Retro-styled music engineered for universal appeal can drive global commercial success

Evidence

Yet the album propelled Pharrell forward at a time when his cultural influence had waned. His collaboration on Daft Punk’s breakout hit, “Get Lucky,” became a global sensation, reigniting his relevance and landing him a new solo deal. Soon after, he contributed a neo-soul track to the Despicable Me 2 soundtrack. The result, “Happy,” became the bestselling song of 2014. Built on gospel-inflected choruses and retro grooves, it was engineered for universal appeal. … The song’s twenty-four-hour music video sparked a worldwide phenomenon, inspiring fans everywhere to film themselves dancing and singing along. — W. David Marx, Blank Space, 390

Categorization

• CANDY: ‘Happy’ being the bestselling song of 2014 and spawning a 24-hour dance-video phenomenon is an easy conversational fact.
• XREF: Supports the ‘omnivore monoculture’ thesis: universal-appeal music that flattens difference into a retro groove anyone can sing along to.