Lately it seems that the Neptunes are remixing everyone’s songs, no one can make a hit without Beyoncé, and rock or alternative bands are working with rap and country artists to make songs that dominate the top of the pop charts.  Even Justin Timberlake, a staple of boy band/pop music hysteria traded in his flashy, sappy songs for grown-up ballads.  But, no matter how much they change; the artists still seem to be in the same category…POP.

What is pop music really?
The only common thread is that every pop song is…well… popular.  People like the song, request the song, buy the CD, go to the concerts and BAM…a pop star is born.  The fact remains though that no one can define the type of music that falls into the category anymore.  There is not a certain sound to it or a specific look to the videos, which go along with the songs.  The actual lines that define pop music have been blurred because there are so many collaborations and crossover artists. 

Did you ever get a song stuck in your head?
Think of it this way:  If not, then you are very lucky…but you also live under a rock.  If you have then it was probably a pop song.  Something that MTV will play for the next 6 months without fail, a tune that you will hum in the shower and a song that in a few years will come on the radio again and make you say, “Remember when…” or “Oh, this used to be my jam!”  Yeah, that’s pop music and even though you may miss many of its artists’ careers if you blink, this category attracts a more diverse crowd of listeners and more money than any other does.

Still searching for a definition? 
If you don’t even know how to define music that you love…how can you explain it to your parents?  It may be hard for them to relate to pop music, which is more about the beat and the ability to make a crowd dance than to relay a message to them.  But, sometimes it’s just about getting down to the music that makes you forget the messages and the politics and the problems.  It’s just pure sounds and carelessness…SWEET!

Sure they are just bouncy, bubbly and sometimes very superficial songs about love, sex, and childhood experiences or whatever, but they can also serve an important purpose.  Pop songs are a release from being too serious.

THE POP EVOLUTION
Think about your definition of pop music.  Is it what is played most on the radio?  Do you think they are the best songs or the worst songs?  Pop music is often a victim of its own success…the OVERexposure leads to OVERplay and ends up with OVERkill.  Keep in mind that this is the kind of music that one-hit wonders are made of, so you have to enjoy them while they last.  But, don’t underestimate the power of pop…the sold-out crowds and impressive sales don’t lie.