In response to Ross's argument, I feel as if popular music is able to become popular through its production. By using catchy beats and choruses they are able to convey messages that are true to their beliefs and also to the beliefs of other peers.
             One compelling example is R. Kelly's recent release "I wish", where he stylizes his lyrics around a flowing melody that circles a catchy chorus of children's voices chanting, "I wish". However, where most "pop" music seeks to convey a message about some universal topic, R. Kelly's "I wish" takes advantage of the pop genre in order to define his personal struggle with confronting the reality of death.
             In my opinion, being able to express to the world your personal feelings and beliefs, and to actually have the world listen, conveys an exceptional amount of power. In fact, some pop singers gain more power and respect from a larger part of the population than most world leaders. Being that the genre is geared towards people between the ages of 10-25, a large percent of the population is affected by the massages that pop singes express through their lyrics. This message is ultimately received after the group or solo artist gains the respect of the listeners. This respect can be achieved in a variety of ways. The three most outstanding ways are defined below. Often times an artist is discovered through the endorsements by another, more popular artist. This case is most evident when looking at Eminem, who owes much of his popularity to his mentor, Dr. Dre. Another one of the ways to advance status is by being recognized by a major record label. This element has a positive effect on the production quality, which is another factor that can help one achieve popularity in this business. Although the label you're on is a causal variable in your production quality, the 2 factors are on necessarily correlated. In fact, it is possible ...