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- This is a page for the musical genre Europop in general. For the album Europop by Eiffel 65, see Europop (album).
Europop refers to a style of pop music that first developed in today's form in Europe, throughout the late 1970s. Europop topped the charts throughout the 1980s and ’90s. Some Europop stars came from France, Germany, Italy, Ireland and the Netherlands; but most were Swedish in origin. In the 1970s, such groups were primarily popular in continental countries, with the exception of the biggest Europop outfit ever, Swedish 4-piece ABBA, who achieved great success in the UK, where they scored a 19 top 10 singles and 9 chart-topping albums, and in North America and Australia. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Roxette and Ace of Base led Europop in American and British mainstream audiences. In the 1990s, pop groups like the Spice Girls and the Backstreet Boys were strongly influenced by Europop. One of the main differences between American and European pop is that Europop is generally more dance and trance oriented. In central Europe Italo disco (a.k.a. ’80s Eurodisco) and Euro House (a.k.a. ’90s Eurodance) (later) are the predominant attempts by young musicians to have a hit record in and beyond the borders of their own country.
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Term usage
The use of the term Europop differs between the United States, United Kingdom and the rest of Europe.citation needed In the United States, British and even Australian acts such as Kylie Minogue can be termed Europopcitation needed, while in the United Kingdom the term is used exclusively for acts from Continental Europe. British groups Girls Aloud, Take That, and Sugababes would never be referred to as "Europop" in their home country.
In Continental Europe, the term "Europop" is used to describe non English language hits of the late ’50s, ’60s, and early ’70s, mostly from France & Italy, before the ’70s Euro disco era, popularised by Scopitone jukeboxes in France and Cinebox/Coilorama in Italy. Since the late ’90s, the term has been more widely used to describe mainstream pop. This includes mainstream hits from all around Europe (influenced by ’90s Eurodance, a.k.a. Euro-House), boy bands and girl bands (especially from UK, Germany and Sweden)citation needed and low-tempo pop ballads.
Political meaning
As stated in the Encyclopedia Britannica Europop is "a form of popular music made in Europe for general European consumption." Because Europop usually contains traces of their national musical origins (language, use of instruments, arrangements) the genre generally stays within the cultural borders of Europe without crossing the Atlantic Ocean.
In this light as Europop being formed by local social cultural background the term 'Europop' has gotten a more political meaning in recent times. As stated in the upper section 'Europop' is used to describe non English language hits from Continental Europe. Within the boundaries of the European Union it can also be seen as a way to express a countries own cultural identity within the larger conglomerate of the united European countries. The term is also used by the Independent record companies in Europe gathered in Impala and AIM, the Association of Independent Music. Being faced with an 80% market dominance of the four Major (American based) record companies they started a lobby that states that cultural diversity is essential for the existence of a healthy music scene and market. They state that individual creativity within Europe is essential for innovation and progress. To flourish creativity requires diversity, plurality, fair competition and an open society. This idea is supported by the UNESCO with their global alliance for cultural diversity.
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- This page was last modified on 18 November 2008, at 18:55.
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