Pop

Pop music, originally indistinguishable from rock and roll in the '50s, is a distinct genre with many subgenres whose defining characteristics are, to some extent, an accumulation of the popular taste of the last 60 years.

Pop music, in its current, simplest form, is largely defined by:

• Verse/chorus song form, with a heavy emphasis placed on melodic hooks
• A focus on the single rather than the LP as the vehicle for releasing and marketing new music
• Song lengths of roughly 3 minutes, which is both radio- and single-friendly
• Generally simple chord changes and musical content, with the emphasis shifted away from the absolute music itself and toward the character of the lead singer

Beginning in the 1990s through into the 2010s, pop music was often distinguished by a heavy use of compression, mostly in an attempt to sound louder and cleaner than other music, especially when listened to against road noise in a vehicle. However, with the decline of radio, heavily-compressed music is becoming a relic of the past, as digital streaming services have now implemented standards that prioritize music with increased dynamic contrast.

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Something else to check out: Synth pop