For Popular music (music that is "popular", rather than being of a specific genre or style), see Popular music.

For the 1979 song by "M", see Pop Muzik.

Pop music is a genre of popular music distinguished from classical or art music and from folk music *Frith, Simon (2001). The Cambridge Companion to Pop and Rock, p.94. ISBN 0521556600.. The term indicates specific stylistic traits, but the genre also includes artists working in many styles such as (rock, hip hop, rhythm and blues (R&B), and country), making it a flexible category. It may also be referred to in some cases as soft rock or pop/rock.

Characteristics as a subgenre

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Pop "is designed to appeal to everyone" and "doesn't come from any particular place or mark off any particular taste." In musical terms, it is essentially "conservative" in that it attemps to resonate with a large segment of its target demographic rather than pushing artistic boundaries. It is "provided from on high (by record companies, radio programmers and concert promoters) rather than being made from below..." (Frith 2001, p.95-96).

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NPR Topics: Pop Music

The Celtic Journeys of Loreena McKennitt
Sun, 04 Nov 2007 10:00:00 -0500
McKennitt fell in love with Celtic music many years ago, but a late-'90s visit to Venice gave her a new appreciation for the wide reach of Celtic culture. Her new album is a concert recording from an unlikely Celtic outpost: Spain. She visits NPR for an interview and in-studio performance.
Nickel Creek Farewell (For Now) Concert
Fri, 02 Nov 2007 13:30:00 -0500
When Nickel Creek began as a bluegrass trio in 1989, its pre-teen members stunned audiences with their remarkable musical gifts. Since then, their sound has evolved into progressive acoustic music, but they're calling it quits. Hear Nickel Creek recorded live in concert in one of the band's final performances.
Over the Rhine in Concert
Fri, 02 Nov 2007 11:01:00 -0500
Over the Rhine has taken on a variety of forms since 1989, but it's now just the husband-and-wife duo of Linford Detweiler and Karin Bergquist. Hear the bittersweet folk-pop band perform a concert from WXPN and the Whitaker Center in Harrisburg, Pa.
Dreamy Vocals and Jarring Chords Collide
Fri, 02 Nov 2007 10:20:00 -0500
In "Signing Off," the L.A. band Oliver Future performs an anthem of collective hope and universal despair. But, as with so much successful commentary about large-scale conflict, it allows the wide-angle shot of the battlefield to zoom in at eye level.
Instrumental Hard Rock, Teasing as It Pummels
Thu, 01 Nov 2007 14:45:00 -0500
Drawing from sources as disparate as Black Sabbath, the indie-instrumentalists in Tortoise and the self-flagellating noise-masters in Swans, the instrumental hard rock of Pelican's "Winds with Hands" whispers as much as it shouts.
Orba Squara: Diving into Emotion
Thu, 01 Nov 2007 14:41:00 -0500
Orba Squara burst onto the national music scene when its song "Perfect Timing" was featured in an iPhone TV commercial. Thrown into a whirlpool of popularity, the band has quickly leaped from anonymity to instant fame. Hear an interview and performance.

VH1 News

Game Says He Wasn't Taking A Shot At Eminem In Leaked Track
Thu, 24 Jul 2008 19:56:00 -0400
Game said he wasn't taking a shot at Eminem in the recently leaked track "My Life." "The more I looked at it, I realized that people would take it the wrong way," he said.
Twilight' Cast, Crew Reveal Extended Scene, Confirm Robert Pattinson's 'Lullaby' At Comic-Con
Thu, 24 Jul 2008 20:45:00 -0400
The cast and crew of "Twilight" revealed an extended scene and hinted at Robert Pattinson's version of "Bella's Lullaby" at Comic-Con in San Diego.
Mariah Carey Plans 'Elaborate' Tour; Hopes For End To VMA Losing Streak, Rocky-Marriage Rumors
Thu, 24 Jul 2008 08:00:00 -0400
Mariah Carey is planning an "elaborate" fall tour in support of E=MC2; the singer is also hoping for an end to her VMA losing streak.
Nas And Bill O'Reilly Take Their Beef To The Air, As Fox News Host Denies Charges Of Racism
Thu, 24 Jul 2008 14:16:00 -0400
Bill O'Reilly responded to protests by Nas and ColorofChange.org on his show Wednesday, and Nas visited "The Colbert Report" to discuss the issue.
'X-Files: I Want To Believe' Is For Loyal Fans And Newcomers, Cast And Crew Insist
Thu, 24 Jul 2008 19:29:00 -0400
Chris Carter's "The X-Files: I Want to Believe," starring David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson, offers something for loyal fans and newcomers alike.
Timbaland Working Up Shock Value 2 With Rihanna, Beyonce, Jonas Brothers
Thu, 24 Jul 2008 08:00:00 -0400
Timbaland promises collaborations with Beyoncé, Rihanna, Madonna, T-Pain, the Jonas Brothers and many more on Shock Value 2.

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