Did you parents ever come into your room when you a teenager playing music and ask why pop songs all sound the same nowadays?
'Er, no Dad, you're just saying that because you're old. Leave me alone to listen to Jojo!'
Well, sadly friends, your parents might have been right, because a video has just gone viral about a music theory that claims successful pop songs reel in listeners thanks to a phenomenon called the 'millennial whoop'.
Musician Richard Metzler is the man behind the idea and suggests songs such as Katy Perry's 'California Girls', Demi Lovato's 'Really Don't Care', CHVRCHES 'Mother We Share' and Frank Ocean's new track 'Ivy' all boast the same 'OoOoOoOoO' vocals in their chorus or hooks – the bit around the one-minute mark that says 'Hey, wait! You're about to hear the best bit, don't go anywhere.'
Metzler explains 'the millennial woop' as: 'A sequence of notes that alternates between the fifth and third notes of a major scale, typically starting on the fifth.
'The rhythm is usually straight 8th-notes, but it may start on the downbeat or on the upbeat in different songs. A singer usually belts these notes with an 'Oh' phoneme, often in a 'Wa-oh-wa-oh' pattern. And it's in so many pop songs it's criminal,' he adds.
According to the musician, pop music is inherently popular because it creates a sense of familiarity for listeners. Therefore, when they hear the same 'woop' throughout the genre, they're more inclined to ease into a piece of music they've never heard because it sounds familiar.
While the 'woop' is a common thread among pop musicians, controversy arises when it comes to asking who owns copyright of the catchy musical sequence.
In 2013, songwriter Ally Burnett attempted to sue Canadian singer Carly-Rae Jepsen and Owl City because of their song 'Good Time' as she claimed it was a copy of her own song 'Ah, It's A Love Song' because both had the same 'woop'.
Yup, this is actually a thing.
According to reports, Jepsen settled out of court but Owl City wanted to fight till the end and won £380,000 plus legal documentation to prove the 'woop' is a free-for-all.
Yay, more similar music…
Look, we love a good boogie to pop music just as much as the next person but given that a 2012 study has found that in the past 55 years, the range of melodies in songs has declined dramatically, we're worried we won't be able to tell the difference between our Biebers and Ushers before long.
Change it up, guys.
Watch the video on Metzler's theory below:
Katie O'Malley is the Site Director on ELLE UK. On a daily basis you’ll find Katie managing all digital workflow, editing site, video and newsletter content, liaising with commercial and sales teams on new partnerships and deals (eg Nike, Tiffany & Co., Cartier etc), implementing new digital strategies and compiling in-depth data traffic, SEO and ecomm reports. In addition to appearing on the radio and on TV, as well as interviewing everyone from Oprah Winfrey to Rishi Sunak PM, Katie enjoys writing about lifestyle, culture, wellness, fitness, fashion, and more.
