Pop Theory in Practice: Teaching the Building Blocks of Modern Hits

Music theory was originally developed to describe and explain the Euroclassical repertoire. While its foundations remain essential, relying on traditional theory alone to teach commercial songwriting and production is a bit like giving students an old map to navigate a city that has transformed. Drawing on systematic analysis of today’s chart-topping songs, this session introduces frameworks that expand traditional theory to include the elements, patterns, and conventions that define today’s commercial music landscape.