It may be the same in all respects except time of occurrence, but our temporal nature ensures that this difference is perceived. In Western culture, it is recognized that repetition creates musical structure. Yet, I would argue that we privilege the sameness of repetition and do not generally recognize the difference. Because of this unawareness, the existence of repetition is noted, but its effect is either ignored or seen as negative beyond a certain amount. In fact, many pop songs are successful largely because of their repetitiveness.
Repetition is used extensively at multiple levels in pop music.
I will present analytical examples from Stevie Wonder's songs that illustrate ways in which repetition is used as a positive compositional element at the level of the note, the gesture, the beat, the groove, the phrase, and the song section. Even though the sounds can make it seem otherwise, today's electronic dance music genres preserve arrangement schemes associated with live rhythm sections. Form cannot live by sequencer alone. These songs exhibit a refreshing formal openness that has helped to shape talk around the genre, in particular by encouraging narrative conceptions of form. I discuss the relation of timbre, generic reference and production practices to the construction of form.