In our America, there are two types of people, those who have an infatuation with the past, and those who have absolutely no taste in music. While I turn to punk rock for my obsessive compulsive audio needs, my classmates, in almost every class turn to rap or pop music. These genres are way different, but share some characteristics. Rap and punk are platforms for self expression, and all three of these utilize catchy lyrics, rhymes, and sometimes share song structure.

   With that said, there is a substantial split between these three genres. For example, most rappers of today are solo projects, that rely on mass crowds and online presence to become popular, whereas underground music such as punk is almost always a band with multiple members, and almost always stays underground. There’s a big difference between the two. I think that much is definite, but why? That’s what needs to be explained.

    Whether or not you like the music that frequents radio stations and top 40 charts, you have to recognize there’s some sort of appeal in both. Otherwise, no one would like these genres, or any other for that matter. So let’s investigate a little, why are my favorite records still found stuffed behind the likes of Taylor Swift and Mac Demarco?      

Well, by principal of songwriting, this music is more accessible. Maybe not for all of us, especially not for me, but there is a definite wide appeal that these artists and their genres have. It’s more present in this kind of music than compared to punk or alternative or really anything else. It’s the commonality in songwriting, the themes of love and loss, missing out, all these things that teenagers, millennials even younger and older populations can relate too.

With punk rock and alternative music of all sorts, you have to experience the contents of those songs. You can’t watch a music video, or a reality show and automatically sympathize with the contents of a punk rock song. Yes, of course there are some common themes relatable instances, but not everything is the same. Not everything is different, but it’s not all constant. I believe that’s the biggest difference. In the end, commonality, relatability, and overall appeal is what makes popular music popular.