What is Pop? Categorized as a genre of music, “Pop” is ordinarily referred to as songs by female pop stars such as Taylor Swift, Sabrina Carpenter, and Chappell Roan. However, this genre is so much more than that. Rather than a subcategory, Pop is a showcase of evolutionary genres mixing together and can be titled as many different things. First, we’ll talk about how we arrived at the Pop Music we know and listen to today.
Between the 1950s-1960s, Pop was introduced through popular bands like The Beatles, and even The Rolling Stones. While both tended to sway back and forth between the metaphorical scale of Pop and Rock, this was when Pop became more mainstream. Later, in the 1970s, Disco became popularized through hit songs like “September” by Earth, Wind, and Fire. The emergence of Disco, in all actuality, is a continuation of Pop and its reign. Bands like Abba especially cashed in on Pop’s popularity, with having released more than a dozen hit songs such as “Dancing Queen”, “Mamma Mia”, and “Lay All Your Love On Me” just to name a few. Combining a catchy synth beat with a touch of classic piano, songs like these just feel light and airy… and so very Pop!
Another notable Pop artist of the 1970s is the legendary Elton John. His contribution to the genre was glam-rock mixed with synth music and more classic piano, giving us hit songs like “Rocket Man” and “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart”. As his music carried us into the 1980s, artists like Wham!, a-ha, and Madonna began their influence. Catchy bubblegum-like hits such as “Take On Me” and “Everybody Wants To Rule The World” introduced a more synth-feeling tune to categorize in Pop Music. This electronic feel continued to the 2000s and 2010s, where Pop really began to take a shape similar to where it is today. Dancefloor-worthy tunes such as “Party in the USA” and “Call Me Maybe” got released, with very spunky yet floaty beats evolving into upbeat tempos and powerful female pop stars.
In modern times, Pop stands as a primarily woman-empowered genre of music, with chart toppers like Olivia Rodrigo, Taylor Swift, Sabrina Carpenter, Chappell Roan, and Charli xcx making and breaking records in the entire music industry. With Taylor Swift’s 263 songs that have charted on the Billboard Hot 100, Sabrina Carpenter’s newfound popularity with her recent album “Short n’ Sweet”, and Charli xcx’s recent “brat summer” influence, I think the genre of Pop is in good hands. It will continue to evolve, like plenty of other genres do. In the meantime, enjoy this landmark in Pop’s everlasting music history.