There’s no guaranteed formula for writing a perfect pop song. If such an equation existed, record companies would be even more commercially driven than they are now. While the most memorable pop songs often reflect their specific eras, Beck has a few albums he considers essential for anyone looking to write pop hits.
However, Beck never prioritized crafting the next chart-topper when entering the studio. His discography is recognized for its unconventional style, and even after his breakthrough with “Loser,” which blended folk and hip-hop in a tongue-in-cheek manner, it was unlikely to resonate with mainstream hits like “Smells Like Teen Spirit” or “Jeremy.”
In a sense, Beck parallels the role of Talking Heads in punk rock; both engaged with their genres during their respective periods, yet their artistic approach—reflected in the sounds of Remain in Light or Odelay—was distinctly art-rock.
As Beck transitioned from the 1990s into the 2000s, he grew increasingly interested in writing pop, stating, “In a well-crafted song, something has to fly. You want something that can actually take off into the stratosphere. The classic songs are the ones with wings; they become part of your everyday life, like the Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds, the Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper, Michael Jackson’s Thriller, or Peter Gabriel’s So.”
Yet, comparing these albums isn’t straightforward. Although The Beatles and the Beach Boys shared a creative synergy, they didn’t necessarily target audiences the way Peter Gabriel did with “Sledgehammer” or Michael Jackson with “Billie Jean.”
It’s not just about musical genres or individual songs. The real strength of each album Beck mentioned lies in their creators’ willingness to explore uncharted territory. Even though Brian Wilson and Michael Jackson stayed within familiar styles, listeners were still taken aback the first time they heard “God Only Knows” and “Beat It.”
While The Beatles and Peter Gabriel prioritized song quality above all, their career paths mirror each other through Sgt. Pepper and So. The Fab Four transitioned from pop icons to art-rockers crafting conceptual masterpieces, while Gabriel drew audiences in with So, balancing mainstream appeal with unconventional tracks like “In Your Eyes,” “Mercy Street,” and “Don’t Give Up.”
Beck, too, experimented with diverse musical styles on albums like Colors, regardless of their commercial success. Like the legends before him, he recognized that following his passion, irrespective of outside opinions, was the key to the triumphs achieved by Gabriel and Wilson. Embracing that same ethos would have set him apart from the rest.
