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19 September 2018, 17:24 | Updated: 19 September 2018, 17:28
From augmented chords to a random incredible theremin part, these pop songs all give a very pleasing nod to the classical world.
These are undoubtedly the best pop songs of all time (if youâre a classical musician).
Aside from Britneyâs iconic vocals, what makes âToxicâ so great is that jarring tritone in the refrain. Itâs an unexpected moment of dissonance, and itâs all the more awesome coming from Britney.
Britney Spears - Toxic (Official Video)
Itâs impossible to count the number of tempo changes, key changes and bizarre instruments The Beach Boys used to create their biggest pop hit. From a chorus with one of the greatest modulations in music history to an unexpected appearance from a theremin, âGood Vibrationsâ is the model of an incredible pop song.
The Beach Boys - Good Vibrations
Weirdly, the bassline of âI Want You Backâ is nearly as important as its melody. It starts with a thrilling glissando on keys, followed by a battle between the bassline and rhythm guitar line. Then, a third, completely independent line â the main melody â is added over the top, creating ACTUAL THREE-PART COUNTERPOINT. It gets better and better the more you listen to it.
7. Jackson 5 - I Want You Back
A killer pop song with⊠a killer cello part. How often can you say that? âEleanor Rigbyâ is just one example of McCartneyâs creative genius. Both the lyrics and harmony of âEleanor Rigbyâ are eerily melancholic â and thatâs largely down to those eerie marcato strings.
Read more: âEleanor Rigbyâ proves that Paul McCartney wouldâve been a genius Lieder composer
The Beatles - Eleanor Rigby (From "Yellow Submarine")
Tonally, âLovefoolâ never quite makes up its mind. It starts in A minor and occasionally switches into the major, before properly landing in A major for the chorus. But then, the chorus repeats and just when it seems like itâs going to finish in a major key, weâre back to A minor and into the next verse. Itâs a tonal tug-of-war, and itâs just brilliant.
The Cardigans - Lovefool
A bottle of white, a bottle of red⊠the intro of âScenes from an Italian restaurantâ is constantly undercut with those beautiful descending piano phrases. But then, weâre hit with a dramatic tempo change (at 3.36): the octave-jumping semiquavers come in, leading into one of the catchiest solo jazz piano sections in the pop-rock history. Itâs the best.
Billy Joel - Scenes from an Italian Restaurant (Live at Jazz Fest 2013)
Gaga outed herself as a true music geek when she opened the music video to her 2009 hit with Johann Sebastian Bachâs Fugue in B minor from The Well Tempered Clavier. We always knew she seemed like someone whoâd enjoy a bit of Baroque counterpoint action.
Lady Gaga - Bad Romance
From a squealing soprano saxophone to a parpy, rhythmic trombone-tuba duet undercutting Roger Hodgsonâs vocals, Supertramp are big fans of the brass section. They also use a pleasing harpsichord-esque setting on their keyboard in the opening two bars. We like.
Breakfast In America
âLife in a Northern Townâ, most famous for its chorus, is a song brimming with nostalgia, something that's mainly achieved, somewhat unexpectedly, with the wistful sound of an oboe. The instrumentation is dominated by acoustic guitar and various keyboards, but the oboe cuts through beautifully.
[HD] Dream Academy - Life In A Northern Town
The instrumental passages in âSheâs like a Rainbowâ might now have been used in about fifteen various car and perfume adverts, but they are still brilliantly original. The opening keyboard refrain, along with the descending strings, sound just like a tinkling music box.
The Rolling Stones - She's A Rainbow (Official Lyric Video)
Otherwise known as the âdemoâ setting on everyoneâs childhood keyboard, âJust the Way You Areâ opens with a beautifully soothing electric piano solo â but itâs the saxophone solo, expertly performed by Phil Woods, that really takes the biscuit. Have a listen from 3:00.
Billy Joel - Just the Way You Are (Audio)
Paul McCartney called it âthe killer song of all timeâ â and its power comes from a bunch of really simple, but really emotive piano chords. The way Nilsson uses the opening chords to build up to the climax of the chorus, only to bring us straight back down again, is just agonising.
Harry Nilsson Without You 1972 HD
It might not be one of BeyoncĂ©âs more melodic creations, but there are some really interesting bits of music theory going on here. The âEâ which runs throughout the song acts as a drone under Beyâs main pentatonic melodies, giving the song a modal feel. But then, she throws in some unexpected chords in the form of siren noises over the top. Why? Because sheâs BeyoncĂ© and she can.
Beyoncé - Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It) (Video Version)