In simplest terms, baroque
pop is a form of music that conflates rock 'n roll with classical.
Like music from the Baroque
period, this style is characterized by ornate sound arrangements. A typical baroque
pop song would include strings, harmonies, and amiable vocals. Though certainly not limited to the following, other instruments commonly found in baroque
pop include: horns, pianos, mellotrons, and harpsichords.
Baroque
pop began as a commercial product, which meant that most songs followed the composer-producer-performer formula that dominated popular music before the time of rock 'n roll (and still wildly popular, even amongst rock 'n roll, during the mid-'60s, when baroque
pop first emerged). Songs were typically aimed toward teenagers, and in typical
pop fashion, themes mostly centered around teenage romance.
Baroque
pop, even to this day, has many faces. Sunshine
pop, a sound pioneered along the West Coast during the 1960s, shares characteristics with baroque
pop. Many Northern soul, bubblegum, and psychedelic
pop songs fall under the category of baroque
pop as well. Even today, many rock 'n roll artists show influence by incorporating lush melodies, harmonies, and instrumentation into songs.
Two of the most popular baroque
pop albums are 1966's Pet Sounds and 1967's Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. Though baroque
pop's origins are not definite, many believe that the sound was pioneered by The Zombies with the release of their first single, "She's Not There", in 1964.