Poptimists Review of 2006: Genre Of The Year

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

What was the sound of 2006? That's what we're asking in the second of our end of year polls, discussing the genre of the year. Contenders - drawn from your nominations - include...

Teenpop: Teen confessional and pop narrative (a la High School Musical) drove the genre on in '06 - more teen than ever.
R&B: From Bouncy's hi-gloss dramas through Ciara and Justin's takes on the Prince legacy to Cassie's minimal precision.
Electro: Still the sound of the clubs in 06 (like I'd know) and with big high street traction too.
Emo: The comment box's friend and the parent's foe - whatever it is, it's selling.
Nu Rave: A shot in the arm for indie or a lame NME concoction? 2006's most enigmatic genre.

(A special note: I didn't put "POP" in cos it's all pop, innit. I went for Teenpop as a more specific option, and one picked by as many people.)

[Poll #891678]

You can still vote in yesterday's poll - and still nominate in the remaining 8 categories. Final results collated in the new year!

Tomorrow I'm at home, with YouTube access, which means it's a good day to do the Video Of the Year poll.

Comments

[piratemoggy.livejournal.com]

I was more trying to say that the current r'n'b sounds fit into the umbrella genre of electro, as I see it, than say that they're especially influenced by it. Obviously everything trails back to the invention of the keyboard etc. but I'm more thinking about the pan-genre use of electronic instruments. I dunno, I find it interesting that r'n'b, a genre that's (in the UK, anyway) had its difficulties in the last few years gains something of a renaissance by using electronic instruments and stuff when electro had seemed to be on the plunge pre-Confessions On A Dancefloor. At least, that's my perception of it... I dunno.

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

Did r&b ever plunge OR stop using electro sounds though? Maybe because it was so ubiquitous 1999-2002 that it seemed like a plunge (and yeah the Rich Harrison retro production was responsible for its two biggest moments since) but - if we take as read that the turn-of-century Golden Age of r&b was predominantly electro - since 2003 there's been:

- 'Yeah' by Usher
- All the Ciara singles
- All the other crunk'n'b (Mariah Carey's comeback, Teairra Marí, Cassie, Brooke Valentine)
- 'Lose My Breath' by Destiny's Child
- 'Baby Boy' and 'Naughty Girl' by Beyoncé; 'Touch' by Amerie
- the Scott Storch shiny production style used by 50 Cent, Pussycat Dolls et al
- a host of riddim-based dancehall knock-offs (Rihanna, Nina Sky, Lumidee et al)
- 'Lose Control' by Missy & Ciara