The millennial whoop is a vocal melodic pattern alternating between the fifth note — the dominant —and the third note — the mediant — in a major scale, typically starting on the fifth, in the rhythm of straight 8th-notes, and often using the "wa" and "oh" syllables.[1] It was used extensively in 2010s pop music.[2][3]
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\new Staff {
\set Staff.midiInstrument = #"clarinet"
\tempo 4 = 120
\relative c' {
\time 4/4
\key f \major
r8 c'8( a8 c8 a8 c8) r8 c8 r8 c8( a8 c8 a8 c8 a4)
}
}
\drums {
ssl4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
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>>](http://upload.wikimedia.org/score/e/2/e2zc1ay6xf4r0daidgjic1hyj49q9eb/e2zc1ay6.png)
Overview
editIn the slavishly playlisted, gnat's-attention-span world of daytime radio, the Whoop has become a signalling device, often cropping up bang on cue around the one-minute mark, saying: "Hey wait! Don't run away just yet!"
—Music blogger Gavin Haynes[2]
The term was coined by the musician Patrick Metzger, who described it in a blog entry on The Patterning in August 2016.[1] He suggested that, while the millennial whoop gained popularity from the late 2000s to 2010s, it has probably always been around.[4] An earlier use can be heard in the 1984 song "Jungle Love" by The Time, and, arguably, in Baltimora's 1985 hit "Tarzan Boy".[5]
The 2017 song "Millennial Whoop" by American rock band the Pilgrims was written as a response to the idea of older generations looking down upon the younger for using such tropes: the song makes use of the interval pattern.[6]
Lawsuit
editIn 2013 songwriter Ally Burnett sued Carly Rae Jepsen and Owl City over their 2012 song "Good Time", arguing similarities to her 2010 song "Ah, It's a Love Song" and its use of the millennial whoop.[2] Jepsen settled out of court, but Owl City won.[2]
Uses
editSongs where the millennial whoop appears include:
- "Jungle Love" (1984, Morris Day and the Time)[5]
- "Tarzan Boy" (1985, Baltimora)[1] (the B-part of the ABAB-structured chorus)
- "DuckTales" (1987, Mark Mueller)[7]
- "Aaya Mausam Dosti Ka" (1989, Maine Pyar Kiya) (parts similar to "Tarzan Boy")[8]
- "In the Shadows" (2003, The Rasmus)[1][2]
- "Use Somebody" (2008, Kings of Leon)[5]
- "Tik Tok" (2009, Kesha)[9]
- "Looking for Paradise" (2009, Alejandro Sanz featuring Alicia Keys)[5]
- "Bad Romance" (2009, Lady Gaga)[5]
- "California Gurls" (2010, Katy Perry)[5]
- "Till the World Ends" (2011, Britney Spears)[5]
- "Good Time" (2012, Carly Rae Jepsen and Owl City)[2]
- "The Mother We Share" (2012, Chvrches)[10]
- "Habits (Stay High)" (2013, Tove Lo)[1]
- "Really Don't Care" (2013, Demi Lovato featuring Cher Lloyd)[10]
- "Ivy" (2016, Frank Ocean)[10]
- "This Is Me" (2017, from The Greatest Showman) [11]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c d e Metzger, Patrick (August 20, 2016). "The Millennial Whoop: A glorious obsession with the melodic alternation between the fifth and the third". The Patterning. Retrieved 2016-09-19.
- ^ a b c d e f Haynes, Gavin (August 30, 2016). "The Millennial Whoop: the melodic hook that's taken over pop music". The Guardian.
- ^ Bui, Hoai-Tran (August 29, 2016). "What is the 'millennial whoop' and why is it in every pop song?". USA Today.
- ^ Bartleet, Larry (September 1, 2016). "What Is The Millennial Whoop? Once You Hear This Virulent Pop Hook You Won't Be Able To Unhear It". NME. Retrieved 3 September 2016.
- ^ a b c d e f g Epstein, Adam (August 27, 2016). ""The Millennial Whoop": The same annoying whooping sound is showing up in every popular song". Quartz.
- ^ "The Best Vermont Music of 2017 (So Far) – County Tracks". County Tracks. 2017-06-22. Retrieved 2017-10-23.
- ^ NerdSync. "Why the DUCKTALES Theme Song is Stuck in Your Head Right Now...", YouTube. 4 November 2017. Retrieved 23 December 2017.
- ^ "10 Bollywood Movies With Blockbuster Soundtracks". MensXP.com. 2 May 2013. Archived from the original on 7 March 2015. Retrieved 2 February 2017.
- ^ Menta, Anna (August 30, 2016). "All Of Today's Pop Songs Are Basically The Exact Same, According To New Theory". Elite Daily.
- ^ a b c O'Donnell, Carey (August 29, 2016). "The Theory of the "Millennial Whoop" Might Be The Key To A Hit Pop Song". Paper. Retrieved May 18, 2019.
- ^ "Best Original Song 2018".
External links
edit- Original blog entry on thepatterning.com
- Metzger, Patrick (February 28, 2017). "Why do so many pop songs sound the same?". Retrieved 2017-11-14 – via YouTube.