From Elvis to Adele.
Text: Christoph Dieffenbacher
Even today, songs have a marked influence on international pop culture. The individual voice is as important as the lyrics in conveying the message.
In truth, Julia Landmann prefers operatic arias. She also finds herself deeply moved by Elvis Presley’s gentle vibrato, awakening childhood memories of dancing around the living room table as her mother played songs by “the King” on cassette. Today, as a lecturer in English Basel University’s Department of Languages and Literature, she examines the English-language pop songs consumed by millions of listeners — and she likes to get her students involved in the process.
Timbre, expression, emotion.
“The successful pop hits of recent years differ quite substantially in their tonal quality, expressiveness and emotional depth,” says Landmann. Nuances even come into play when we ask why a particular singer’s voice is so appealing: “Adele’s warm, full voice can make people feel close and connected to her. A clear, high mezzo-soprano such as that of Taylor Swift sounds like youthful levity, while Ed Sheeran’s gentle and melodious tenor conjures an intimate ambience.”
Singers also have different accents and pronounce words differently. Some songs deliberately use the language of underprivileged demographics or marginalized groups — for example, Rihanna integrates elements of her Caribbean heritage into her music.
Today, Landmann explains, pop voices — and their instrumental accompaniment — are tonally optimized and calibrated for an audience of millions, alongside elaborate marketing campaigns. We have reached the point at which concerts focus not on an artist’s individual voice, but rather on staging it for mass impact: “This is particularly clear in the theatrical stage performances of Madonna and Lady Gaga — for me, their versatility is unparallelled.”
By contrast, the voices of renowned singer-songwriters such as Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen don’t sound particularly attractive; they tend to be thin and croaky. According to Landmann, this lends them particular authenticity and makes them highly recognizable. The content and message of their songs become more significant than how they sing the notes. For example, Dylan’s anti-war song “Blowin’ in the Wind” became the anthem of an entire movement back in the 1960s.
Strident, not soft.
It is clear that pop stars’ voices always convey certain political and social messages. In her studies of pop music history, Landmann has noticed that traditional gender clichés may start to unravel: Over time, female voices have become less soft and gentle, and can even be loud and strident. At the same time, men’s voices have tended to become softer. A similar development can be seen in U.S. entertainment films since the 1950s.
From heartbreak to social criticism: Some pop songs follow the dominant norms and values of their time, while others present a radical challenge. Songs that innovate and break with tradition, however, remain in the public consciousness for longer. And in addition to unforgettable voices, it is often simple physical gestures that endure — such as the famous hip thrusting that provided an alluring accompaniment to the songs of “Elvis the Pelvis.”
More articles in this issue of UNI NOVA (May 2025).