Pop music is a genre ofpopular music that originated in its modern form during the mid-1950s in theUnited States and theUnited Kingdom.[1] The termspopular music andpop 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 music encompassedrock and roll and the youth-oriented styles it influenced.Rock andpop music remained roughly synonymous until the late 1960s, after whichpop became associated with music that was more commercial, ephemeral, and accessible.
Although much of the music that appears onrecord charts is seen as pop music, the genre is distinguished from chart music. Identifying factors usually include repeated choruses andhooks, short to medium-length songs written in a basic format (often theverse-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, andcountry.
Below is a list of styles of pop music.
Traditional pop (also known asclassic pop andpre-rock and roll pop) isWesternpopular music that generally pre-dates the advent ofrock and roll in the mid-1950s. The most popular and enduring songs from this era of music are known aspop standards orAmerican standards. The works of these songwriters and composers are usually considered part of the canon known as the "Great American Songbook". More generally, the term "standard" can be applied to any popular song that has become very widely known within mainstream culture.
AllMusic defines traditional pop as "post-big band and pre-rock & roll pop music".[2]
Rock and roll (often written asrock & roll,rock 'n' roll, orrock 'n roll) is a genre ofpopular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s.[3] Itoriginated fromblack American music such asgospel,jump blues,jazz,boogie woogie,rhythm and blues,[4] as well ascountry music.[5] While rock and roll's formative elements can be heard in blues records from the 1920s[6] and in country records of the 1930s,[5] the genre did not acquire its name until 1954.[7]
Early pop music drew on thesentimental ballad for its form, gained its use of vocal harmonies fromgospel andsoul music, instrumentation fromjazz androck music, orchestration fromclassical music, tempo fromdance music, backing fromelectronic music, rhythmic elements fromhip-hop music, and spoken passages fromrap.[1][verification needed]
Below are genres that exclusively considered as subgenres of pop.
Note that music styles likedance,electronic,opera, andorchestra are not considered as standalone genres.
| Dark pop | |
|---|---|
| Stylistic origins | |
| Cultural origins | 1980s and 1990s |
Dark pop (often typeset with a hyphen) is a subgenre ofpop music that combines elements ofalternative andindie withpop music. It is characterized by its deep melancholic sound and minimalistic electronic production. Often dark pop features heavy synths, distorted guitars, and electronic drums.[8]
The trend began in the 1980s withgrunge, a genre that also dealt with depressing topics about heartbreak, loss and loneliness, similar to topics expressed in dark pop. By the 1990s, dark pop drew fromtrip-hop,gothic rock, andavant-garde traditions, evolving and disengaging into a distinct style that emphasized atmospheric texture and introspective storytelling. However dark pop isn't avant-garde, often having a more mainstream sound. Many artists also started to incorporate dark pop withpunk,rap andelectronic sounds. During the 2010s, these infusions became prominent as it gained mainstream traction by well known artists such asRina Sawayama who infused it with electronicclub music. A notable dark pop song, that also incorporated electronic sounds is singer and social media personalityBella Poarch's debut single "Build a Bitch".[9][10][11][12]
Below are styles of pop music blended with other standalone genres.
| Disco-pop | |
|---|---|
| Stylistic origins | |
| Cultural origins | Late 1970s |
Rolling Stone andThe New York Times have used the term disco-pop as early as 1976 and 1978 respectively. The publications referring to songs such as "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" byElton John andKiki Dee and "Heart of Gold" byBoney M. while stating the music of theSalsoul Orchestra was "material and arrangements are unalloyed disco pop."[13][14]Retrospectively, albums such asMichael Jackson'sOff the Wall have been referred to as the genre.[15] With the release ofSaturday Night Fever's film and album leading disco music to explode in popularity in 1978. This led to thousands of discotheque moguls and their patrons to mimic what hcontorted versions of dance culture.Tim Lawrence wrote on this phenomnen as interesting, but that "while the initial experience was thrilling, the effect soon began to fade or, worse still, jar. By 1979 the combination of the shrill white disco pop that had come to dominate the charts".[16]
Around the 2000s, some new songs were described as disco-pop, including "Sing It Back" byMoloko, "Murder on the Dancefloor" bySophie Ellis-Bextor.[17][18][19]
Allure stated in 2020 that there was a disco-pop revival in music, such asDua Lipa'sFuture Nostalgia andLady Gaga'sChromatica.[20] Other artists who contributed to the revival includedDoja Cat,Victoria Monet, andJessie Ware.[21]
| House-pop | |
|---|---|
| Stylistic origins | |
| Cultural origins | 1990s, United States |
House-pop (sometimes also called "pop-house")[22] is a crossover ofhouse anddance-pop music that emerged in early '90s.[23] The genre was created to make house music more radio friendly.[24] The characteristic of house-pop is similar todiva house music, like over-the-top vocal acrobatics, bubbly synth riffs, and four-on-the-floor rhythm. House-pop also has hip-hop influence.[23]
Below are subgenres of pop music that draw influence fronavant-garde artistic traditions.