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A song is a relatively short musical composition for the human voice (possibly accompanied by other musical instruments), which features words ( lyrics). It is typically for a solo singer, though may also be a duet, trio, or for more voices (works with more than one voice to a part, however, are considered choral). The words of songs are typically of a poetic, rhyming nature, although they may be religious verses or free prose. Songs can be broadly divided into many different forms, depending on the criteria used. One division is between " art songs", " popularSee also: popularity. Popular can refer to: # Popular (song a song released by Nada Surf in 1996 on the album High/Low on the label Elektra Records. Popular (tv series a short-lived teenage drama series on The WB starring Leslie Bibb and Carly Pope. songs", and " folk songsFolk music in the original sense of the term, is music by and of the people. Folk music arose, and best survives, in societies not yet affected by mass communication and the commercialization of culture. It normally was shared and performed by the entire". Other common methods of classificationClassification may refer to: Taxonomic classification the act of placing an object or concept into a set of categories (such as a taxonomy or a subject index), based on the properties of the object or concept. A person may classify the object or concept a are by purpose ( sacredIn religions, sacred (from Latin, sacrum "sacrifice"; or simply in English, "holy") items are believed by followers to be intimately connected with the supernatural, or divinity, and are thus greatly revered. For example, pagans consider the Earth sacred, vs secularSecular in its most common meaning, means "outside religion". It can be used in a neutral sense, e. when at the end of the 17th century most sonatas were used in church services, a "secular" sonata meant nothing more than a sonata not used in a church ser), by styleClothing, see Fashion Writing, see style guide Flower part, see Flower Style (manner of address) Chinese courtesy name, see zi Web design, see Cascading Style Sheets Sundials, see sundial See also Manual of Style. ( danceDance generally refers to human movement either used as a form of expression or presented in a social, spiritual or performance setting. Dance is also used to describe methods of non-verbal communication between humans or animals ( bee dance, mating dance, balladA ballad is a narrative, rhythmic saga of a past affair, which may be heroic, romantic or satirical, almost inevitably catastrophic, which is related in the third person, usually with foreshortened alternating four- and three-stress lines ('ballad meter'), Lieder, etc.) or by time of origin ( Renaissance, Contemporary, etc). The performer of a song is called a " singer" or "vocalist", the act is called singing.
Art songs are songs created for performance in their own right, or for the purposes of a European upper class, usually with piano accompaniment, although they can also have other types of accompaniment such as an orchestra or string quartet, and are always notated. Generally they have an identified author(s) and require voice training for acceptable performances. The German word for song, " Lied" (plural: "Lieder"), is used in French and English-speaking communities to refer to the serious art song, whereas in German-speaking communities the word "Kunstlied" (plural: "Kunstlieder") is used to distinguish art song from folk song ("Volkslied"). The lyrics are often written by a lyricist and the music separately by a composer. Art songs may be more formally complicated than popular or folk songs, though many early Lieder by the likes of Franz Schubert are in simple strophic form. They are often important to national identity.
Art songs feature in many European cultures, including but not limited to: Russian (romansy), Dutch (lied), Italian (canzoni), French (mélodies), Scandinavian (sånger), Spanish (canciones). Cultures outside of Europe may have what they consider to be a classical music tradition, such as India, and thus feature art songs.
Popular songs are songs which may be considered in between art songs and folk songs. They are usually accompanied in performance and recording by a band. They are not anonymous in origin and have a known authors. They are often but not always notated by their author(s) or transcribed after recording and tend to be composed in collaboration more often than art songs, for instance by an entire band, though the lyrics are usually written by one person, usually the lead singer. Popular songs are often a part of individual and cultural, but seldom national, identity. Performers usually often have not undergone formal voice training but highly stylized vocal techniques are used. Many people consider songs in popular music to have in general simpler structures than art songs, however, musicologists who are "both contemptuous and condescending [of popular music] are looking for types of production, musical form, and listening which they associate with a different kind of music...'classical music'...and they generally find popular music lacking" (Middleton 1990, p.103).
Folk songs are songs of often anonymous origin (or are public domain) that are transmitted orally. They are frequently a major aspect of national or cultural identity. Art songs often approach the status of folk songs when people forget who the author was. Folk songs are also frequently transmitted non-orally (that is, as sheet music), especially in the modern era. Folk songs exists in virtually if not every culture. For more on folk songs, see Folk music.
For a list of influential songs, see: