pop music

genrespop MYOO-zikfrom English

Popular music characterised by catchy melodies, simple structures, and broad commercial appeal.‌​‍​‌​‍​‌​‍​‍​‍​‌​‌​‌​‌​‍​‌​‌​‍​‍​‍​‌​‌​‍​‍​‌​‌​‌​‌​‍​‍​‍​‍​‍​‍

In Depth

Pop music is defined more by its commercial intent and audience than by specific musical features, t‌​‍​‌​‍​‌​‍​‍​‍​‌​‌​‌​‌​‍​‌​‌​‍​‍​‍​‌​‌​‍​‍​‌​‌​‌​‌​‍​‍​‍​‍​‍​‍hough it typically favours accessible melodies, verse-[chorus](/term/verse-chorus) structures, moderate length (3-4 minutes), and polished production. The term emerged in the 1950s to describe music aimed at a mass audience. Pop has absorbed elements from virtually every genre: rock, R&B, hip-hop, electronic, Latin, and country. The Beatles, Michael Jackson, Madonna, and Taylor Swift represent different eras of pop dominance. The genre's commercial power is enormous — pop songs can reach billions of streams, and the global pop music industry generates tens of billions in revenue annually.
Did you know?

The most-streamed song on Spotify is Blinding Lights by The Weeknd with over 4 billion streams — a pop song built on a synthesiser riff inspired by 1980s new wave.

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