Polyphony in Popular Music

American Pop Music from 1960s – 1980s

Across the nation, people of all ages danced to popular songs in Rock, Rhythm and Blues, and Country styles in the 1960s and the decades that followed.  The music was widely distributed by FM radio and on vinyl albums.  Bands were touring and appearing on television. The Beatles, the Rolling Stones, the Doors, and Beach Boys were among the more popular Rock groups.  Dolly Parton, Johnny Cash, and Loretta Lynn were becoming famous in the County Music world.  Charlie Pride was the first Black singer to play at the Grand Ole Opry, and became a star.  Ray Charles was a crossover figure in both Country and R&B.  Other popular R&B groups included The Temptations and the Supremes.  Elvis Presley appealed to a broad audience, and Bob Dylan along with Simon and Garfunkel were popular poets and folk musicians.  Michael Jackson, David Bowie, and Elton John were innovative singer-songwriters.

Popular music in these styles was guitar-centric, with a vertical approach that relied on strummed chords. This resulted in homophonic textures for most tunes.  Song writers often wrote the lyrics and placed chord symbols over them without any other form of notation.  This was so common that a style of notating chord symbols called the “Nashville Number System” was developed for country music.  Few popular artists were classically trained or able to read music.  Needless to say, the linear approach to music required for counterpoint was not prevalent.

However, there were a number of talented songwriters and performing groups in these genres that took a layered approach to their arrangements.  If we expand our definition of counterpoint to include repeated short sequences as independent melodies, which was a foundation for much Minimalist music, there are a number of songs that exhibit contrapuntal features.  As in Blues and Jazz styles, active bass lines, counterlines, and linear reductions of the harmony are common.  See the Materials section for examples.

Paul McCartney of the Beatles used a fingerpicking style in Blackbird that is an excellent example of creating lines from the harmony and inversions that provide a melodic background to the melody.

Many of McCartney’s songs were arranged by George Martin, who produced the Beatles, including For No One and Eleanor Rigby.  (1984 recording)

Stevie Wonder frequently took a layered, linear approach in arranging the accompaniment to his songs.  Some examples are I Wish, Superstition, and Boogie on Reggae Woman.  His beautiful ballad, You and I, exhibits counterlines on several levels.

The Temptations recorded a multi-layered arrangement of Papa Was a Rolling Stone.  Their music is representative of what was known as Rhythm and Blues (R&B).

Tower of Power created an extremely active, layered linear composition in the classic funk style, What is Hip?

Michael Jackson wrote Billie Jean with an ostinato bass line and multiple supporting parts.

Sting arranged his song Every Breath You Take to include a melodic guitar part throughout, with a small string section and a piano part that adds linear interest.