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Lesson 4 of 5
  • Year 10
  • Edexcel

Later developments in pop music

I understand how pop music has evolved since the 1990s, and can create a contrasting section of music.

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Lesson 4 of 5
New
New
  • Year 10
  • Edexcel

Later developments in pop music

I understand how pop music has evolved since the 1990s, and can create a contrasting section of music.

Copyrighted materials: to view and download resources from this lesson, you’ll need to be in the UK and

Copyrights help

These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Pop ballads have continued to evolve through the use of music technology and by incorporating different musical styles.
  2. In verse-chorus form, contrast between the sections is important to maximise the impact of the chorus.
  3. This happens through using different textures and contrasting chords and drum grooves.
  4. Drum grooves in pop ballads often use reverb and are usually simple with a strong backbeat.
  5. They typically use drum fills to build energy at key moments.

Keywords

  • Overdubbing - overdubbing is the process of recording multiple layers of sound individually and layering them together in a piece of music.

  • Verse-chorus form - verse-chorus form is a common structure in popular music based around alternating verses and choruses.

  • Drum fill - a drum fill is a short variation in a drum groove, usually at the end of a phrase or section.

  • Reverb - reverb is a slight echo effect that can be added to a sound.

Common misconception

The main difference between the verse and chorus is the lyrics.

Although that is an important difference, the verse and chorus usually have contrasting moods. This is achieved by creating contrasting chord sequences, textures, rhythms and melodies, not just using different lyrics.


To help you plan your year 10 music lesson on: Later developments in pop music, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Encourage pupils to listen to pop ballads for inspiration for their drum beats. A good starting point would be a playlist of 'classic ballads'. Students might pick up specific drum patterns or grooves that will work effectively in their compositions.
Teacher tip

Equipment

DAW and MIDI keyboard

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

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