What exactly is pop music?

The term pop music was born in the mid-1950s in the United Kingdom and was originally used to describe American rock and new styles derived from it in the realm of modern music.
Music magazines in the 1950s, however, used the term for music derived from swing by artists such as Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby and Perry Como, to distinguish this new style from rock ’n’ roll.
From 1967 onwards pop music was increasingly used as a counterterm to rock music. Rock took on the role of the more authentic and experimental area of popular music, while pop was seen as the more accessible, short-lived and commercial genre.
Today pop music is often also defined by the music charts; a key characteristic of pop is its fundamental danceability. Musically, unlike rock, alternative rock and blues, pop music today 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 onwards.
Pop music has been influenced by various other genres and styles. Early pop adopted its form from ballads, its vocal harmonies from gospel and soul, its instruments from jazz and rock ’n’ roll as well as classical music, 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, often referred to as the King and Queen of Pop, and ABBA are among the best-known and most successful pop artists.