Music genres > Pop music

Pop Music

Derived from the word "Popular", Pop music, in the broadest sense of things, is music that aims to communicate with and please the ear of a large amount of people from the broadest range of ages and musical tastes. This genre of music originated in its modern form during the 1950's and came from the world of Rock and Roll.

Nowadays, the term is used interchangeably with the description of popular music, which can encompass many different styles. The main goal is usually to be melodic and easy music that reflects existing trends and can have mass audience appeal, rather than being avant garde, pushing the edge, making a statement, or having much artistic depth.

Pop songs are known to have catchy hooks, choruses and melodies. Just like pop culture, which absorbs all kind of elements from various sources and cultures, a pop tune can have infinite musical genes in its DNA – Rock n Roll, Folk, R&B, Hip Hop, Dance – even African music. Today, however, Pop music is usually referred to as the type of music you can hear on mainstream media outlets, rehashed on famous brands such as American Idol and Glee. It is usually commercially recorded and its sound is mostly electronic, and draws equally from Hip Hop and R&B on one hand, and European dance music on the other.

Pop music artists range from classic icons such as Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra and the Every Brothers in the 1950's to Simon and Garfunkel, The Carpenters, Dianna Ross, Olivia Newton-John, Barry White, Stevie Wonder in the 1960s' and 1970's, Duran Duran, Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, and boy bands like: New Kids on the Block and Take That in the 1980's and 1990's , to the Jonas Brothers, Miley Cyrus, and Justin Bieber in recent years since the millennium.

As can be seen, Pop music is still going strong. The many radio stations that play and even focus on this genre, the tv talent shows and the stardom of pop singers prove that the appeal and popularity of this musical style hasn't waned and is here to stay.