What exactly is pop music?

The term pop music was born in the United Kingdom in the mid-1950s and was initially a description for American rock and new styles of modern music derived from it.
In the 1950s, however, music magazines used the term for swing-derived music by, for example, Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby and Perry Como, in order to differentiate this new style from rock 'n' roll.
From 1967 onwards, pop music was increasingly used as an alternative to rock music . Rock took on the role of the authentic and more experimental area of ​​popular music, while pop was considered the more accessible, short-lived and commercial genre .
Today, pop music is often defined by the music charts ; a central feature of pop music is its basic danceability . Musically, pop music today, in contrast to rock, alternative rock and blues, is not do-it-yourself music, but a professionally produced product and essentially represents the mainstream of modern music from the second half of the 20th century.
Pop music has been influenced by various other genres and styles. Early pop took its form from ballads, its vocal harmony from gospel and soul, its instruments from jazz and rock 'n' roll and classical music, the rhythm and tempo from dance music and hip-hop, and background effects from electronic music.
In addition to the musicians already mentioned , Michael Jackson and Madonna , who are referred to as the King and Queen of Pop respectively, and ABBA are also among the most famous and successful pop artists.