2013 Greatest Pop & Movie Hits: Piano Book

Coates strikes the balance that makes students actually want to practice. The arrangements capture what made these songs radio staples without requiring advanced technique, so students hear themselves playing something recognizable and current rather than a simplified version of it. Having movie themes alongside pop hits gives your students variety within one book, and the 96 pages mean you're getting substantial material that works across an entire year of lessons.

Opening this book feels like stepping into a radio station frozen in 2013, with singalong pop melodies sitting comfortably under accessible piano voicings. Movie themes give the collection a cinematic sweep, grounding you in the emotional worlds of The Hobbit and Downton Abbey alongside the immediate familiarity of "Good Time" and "Girl on Fire."

Piano students working at easy levels who connect with contemporary music and want immediate reward from their practice time. Teachers looking to bridge the gap between classical studies and popular repertoire will find this collection energizes reluctant learners and keeps advancing students engaged between recitals.

• Let the recorded accompaniments guide your students' sense of tempo and groove, especially on the uptempo pop tracks where locked rhythmic feels matter. The tracks preserve the original character without drowning out the piano part.
• Balance melody and harmony in pieces like "When I Was Your Man" by giving the right hand a gentle singing quality while keeping left-hand chords supportive rather than heavy.
• Mark the key signature changes between pieces if your student plays through multiple songs in one practice session; moving from one key center to another without a reset moment creates confusion.
• Encourage expression with dynamics on the movie themes, particularly "Misty Mountains" and the Doctor Who theme, where atmospheric playing sells the narrative quality of the original.

Assign selections as rewards between technique-focused pieces, letting students experience the satisfaction of playing current hits they recognize. Program one or two of the movie themes in a formal recital to show parents the range of material their children are developing, and use the pop standards as flexible repertoire for spring or summer students who study for shorter periods.

• Reading chord symbols and understanding chord voicings in modern pop contexts
• Balancing melody against rhythmically active accompaniment patterns
• Maintaining steady tempo with syncopated rhythms in contemporary pop styles
• Controlling dynamics to enhance lyrical phrasing in ballads
• Sight-reading across multiple key signatures and time signatures