History/Origin
Initially the term was an abbreviation of, and synonymous to, popular music, but evolved in the United Kingdom and the United States circa 1954 to describe a specific musical category. In opposition to music that requires education or formation to appreciate, a defining characteristic of pop music is that anyone is able to enjoy it.

Artists who made it famous
Beach Boys, The Beatles, Village People, Abba, George Michael,Sting, Michael Jackson, Madonna

Best known proponents today
Celine Dion, Enrique Iglesias, Britney Spears, Madonna, Beyonce, Shakira, Fergie, Gwen Stefani

High points/Memorable Moments
The year 2000 onwards, female singers made forays into Pop with soulful ballads and dance tracks like “Fallin’”, “Crazy in Love”, “White Flag”, “Toxic”, “Hollaback Girl” and so on. Boy bands like Backstreet Boys and Boyzone were already a craze. Rock music swung in with hits like Smooth, Maria Maria, This Love, etc. African Americans contributed hits like “Dilemma”, “In Da Club”, “Yeah, “It Wasn’t Me…”. Russia made its breakthrough to the international charts with

Trivia

Dennis Wilson of the Beach Boys accidentally drowned in late 1983 while diving from his boat as he drunkenly tried to recover items he had thrown overboard.

Michael Jackson has a skin disease called “Vitiligo”.

Quotes:

“In Fort Worth, Texas there is a drug clinic which takes people off the streets and helps them get over bad LSD trips. They don't use any traditional medical treatment whatsoever. All they do is play the patient our 'Smiley Smile' album and apparently this acts as a soothing remedy which relaxes them and helps them to recover completely from their trip.”
The Beach Boys

“My real goal is to fulfill God’s purpose. I didn’t choose to sing or dance. But that’s my role and I want to do it better than anyone else.”
Michael Jackson

“I'm just like anyone. I cut and I bleed. And I embarrass easily.”
Michael Jackson

Famous Song
The Beatles – The Beatles (The White Album) (1968); Marvin Gaye – What’s Going On (1971); David Bowie – The Rise & Fall of Ziggy Stardust (1972); Elton John – Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (1973); Stevie Wonder – Innervisions (1973); The Beach Boy