
流行/摇滚--Pop/Rock 西方流行音乐介绍(2)
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流行/摇滚让人觉得可能是个含糊不清的概念--在其被视作一种流行乐很久之前,摇滚是又上口又有旋律感的。从1960年代的早期开始,几乎所有的流行音乐都多少折射出摇滚乐的影响,或者说是一种相互的影响。但纯粹的流行乐的确费了一些时候才接受了来自摇滚乐中的一连串儿的重拍,并且直到1970年代初--当第一代摇滚乐迷成长为成人的时候--真正的、份量合适的流行/摇滚风格才变成了音乐的主流(与摇滚乐之前的1960年代中吸引了大量听众的人声流行乐相反)。
Naturally, pop/rock''''''''''''''''s primary focus was on melody — as big, catchy, and instantly memorable as possible, whether the song was a rocker, ballad, or midtempo in-betweener. But the other, less immediately apparent aspect of pop/rock was its emphasis on the professional craft of record-making. The songs were tightly constructed, with no wasted space or prolonged detours from the melodic hooks. The production was clean, polished, and bright, making full use of the advances in recording technology (and technique) that had taken place over the course of the ''''''''''''''''60s. In general, pop/rock was catchy and energetic enough to appeal to younger listeners, but clean and safe enough for adults as well. Pop/rock, however, was not soft rock; it''''''''''''''''s important to realize — hard as it may be to imagine today — that the big hooks, rock instrumentation, and definite backbeat gave pop/rock an energy that would have been too edgy for more conservative listeners who hadn''''''''''''''''t grown up with rock & roll.
很自然地,流行/摇滚基本点是旋律的关注--大气,上口,最好能立刻记住,无论这歌是首摇滚的,民谣的,还是居中不温不和的。但从另一侧面看,流行/摇滚不为众人所知的是对于专业录音方面的关注。歌曲结构很紧凑,既没有浪费的地方又没有在旋律上故意拖延吊人胃口,制作上则干净无暇,明亮华丽,充分运用录音技术的优势(和技巧)的情况在1960年代已经大量出现。普遍上来说,流行/摇滚是易于上口和活力充沛,足以吸引年轻听众的,同时又干净安全到足以满足成人听众。但是流行/摇滚毕竟不是软摇滚,因此要格外意识到--它可以如今日的音乐一样的硬--大气的调调,摇滚器乐的演奏,还有坚硬的节奏,给予流行/摇滚一种对于多数保守的,不是伴随摇滚乐长大的听众来讲过于锐利的力量。
Naturally, with its commercial accessibility, pop/rock produced some of the biggest stars of the ''''''''''''''''70s, such as Elton John, Peter Frampton, Paul McCartney & Wings, and Fleetwood Mac; it continued on into the ''''''''''''''''80s with Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen, Hall & Oates, George Michael, and many others. In the ''''''''''''''''90s, pop/rock became largely the province of well-established veterans, as alternative rock, urban R&B, hip-hop, and teen pop took over the pop charts to the exclusion of most everything else.


