondie.
Movin' Up is the debut album for the rock/pop trio the Elvis Brothers. The album was released in 1983 on Portrait Records. The album was recorded at the Power Station in New York City, and produced by Lance Quinn and Tony Bongiovi.
Zoom is the fifth studio album released by the Knack in 1998. It marked a second attempted comeback by the Knack, after their first attempt in 1991 with Serious Fun fizzled. Terry Bozzio served as the drummer on the album in place of Bruce Gary. The album received positive reviews, including one that described it as the Knack's best effort since their debut album. The album was re-released several years later as Re-Zoom with three bonus tracks.
"Teacher I Need You" is a song written by English musician Elton John and songwriter Bernie Taupin, and performed by John. It was first released on John's 1973 album Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player. The lyrics tell of a schoolboy's crush on his teacher, and the music evokes the sound of 1950s songs.
"Never Had a Lot to Lose" is a song by the American rock band Cheap Trick, which was released in 1989 as the fifth and final single from their tenth studio album Lap of Luxury (1988). It was written by lead vocalist Robin Zander and bassist Tom Petersson, and produced by Richie Zito. The song reached No. 75 on the Billboard Hot 100.
"You're All I Wanna Do" is a song by American rock band Cheap Trick, which was released in 1994 as the second single from their twelfth studio album Woke Up with a Monster. The song was written by Jim Peterik, Rick Nielsen, Robin Zander, Terry Reid and Tom Petersson, and produced by Ted Templeman.
World So Bright is the debut album by the American musician Adam Schmitt, released in 1991. Schmitt supported the album by opening for the BoDeans on a North American tour.
Big White Lies is the second album by the American musician Chris Von Sneidern, released in 1994. He supported the album with a North American tour.
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: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link). The Sunday Times .Erratic, but at their best ("Kung Fu" fast, "Goldfinger" slow) these Irish teens are power-pop heartthrobs....
the Barracudas were more accurately a sharp balance between the harder-edge of new wave power pop and a freewheeling, mid-1960s L.A. revivalism.
But I like the idea of Blondie going from power pop to power cabaret
the sublimely romantic power pop of Blondie
this eschews the aggressive power pop for which they're known
Alex Chilton--already the inventor of self-conscious power pop
a record by 1970s United States power pop band Earth Quake
On his latest release, the wry songwriter continues to show that his forte is fast-paced power-pop tunes
the Last have maintained a consistent style of potent power-pop
it also made clear that Loud Family was going to push the outer edges of power pop harder than Game Theory
"Remember December" marks Lovato's headfirst dive into power-pop on sophomore album "Here We Go Again," released only a year after her debut.
The 'Mats drummer continued to make driving, appealing power pop as a solo artist.
It all started with '60s Anglophile power pop outfit The Nazz
That show completely erased the distinction between the Old 97s' early alt-country material and their later power-pop songs
This Dallas outfit (...) gradually transformed from pioneers of alt-country to one of the sleekest and winningest power pop bands around.
The band's discography is made up of infectious, power-pop anthems professing love for girls who "don't know they're beautiful," according to one hit, with a sexual innuendo thrown in here and there.(subscription required)
a 1979 song by the power-pop band the Rubinoos
A New Mexico band that makes irresistible retro power-pop.
The band makes comfort-food power-pop, pure and simple, and they're total pros at it.
Mould, who anchored the influential Eighties punk band Hüsker Dü and the Nineties power-pop trio Sugar.
power-pop artisans the Sunnyboys
Two Hours Traffic (...) crafts some highly delectable power pop
Mike Viola, a big name in power-pop circles
XTC began to emerge as a band that married rock to power pop with sublime results.
Paperback Writer" revolves on a Power Pop chord sequence highly reminiscent of The Who's recent "Substitute.
"Jesus Christ" is a straightforward power pop Christmas song, full of hopeful mock-biblical lyrics.
the power-pop throwback "Maria"
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: CS1 maint: location (link)The opener from Guitar Romantic is a blown-out, modern power pop classic.
"Come Anytime" sounds like a great lost power pop single from the genre's golden age.
The Disney factory's latest tween idols serve up purity-ring power pop.
that came in the form of the power-pop track "Paranoid," which became yet another Top 40 hit for the brothers Jonas in 2009.
Classic LA power pop.
"Walking Out on Love," a power-pop obscurity by the late-Seventies band the Nerves
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: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link). Pitchfork.one of the strongest, most power-pop songs the band has done to date, "Can't Get a Line".
"Another Girls, Another Planet," a CBS import, mines an art-punk/power-pop vein more effectively than their good album track debut.
The Only Ones classic, "Another Girl, Another Planet," later covered by the Replacements among others, is formally perfect power-pop from the edges where jadedness almost replaces desire
The title track of Perry's 2008 breakthrough blockbuster One of the Boys (...) might still be the most power-pop and one of the best things she's done.
"The Story" - a can't miss power-pop track that hits somewhere between Liz Phair and the Donnas.
one of the Romantics' best-known tracks: the power pop gem "That's What I Like About You."
the bubblegum power pop confection of "Buddy Holly"
One of The Who's greatest achievements : four minutes of pure "power pop" with added razor-wire guitar and a Daltrey vocal that splattered teenage angst over the minds of radio listeners everywhere.
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: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link). AllMusic.