Analysing Pop Music

Overview

This engaging and interactive 60-minute music lesson is designed for Year 9 students, aligned with the National Curriculum for Music in England. The focus will be on developing students' analytical listening and music literacy skills as part of their wider listening practice — specifically through an activity called "Do Wider Range", where they annotate a piece of pop or classical music. This lesson uses a carefully structured approach blending aural skills, music theory, and contextual understanding.

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Curriculum Alignment

Key Stage: KS3
Age Group: Year 9 (Ages 13–14)
Curriculum Area: Listening and Appraising / Musical Analysis
Relevant National Curriculum Specification:

• Pupils should be taught to listen with increasing discrimination to a wide range of music from great composers and musicians.
• Develop a deepening understanding of the music that they perform and to which they listen, and its history.
• Use staff and other relevant notations appropriately and accurately in a range of musical styles, genres and traditions.

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Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

• Identify key musical features such as melody, harmony, rhythm, texture, dynamics, instrumentation, and structure.
• Annotate a musical score or graphical representation with analytical comments.
• Express informed opinions using appropriate music vocabulary.
• Recognise stylistic traits of contemporary pop music vs. classical features.

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Resources Needed

• Audio system or smartboard
• Printed or digital annotated lyric sheets / lead sheets of the selected pop/classical track
• Copies of a listening framework worksheet (provided below)
• Whiteboard and markers
• Headphones for independent listening (if available)
• Highlighters and coloured pens

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Prior Knowledge

Students should already have:

• A basic understanding of the Elements of Music (MAD T SHIRT: Melody, Articulation, Dynamics, Texture, Structure, Harmony, Instrumentation, Rhythm, Tempo).
• Some experience in musical vocabulary and identifying elements aurally.

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Lesson Breakdown

⏰ Starter Activity (0–10 mins) — "What Can You Hear?"

Objective: Students begin thinking critically about music.

1. Play a 30-second excerpt of an unfamiliar pop or classical track without revealing the title.
2. On mini whiteboards or paper, students write:
   • What instruments can they hear?
   • Is the texture thick or thin?
   • Is the melody conjunct or disjunct?
   • What mood does the music create?
3. Invite a few students to share and justify their answers aloud.

⚡ Tip: Encourage rapid-fire, intuitive responses — this builds confidence in listening.

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🎧 Main Activity Part 1 (10–25 mins) — Introduction to “Do Wider Range”

Objective: Introduce and model the annotation process.

1. Introduce the chosen piece of music. Recommended options for engagement:

   • Pop: “Someone Like You” by Adele (strong emotional delivery, simple arrangement).
   • Classical: “Pavane” by Gabriel Fauré (expressive, clear structure). (Pick based on class interest or alternate weekly.)

2. Distribute lyric sheets or score excerpts for the song. Play the piece in full once without interruption.

3. On the board, project the same lyric/sheet. Teacher annotates live, modelling how to:

   • Label sections (Intro, Verse, Chorus, etc.)
   • Describe dynamics using Italian terms and symbols
   • Highlight instrumentation (“Notice the string pad under the chorus?”)
   • Comment on emotional impact (“How do minor chords change the mood?”)

4. Encourage questions and contributions from students about the musical features they notice.

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📝 Main Activity Part 2 (25–45 mins) — Independent/Group “Do Wider Range”

Objective: Students annotate music in detail using guided framework.

1. Hand out the Listening Framework Worksheet, which includes prompts such as:

   • Melody: Is it stepwise or leaping?
   • Harmony: Major/minor? Any dissonance?
   • Instrumentation: Which instruments play a key role?
   • Rhythm: Are there syncopations or patterns?
   • Texture: Homophonic/polyphonic/monophonic?
   • Structure: Traditional verse–chorus, or something different?

2. Students either work in pairs or small groups to annotate their own copy of the piece using coloured pens and complete their listening worksheet.

3. Play the track again 1–2 times while students work independently or in their groups.

👂 Challenge Task (for early finishers): Compare a 30-second classical track with the pop one. How are they similar or different in terms of dynamics, harmony, and texture?

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💬 Plenary/Reflection (45–55 mins) — “The Music Speaks”

Objective: Share analysis, interpret meaning.

1. In a “gallery walk” format, place selected annotated sheets around the room.
2. Students walk around, making sticky-note comments on features they hadn't noticed before.
3. Class discussion:
   • What did others notice that you didn't?
   • How can different interpretations emerge from the same piece?

🎤 Optional Extension: Invite one group to present their annotations as if they were music critics.

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🧠 Homework / Extension Task (55–60 mins)

• Choose a different piece of music (pop or classical) at home.
• Using the same Listening Framework, annotate it and bring it in next lesson.
• Encourage the inclusion of a short paragraph reflection: “Why did you choose this track? What does it mean to you musically or emotionally?”

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Assessment Opportunities

• Formative assessment during pair/group discussion and plenary
• Verbal contributions and terminology during starter and plenary
• Quality, depth, and accuracy of the annotated music sheets and listening framework
• Optional formative writing homework opportunity

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Differentiation

• SEN/EAL: Provide keyword glossaries, sentence starters (“The melody feels ___ because…”), and visual aids (e.g., structure maps).
• Higher Ability Learners: Encourage the use of graphic scores or digital DAW annotation (if tech allows) or comparative analysis between styles.
• Behavioural Management: Use headphones for focused listening; set clear group expectations.

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Cross-Curricular Links

• English: Analytical writing through music descriptions
• Media Studies: Explore how music enhances narratives or branding
• History: Examine how classical music reflected the era of its composition

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Reflection for Teacher

• Were students able to articulate musical features confidently?
• Did the chosen piece engage a majority of learners?
• Could students apply terminology effectively in their annotations?
• Consider rotating genres each lesson to expand listening horizon.

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Supporting Materials

Listening Framework Worksheet (for annotation support)
Lead Sheet / Lyric Sheet (of selected track)
Slide Deck (showing vocabulary, elements, annotation examples)

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This creative and structured lesson helps students go beyond passive listening — it transforms them into musical detectives, decoding the structure, emotion and meaning behind well-known tracks. By empowering analytical thinking and confident use of musical vocabulary, students take one step closer to being articulate musicians and thoughtful listeners.