07-16-2010, 08:55 AM
Quote:This is true. But surely, music for religious or court ritual is almost definitionally excluded from the meaning of popular music?
By whose criteria though? Off the top of my head, I seem to remember a big revival during the mid 90s for Gregorian chants due to Enigma. R&B, Soul, has very traceable roots and connections in Gospel music.
Leonard Cohen's 'Alleluia' has been covered by people like Jeff Beck, KD Lang, X-Factor show, and was in a Shrek movie for gods sake. While we could argue if Cohen's song is truly a hymn, it's hard to argue that it doesn't have any connection to it.
Or just wait around till christmas, and turn on most FM stations in North America, or go the nearest mall. That's probably the best time to catch pop artists scrambling over each other to release their covers of x-mas carols.
/can't wait for Lady Gaga's version of Joy To The World, video by Spike Jonez.