# Could most modern popular music be described as a chaccone or passacaglia? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [December 19, 2021, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-most-modern-popular-music-be-described-as-a-chaccone-or-passacaglia/956298 "2021-12-19T01:25:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 2\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2021, 8:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-most-modern-popular-music-be-described-as-a-chaccone-or-passacaglia/956298/21 "2021-12-22T08:49:39Z")
From what I understand, an ostinato should be continuous. It’s not just a riff that repeats for a bit and then there’s a chorus or some other break, it is continuous. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2021, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-most-modern-popular-music-be-described-as-a-chaccone-or-passacaglia/956298/22 "2021-12-23T15:10:50Z")
Well, musicologist Allan Pollack uses the word to refer to the riff in the Beatles songs “I Want to Tell You” and “Day Tripper,” where it’s a typical rock riff (not continuous through the song). The latter , though, at least continues through the sung verse (like the Stones’ “Satisfaction,” but unlike in a lot of Stones songs with notable riffs.) But he may be stretching the term in a less serious context. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-most-modern-popular-music-be-described-as-a-chaccone-or-passacaglia/956298.md?page=1)