popular music | Description, History, & Facts | Britannica

popular music, any commercially oriented music principally intended to be received and appreciated by a wide audience, generally in literate, ... popularmusic TableofContents popularmusic Introduction FastFacts Facts&RelatedContent Quizzes Media Videos Images More MoreArticlesOnThisTopic Contributors ArticleHistory Home Entertainment&PopCulture Music,ContemporaryGenres PopMusic popularmusic Actions Cite verifiedCite Whileeveryefforthasbeenmadetofollowcitationstylerules,theremaybesomediscrepancies. Pleaserefertotheappropriatestylemanualorothersourcesifyouhaveanyquestions. SelectCitationStyle MLA APA ChicagoManualofStyle CopyCitation Share Share Sharetosocialmedia Facebook Twitter URL https://www.britannica.com/art/popular-music GiveFeedback ExternalWebsites Feedback Corrections?Updates?Omissions?Letusknowifyouhavesuggestionstoimprovethisarticle(requireslogin). 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SelectCitationStyle MLA APA ChicagoManualofStyle CopyCitation Share Share Sharetosocialmedia Facebook Twitter URL https://www.britannica.com/art/popular-music Feedback ExternalWebsites Feedback Corrections?Updates?Omissions?Letusknowifyouhavesuggestionstoimprovethisarticle(requireslogin). FeedbackType Selectatype(Required) FactualCorrection Spelling/GrammarCorrection LinkCorrection AdditionalInformation Other YourFeedback SubmitFeedback Thankyouforyourfeedback Oureditorswillreviewwhatyou’vesubmittedanddeterminewhethertorevisethearticle. JoinBritannica'sPublishingPartnerProgramandourcommunityofexpertstogainaglobalaudienceforyourwork! ExternalWebsites BritishBroadcastingCorporation-PopularMusic HistoryMatters-AmericanPopularSong:ABriefHistory PBS-LatinoAmericans-GloriaEstefan BritannicaWebsites ArticlesfromBritannicaEncyclopediasforelementaryandhighschoolstudents. popularmusic-Children'sEncyclopedia(Ages8-11) popularmusic-StudentEncyclopedia(Ages11andup) Alternatetitles:popmusic By TheEditorsofEncyclopaediaBritannica • EditHistory TableofContents theBeatlesonTheEdSullivanShow Seeallmedia KeyPeople: GeorgeGershwin BobDylan FrankSinatra ElvisPresley MichaelJackson ...(Showmore) RelatedTopics: jazz rock nuevacanción rhythmandblues Africanpopularmusic ...(Showmore) Seeallrelatedcontent→ Elvis:TheComebackSpecialpopularmusic,anycommerciallyorientedmusicprincipallyintendedtobereceivedandappreciatedbyawideaudience,generallyinliterate,technologicallyadvancedsocietiesdominatedbyurbanculture.Unliketraditionalfolkmusic,popularmusiciswrittenbyknownindividuals,usuallyprofessionals,anddoesnotevolvethroughtheprocessoforaltransmission.Historically,popularmusicwasanynon-folkformthatacquiredmasspopularity—fromthesongsofthemedievalminstrelsandtroubadourstothoseelementsoffine-artmusicoriginallyintendedforasmalleliteaudiencebutthatbecamewidelypopular.AftertheIndustrialRevolution,truefolkmusicbegantodisappear,andthepopularmusicoftheVictorianeraandtheearly20thcenturywasthatofthemusichallandvaudeville,withitsupperreachesdominatedbywaltzmusicandoperettas.IntheUnitedStates,minstrelshowsperformedthecompositionsofsongwriterssuchasStephenFoster.Inthe1890sTinPanAlleyemergedasthefirstpopularsong-publishingindustry,andoverthenexthalfcenturyitslyricismwascombinedwithEuropeanoperettainanewkindofplayknownasthemusical.Beginningwithragtimeinthe1890s,AfricanAmericansbegancombiningcomplexAfricanrhythmswithEuropeanharmonicstructures,asynthesisthatwouldeventuallycreatejazz. BritannicaQuiz PopMusic:FromBackstreettoMainStreet Inpopmusic,whichinstrumentsarerecordedfirst?Whatcontinent’smusichasmostinfluencedAmerica’s?Testyourknowledgeofpopmusicinthisquiz. KnowthesciencebehindwhythebraingetsattractedtomusicSeeallvideosforthisarticleMusicaudiencesgreatlyexpanded,partlybecauseoftechnology.By1930phonographrecordshadreplacedsheetmusicasthechiefsourceofmusicinthehome.Themicrophoneenabledmore-intimatevocaltechniquestobecommerciallyadapted.Theabilityofradiobroadcastingtoreachruralcommunitiesaidedthedisseminationofnewstyles,notablycountrymusic.AmericanpopularmusicachievedinternationaldominanceinthedecadesafterWorldWarII. LadyGagaKendrickLamarBythe1950sthemigrationofAfricanAmericanstocitiesintheNorthhadresultedinthecross-fertilizationofelementsofblueswiththeup-temporhythmsofjazztocreaterhythmandblues.Rockandroll,pioneeredbyfiguressuchasElvisPresley,soondevelopedasanamalgamofrhythmandblueswithcountrymusicandotherinfluences(seerockmusic).Inthe1960sBritishrockgroups,includingtheBeatles,becameinternationallyinfluentialandpopular.Rockandsoulmusic(especiallythesophisticatedbuthook-ladenvarietyofthelatter,whichtookitsnamefromthecompanythatcreatedit,Motown)quicklyattractedtheallegianceofWesternteenagersandeventuallybecamethesoundtrackforyoungpeoplethroughouttheworld.Thehistoryofpopintothe21stcenturyhasbasicallybeenthatofrockanditsvariants,includingdisco,heavymetal,funk,punk,hip-hop,andincreasinglypop-orientedworldmusic.TheEditorsofEncyclopaediaBritannicaThisarticlewasmostrecentlyrevisedandupdatedbyPatriciaBauer.