What Is Popular Music?

The term 'popular' has changed its meaning throughout the centuries. In the 16th Century it was used as a term meaning, 'low or base, vulgar, of the common people.' During the 18th Century it became a meaning for 'widely favoured', and theorist Anahid Kassabian classes 'popular' as 'the art and culture of the people.' 

With these terms in mind it becomes hard to classify what popular music is. It doesn't have to mean one genre of music, such as Pop music or a certain type of band for example, girl and boy bands. Popular music in my opinion signifies the music that is liked by a group of people, how ever large that group may be. As Ray Shuker suggests, 'all popular music consists of a hybrid of musical traditions, styles and influences, and is also an economic product which is invested with ideological significance by many of its consumers.'