Pop is a genre of popular music that originated in its modern form
during the mid-1950s in the United States and the United Kingdom. The
terms popular music and pop music are often used interchangeably,
although the former describes all music that is popular and includes
many disparate styles. During the 1950s and 1960s, pop encompassed
rock and roll and the youth-oriented styles it influenced. The terms
remained roughly synonymous until the late 1960s, after which "pop"
became associated with music that was more commercial, ephemeral, and
accessible.Although much of the music that appears on record charts is
seen as pop music, the genre is distinguished from chart music.
Identifying factors usually include repeated choruses and hooks, short
to medium-length songs written in a basic format (often the
verse-chorus structure), and rhythms or tempos that can be easily
danced to. Much pop music also borrows elements from other styles such
as rock, urban, dance, Latin, and country.David Hatch and Stephen
Millward define pop music as "a body of music which is distinguishable
from popular, jazz, and folk musics". According to Pete Seeger, pop
music is "professional music which draws upon both folk music and fine
arts music". Although pop music is seen as just the singles charts, it
is not the sum of all chart music. The music charts contain songs from
a variety of sources, including classical, jazz, rock, and novelty
songs. As a genre, pop music is seen to exist and develop separately.
Therefore, the term "pop music" may be used to describe a distinct
genre, designed to appeal to all, often characterized as "instant
singles-based music aimed at teenagers" in contrast to rock music as
"album-based music for adults".Pop music continuously evolves along
with the term's definition. According to music writer Bill Lamb,
popular music is defined as "the music since industrialization in the
1800s that is most in line with the tastes and interests of the urban
middle class." The term "pop song" was first used in 1926, in the
sense of a piece of music "having popular appeal". Hatch and Millward
indicate that many events in the history of recording in the 1920s can
be seen as the birth of the modern pop music industry, including in
country, blues, and hillbilly music.
during the mid-1950s in the United States and the United Kingdom. The
terms popular music and pop music are often used interchangeably,
although the former describes all music that is popular and includes
many disparate styles. During the 1950s and 1960s, pop encompassed
rock and roll and the youth-oriented styles it influenced. The terms
remained roughly synonymous until the late 1960s, after which "pop"
became associated with music that was more commercial, ephemeral, and
accessible.Although much of the music that appears on record charts is
seen as pop music, the genre is distinguished from chart music.
Identifying factors usually include repeated choruses and hooks, short
to medium-length songs written in a basic format (often the
verse-chorus structure), and rhythms or tempos that can be easily
danced to. Much pop music also borrows elements from other styles such
as rock, urban, dance, Latin, and country.David Hatch and Stephen
Millward define pop music as "a body of music which is distinguishable
from popular, jazz, and folk musics". According to Pete Seeger, pop
music is "professional music which draws upon both folk music and fine
arts music". Although pop music is seen as just the singles charts, it
is not the sum of all chart music. The music charts contain songs from
a variety of sources, including classical, jazz, rock, and novelty
songs. As a genre, pop music is seen to exist and develop separately.
Therefore, the term "pop music" may be used to describe a distinct
genre, designed to appeal to all, often characterized as "instant
singles-based music aimed at teenagers" in contrast to rock music as
"album-based music for adults".Pop music continuously evolves along
with the term's definition. According to music writer Bill Lamb,
popular music is defined as "the music since industrialization in the
1800s that is most in line with the tastes and interests of the urban
middle class." The term "pop song" was first used in 1926, in the
sense of a piece of music "having popular appeal". Hatch and Millward
indicate that many events in the history of recording in the 1920s can
be seen as the birth of the modern pop music industry, including in
country, blues, and hillbilly music.
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