With all of the different kinds of music available to us each and every day, it is easy to become mixed up and unwillingly mistake some music for something other than what it really is. Lets see we have Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, Soft Rock, Soul, R & B, Country, Classic Rock, Jazz, Latin, Alternative, Folk, Hip Hop, Rap, Dance, Big Band, Polka, the list goes on and on, but we cannot forget about Pop Music. So, what does it really mean?

while its own specific type of music, generally combines several elements of music, which might include country, dance, hip, hop, and rock. Soft rock and pop music are two of the most used words used to describe this genre of music. It can be traced throughout history dating back 76 years or more. Some of the earliest influences of pop can be linked to country and blues. In the 50s, some of its musics most famous influences include Bill Haley and His Comets, Peggy Lee, Elvis Presley, Bobby Darin, and Frank Sinatra.

You get a good idea where this is going; pop is generally a softer side of rock. A mixture of many elements all combined to create the easy listening of pop music. In the 60s, some artists include Frankie Avalon, Bob Dylan, Marvin Gaye, Sonny and Cher, Aretha Franklin, and the Beatles.

The 70s saw disco and rock combine in this decade, which included several favorites such as Earth, Wind, and Fire, The Jackson Five, Rod Steward, ABBA, Donna Summer, Elton John, and Billy Joel.

As you can see, pop music continued to grow in different ways with different artists becoming one of the most sought after genres of music to date. Of course the 80s were no different, this decade produced the King and Queen of Pop, known as Michael Jackson and Madonna. Of course they werent the only people to define pop music in the 80s others include George Michael, Cyndi Lauper, Tiffany, Cher, Phil Collins, The Eurythmics, and The Go-Gos.

During the 90s, pop began to combine the elements of R&B to the genre, which produced stars such as TLC, Celine Dion, Mariah Carey, and Brandy. However, the rock influence still remained with vocalists such as Jewel, Nirvana, Eric Clapton, Tori Amos and the ever flexible Madonna. Of course we cant forget about 90s favortes such as NSYNC, Ricky Martin, New Kids on the Block, Willa Ford, and Britney Spears.

The current decade has seen pop music combined with hip-hop elements, which produced a score of new talent and the resurfacing of older talent. Some artists include Justin Timberlake, Nelly, Avril Lavigne, Eminem, more Britney Spears, Beyonce, and we cannot forget old favorites Madonna and Mariah Carey.

Throughout the years pop music has changed in many facets, however, one thing remains the same; it is still the most popular genre of music to date, a fact that has remained solid and true for many decades.