Although there may be certain gaps when it comes to defining pop music stylistically, among its common denominators are catchy melodies and more or less upbeat rhythms. However, there are many artists who have dared to slow down the tempo and, thereby, continue to triumph among the public.
Etymologically, the word slow-phobia is the “fear of slowness. ” As is the case with other words composed of this suffix, coming from the Greek phóbos , the feeling aroused is not so much fear, but a certain aversion or rejection towards what is being talked about . Regarding "slow", in a musical context we can define it as any style that presents a more or less decelerated rhythm , something traditionally related to ballads - of a romantic nature -, but which also includes other musical currents such as jazz , blues or soul .
A priori, all these styles are far from what a typical person would consider pop, commercial, or mainstream music . When we turn on the radio, open Spotify or look at a hit list, we find songs that have a series of common characteristics in all of them: a strong base, a composition that seeks to attract the listener —turned into a consumer of a product that makes up the song itself— and a duration that makes its consumption affordable, generally no more than four minutes.
Constant variations in tempo
The reality, however, is that the set of the greatest musical hits of each year presents very variable time signatures . According to an analysis carried out by the BBC , the average of the 20 most important songs in the United Kingdom during the first half stands at 122 BPM - beats per minute -, which constitutes a record for the first time. rise since . On the other hand, the minimum tempo of the last decade was found just three years ago, , when it fell to a figure close to 105 BPM. It should also be noted that the great winner of that season throughout the world - Despacito , by Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee - was below 90 BPM, that is, it has a notably slow rhythm despite the fact that its percussion or dembow invites you to dance it.
Data aside, the progressive decrease in beats in recent years has been especially palpable in house music . In the middle of the last decade, we witnessed the rise of a new wave of electronic music very different from the sound of Avicii or David Guetta. What was called tropical house , a term with initially derogatory connotations, has largely marked the road map and served as a catapult for a new generation led by producers such as Robin Schulz, Jonas Blue and, especially, Kygo .
Pop artists and sounds… not so pop
In this that is so different in every way, one of the world's pop superstars has surprised by releasing a work very far from his usual sound. Taylor Swift , an artist who had her first hits with songs like Love Story , country -style , took advantage of the months of confinement due to the COVID-19 pandemic to capture what she herself defined as her “whims, dreams, fears.” and reflections” on an album called Folklore , in reference to the indie folk sound that composes it. Songs like Cardigan , The 1 or the collaboration with the group Bon Iver in Exile continue within the most important charts around the world , something that is surprising due to the contrast of sounds with respect to the rest of the songs present in them, and also if We compare them with Taylor's previous albums.
But if there is one name that has captured all the attention of critics in the last year, it is Billie Eilish . The most awarded artist at the Grammys is known among the public for her most danceable and commercial song, Bad Guy , although it is the depth of the compositions that most characterizes her sound . Following the release of When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? , the album that launched her into orbit, some previous songs such as Come Out And Play or Idontwannabeyouanymore also entered the charts , while her latest single to date, My Future —also composed during confinement and clearly influenced by soul by Amy Winehouse— has slipped into the top ten of Billboard , the reference list in the United States.
Ballads that never go out of style
To finish this analysis of the most successful slow songs, we cannot forget other great singers especially known for their more melodic compositions. At the beginning of the last decade and after triumphing with Rolling In The Deep , Adele sang about heartbreak and broke all records thanks to Someone Like You , a phenomenon that would be repeated a few years later in an even more virulent way. with Hello , which topped the charts in nearly 40 countries. The also British Ed Sheeran began in music composing only with his guitar, and after his most commercial releases - the albums Multiply and Divide , and pop songs such as the multi-award-winning Shape Of You - he gained enormous notoriety with his ballads Thinking Out Loud and Perfect . Such was the success of the latter that, 140 weeks after its entry on the UK chart, it continues to be one of the most listened to songs currently in the country.
