Grandparents watch the music video on YouTube with horrified revulsion. Kids download the mp3 and listen to it almost religiously. Yes, we're talking about pop music.
Pop music originally derived from rock 'n' roll in the 1950s, but now has absorbed influences from many other genres. It has received vocal harmony from gospel and soul music; orchestration from classical; instrumentation from jazz, country, and rock; rhythm from hip-hop; and spoken passages from rap.
A common method employed by pop song writers to create successful earworms is the hook. The hook is a short musical riff that draws the listener into the song and is very memorable. Often the hook is found in the chorus, such as in the following link:
Sometimes the hook is actually in the intro:
As a person who listens to classical and Christian music, I can't say I personally enjoy pop music. However, it has had a tremendous impact on current culture, and thus cannot be ignored. Also, if I were being honest, it is pretty catchy.
Sources:
Cole, Tom. "You Ask, We Answer: What's A Hook?" NPR. NPR, 15 Oct. 2015. Web. 16 Nov. 2015.
"Pop Music." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 12 Nov. 2015. Web. 16 Nov. 2015.
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