How pop music has evolved throughout the decades
Pop music is meant for the general pleasure of the listener and is popular with many people. It has evolved over the decades including many genres of music such as rock and roll, disco, and hip hop.
November 23, 2021
You have probably heard of artists like Olivia Rodrigo and Ed Sheeran. Their music is widely known around the world. But what genre of music is that? It’s classified as pop music. Pop music is meant for the general pleasure of the listener and is popular with many people. It has evolved over the decades including many genres of music such as rock and roll, disco, and hip hop.
Before the 1940s, jazz was the main contributor to pop until rock and roll replaced it well into the 60s. Mostly male artists such as Elvis Presley and bands such as The Beatles blended pop and rock. The sounds were heavier on the rock side.
In the 1970s and 1980s, disco and funk added new sounds to pop. Synthesizers, drum machines, and reverberating vocals became the norm. Some major pop artists from this time are ABBA and Michel Jackson and for the first time strong female singers such as Madonna and Whitney Houston.
Around the 1990s, rock and roll was fading and pop was losing its hold. However, rap and hip hop became mainstream and pop became very diverse. Harmony wasn’t the primary element of this music. Rhythm and lyrics became important. Grunge bands also became famous. Boy bands such as Backstreet Boys and single artists such as Britney Spears were famous even with more traditional-sounding music.
Since the 2000s, pop changed even more. Each artist had to create their own, unique style of music to stand out. Taylor Swift brought the style of narrative songwriting. For the first time, collabs (Justin Biber and Ariana Grade) were seen and have become common.
Pop continues to be famous with its catchy tunes, lyrics, and diversity. Because pop music absorbed different styles, it has continued to not only thrive but become richer throughout the years.
“Pop Music.” Gale Middle School Online Collection, Gale, 2021. Gale In Context: Middle School, link.gale.com/apps/doc/SPACHC587784094/MSIC?u=lom_annarbor&sid=bookmark-MSIC&xid=7b87c743. Accessed 16 Jan. 2022.
https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/SPACHC587784094/MSIC?u=lom_annarbor&sid=bookmark-MSIC&xid=7b87c743
https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-32599916
https://www.britannica.com/browse/Pop-Music
https://www.londonsinginginstitute.co.uk/evolution-of-pop-music/
