Pop music (often called simply pop) is a genre of popular music distinguished from classical or art music and from folk music.[1] The term indicates specific stylistic traits such as a danceable beat, simple melodies and a repetitive structure. Pop music often includes elements of rock, hip hop, reggae, dance, R&B, funk, and sometimes even folk. The pop music genre often involves mass marketing and consumer-driven efforts by major record companies, which makes it an often scorned genre by other musicians.
Demographics of Pop MusicAs records, CDs and DVDs became cheaper, the age of the average consumer of pop music dropped dramatically. In the early years of recordings, artists like Frank Sinatra sang about affairs, champagne and night clubs; lyrics that appealed to the investors, business, and classy market. As records became cheaper, teenagers were able to afford to influence the market especially during the promotion of the worldwide Beatles tours. In recent years children have become one of the largest music markets, reducing the age of the average consumer of pop music drastically.
Young people have always been interested in fashions and spend their money on new artists. Whereas the previous generation tend to keep to their favourite artists, young people conform more to peer pressure. This conforming creates waves of commercial support for particular artists and establishes pop music as an important mediator of youth culture. Because of this pop music has historically been the source of numerous moral panics; parents viewing explicit and suggestive lyrics as gateways to immorality and blaming pop music for perceived increases in objectionable behaviour within youth culture.
History of Pop Music1890s through 1920sThe dance music element of western pop music can be traced back to Ragtime, which was initially popular in African American communities, and mainly disseminated through sheet music and player pianos. Ragtime turned into Swing, an early form of Jazz that was enjoyed as much for its dance ability as its mutability. It is important to note that the clarity of the instruments (brass in particular) and punchy nature of the rhythm helped to ensure that these music forms were the first to be recorded and pressed onto primitive record discs. Both of these dance forms originated in African communities, and spread to white communities especially through venues that would hire black performers. Even early Jazz in Paris was influenced by Black and White Minstrels performing ragtime music. Like Rock ’n’ Roll, widespread popularity in white communities to some extent did not take off until white performers could be found to perform it, and certain stylistic elements of it toned down. The crossing of race-based social boundaries around race, for ragtime, swing, and later Rock’n’Roll, was the source of many moral panics in America inspired by pop music.
1980sNotable highlights for pop music in the 1980s are Michael Jackson's second Epic label release, Thriller, which went on to become the best-selling album of all time. Jackson was the most successful artist of the 80s, spanning nine #1 singles in the United States alone during that decade, and selling over 133 million copies with only two albums — Thriller, and its follow-up Bad. Since the early nineties, Jackson has been often referred to and regarded as "The King of Pop." Madonna, who is considered "The Queen of Pop", was the dominant female artist of the era producing numerous hit albums.
