"Because "pop" can simply mean what is or was popular in many different times and places, defining it more narrowly as an actual musical genre is arguably ill-advised. Nonetheless, most pop music does share many distinct traits. Pop music is generally designed to be catchy, with a beat or a melody or a lyric or a hook (or all four) that are readily accessible, particularly to young people. It is also produced, often by large and expert teams, in way that removes any rough edges.
Pop music, more so than Rock music, also tends to emphasize the vocalist as the lead performer. As such, pop songs tend to be somewhat short with only brief instrumental breaks. A basic intro/verse/chorus/verse/chorus structure, or some mild variation on that structure, is very common in pop music and has remained common over the decades."
