While “ballad” originally refers to a poem (usually set to music) or a story told in a song, the term has since taken on a new meaning from the 20th century.
In jazz and popular music, the term “ballad” denotes a short song in a slow tempo, usually with a romantic or sentimental text, though the term is also used for instrumental pieces. “Ballad” is also used in modern pop and folk music for a (usually faster) strophic narrative song, analogous to the older poetic term “ballad”. They are often regarded as the blatant opposite of a true dance track.
Casting directors often divide songs into two categories: "ballads" (slower or sentimental songs) and "up" tunes (faster or happier songs). A power ballad is an emotional song, generally a love song, delivered with power often using rock instruments.
