From now on, every blog post will be accompanied by a video podcast. The podcast provides an introduction, whilst the blogpost explores the topic in greater detail. The podcast is in Dutch, but YouTube translates it into English on demand. If you like, you can also watch the podcast on your smart TV.
What is art?
Of course, the first question is ‘what is art’. Opinions differ on the answer. Yet certain elements recur in the various views: originality, recognisability, passion, craftsmanship and recognition over a longer period by ‘connoisseurs’ and/or the public. In any case, whether a work was commissioned or not plays no role. Rembrandt was a commercial painter, and Bach did nothing else than composing for his employers.
For instance, Rembrand’s painting ‘The Night Watch differs from other ‘tableaux de la troupe’, significantly. Rembrandt opted for a distinctive interpretation, in terms of colour and composition, whilst others aimed for a faithful representation of the group. In doing so, he crossed the boundary between craftsmanship and art, although it took a long time for this to be widely recognised.
Incidentally, outstanding craftsmanship often derives its value from the fact that it is rare and is therefore called art. In my view, this is unjustified. Craftsmanship can never be appreciated enough, but don’t confuse it with art.
My previous post was about craftsmanship in popular music. For many artists, recognition as a craftsman or -woman is the primary goal, partly because of the potential for commercial success. In an earlier post, I showed that in the 1960s a growing group of musicians sought recognition in the world of art. Additionally, in a podcast to Christmas and New Year 2026, I played a number of tracks that I consider to be quintessential examples of artistic expression in pop music. This blog post and the accompanying podcast build on that.
Ramses Shaffy: ‘Zing, vecht, huil….’
This song is more than just a ‘song’; it is Shaffy’s philosophy of life, which a section of the audience embraces. This is also because the song is well-crafted musically. It is certainly a masterpiece.
Lyrics
The ‘hook’ (key phrase) is a series of words, each given equal emphasis, which are sung along to in unison. The rest of the lyrics are also brief, but the message comes across loud and clear.
Music
The melody consists almost entirely of small steps that follow the underlying chords – ‘classical’ triads. This makes it easy to sing along, but you’ll need to have a look at the lyrics. The chorus with the ‘hook’ phrase stands out from the rest of the melody because it is ‘more explosive’, ‘higher’ and ‘more open’, whilst the rest of the lyrics are partly spoken. As the song progresses, the melody swells and takes on the character of an ‘anthem’.
Shaffy’s art?
In ‘Zing vecht, huil…’, the lyrics and harmony together express an almost existentialist motto for life. Shaffy’s enthusiasm resonates with and spreads to the audience, partly because the song is easy to sing along ‘at the top of one’s voice’. The audience experiences it as an authentic story carried by the lyrics and the melody, one that fits the person Shaffy. Moreover, it is not a stand-alone achievement, but part of a series of musically clever, poetic and timeless songs, often sung together with Liesbeth List, such as ‘Pastorale’.
Hendrick Lamar: We gon’ be alright’
For Kendrick Lamar, each album is a work of art. The songs are its carefully crafted building blocks. His work is laden with awards, including 27 Grammy awards. Five of these are for the single ‘Not Like Us’. In 2018, he became the first musician outside the fields of classical music and jazz to receive the Pulitzer Prize. the nominal emancipation of hip-hop is thus a fact. His performance at the Super Bowl LIX half-time show on 9 February 2025 attracted 133 million viewers and was widely praised, despite (or because of) his political stance. Lamar is undeniably a master of his craft.
Lyricx
Given the spoken-word format, the bar for this and other tracks is set extremely high. Lamar tackles social issues (race, identity, discrimination and trauma) through layered metaphors. The assurance ‘We gon’ be alright’ serves as a mantra, just like ‘Zing, vecht, huil….’ The lyrics carry the song.
Music
He blends jazz and soul with hip-hop. This is most evident in his 2015 album ‘To Pimp a Butterfly’, the first of his five number-one albums on the US ‘Billboard 200’. He employs jazzy chords, inspired by Miles Davis, with plenty of dissonance, which he uses to further heighten the tension in his music videos. His songs are primarily intended to be listened to and watched rather than yo be sung along to. The tracks draw the listener into a rhythmic flow and feel like a novel or a film.
Lamar art?
I’m not into hip-hop, nor am I into Lamar. But after watching his videos repeatedly, my appreciation for the artistic quality of his work has increased. The lyrics are personal, clever, daring and multi-layered, and the musical ‘backdrop’ is more varied than that of most rappers. He has been writing songs and poems since he was young, experimenting with musical styles and bringing them together in various music videos and films. His Pulitzer Prize was seen as a sign that the American cultural elite formally recognises hip-hop as a legitimate artistic medium. He has been called one of the greatest songwriters of our time and compared to Bob Dylan.
ABBA: Dancing queen
This track deserves even more credit for its craftsmanship than the previous ones. Why?
Music
The composition meets all the technical standards one might expect. The piece is instantly recognisable from the very first bars. This remains true even when played solely on the piano. Nevertheless, the melody is far from simple, owing to the presence of many large intervals and rich chords. It consists of a series of short sections, each with its own distinctive ‘hook’. Musically, there is a sense of transparency, despite the use of synthesizers and the polyphonic vocals.
Lyrics
The numerous ‘hooks’ and the structure ensure that parts of the lyrics can be sung along to in no time at all. The lyrics delve less deeply than Shaffy’s song, but they do capture what is going on in the ‘Dancing Queen’ and the audience senses that. Nevertheless, the lyrics serve the melody.
Is ABBA art?
Many familiar with ABBA’s work might agree that this is a perfect example of craftsmanship. In this respect, it is no different from the ‘catchy’ song ‘Happy’ by Pharrell Williams that I played in my previous post. However, after listening to it a few times, ‘Happy’ holds no surprises whatsoever and the lyrics consist largely of repetitions. The song is certainly sing-along and danceable, but easily interchangeable. When you listen to ‘Dancing Queen’, you hear more.
The melody of ‘Dancing Queen’ is hardly predictable, and yet the song is highly recognisable. Here, a comparison with Mozart’s compositions is obvious. ‘Dancing Queen’ is not just cheerful. The song has ‘layered’ lyrics with a melancholic and nostalgic undertone that refers to the transience of beauty and youth. This is partly why many of ABBA’s songs are still pop classics 40 years on, with plenty of life left in them.
A closer look at some recognised ‘pop’ artists
Bob Dylan is regarded as one of the finest lyricists in the history of pop music, with ‘Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door’ as one of his best works. The lyrics sound like a poem; the melody carries these lyrics, but that is all there is to it. This raises the question of whether leading singers draw their strength from either their lyrics or their melodies.
Of the ‘best songwriting duo’ in popular music ever, Lennon and McCartney, the former was celebrated primarily for his introspective lyrics and the latter for his compositional skill. But few are familiar with the music he composed in 1967 for the film ‘The Family Way’.
He himself does not necessarily consider his compositional skills to be his strongest point. It is no coincidence that his autobiography (2021) is titled ‘The Lyricks: 1956 – Present’, and he refers to his time at grammar school, where his affinity for classical English literature was developed.
Once again, it is confirmed that it is the qualities of Lennon & McCartney, both individually and together, that are responsible for the high artistic standard of a large part of their oeuvre in particular during the period 1967–1971.
Incidentally, there are many other contemporary singers who can be praised for both their craftsmanship and their artistic merit. I am thinking of Taylor Swift, Lana Del Rey and Billie Eilish. The latter two will soon be featured in a new series of three podcasts, each accompanied by a blog post. In my Dutch-language top ten at the end of 2023, I expressed my appreciation for the Dutch singers Boudewijn de Groot (Testament), Eefje de Visser (Ongeveer), S10 (Adem je in) and, in first place, Maarten van Roozendaal (Mooi). What strikes me about these songs is the quality of the accompaniment, the beautiful vocals, the poetic lyrics and their significant difference in language and style. It is this last aspect that sets them apart from the songs of decades past. They have become much more personal. Therefore, listen to ‘Mooi’ by Maarten van Roozendaal.
Music: Listen, Look and Enjoy 