With new generations come new forms of musical styles and expression, especially surrounding the messages which musicians and artists convey through their art. Throughout history, there have been various genres which young people resonated with that greatly influenced the overall culture of the time period.

One of these styles has spanned for many decades, shifting from the Beatles to Bowey, from Elvis to Elton. Considering “pop” stands for “popular” music, this genre has been a long enduring staple of music culture. The reason for this prominence is that pop has always, for the majority, encompassed the cultural and social views of young people at the time. Themes like love, heartbreak, loss and hope, combined with a catchy rhythm and melody creates the perfect recipe for a good pop song.

Over time, the genre even began to incorporate elements of other styles during different eras. For instance, the 70s and 80s saw pop music blended with funk, disco and even punk rock. These forms of music were often reflective of the protest movements going on, such as the Peace Movement and Civil Rights Movement. During the 90s and 2000s, hip hop and grunge music were introduced to the mix, eventually evolving into the various pop styles present on the radio today.

“Sometimes, we [MAD Orchestra] branch out and play pieces that are more ingrained in pop culture, but those still follow the European standards and convention,” Daniel Chung (’24) said. “To play, I tend to prefer classical since the arrangements allow for more depth since a lot of the melodies popular in pop culture tend to be memorable partially due to simplicity.”

Of course, there have been many music styles throughout history which have played an influential role in inspiring the youth of the time. The MAD Music Department concerts tend to showcase them, offering students with many opportunities to play songs from various genres. From pop songs like Taylor Swift’s “Shake it Off” to old classics like Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin,’” Madison’s music department seeks to express a diverse repertoire of styles.

“Ultimately, I try to have a variety of things so there’s some music students know, some stuff that’s new, and from different time periods,” Madison’s choir teacher Claire Rowan said. “If we get different types of things, we also connect to our audience, because our audience is high schoolers, it’s their parents, and it’s their grandparents.”