power pop

[pou-er pop]

noun

1. a genre of popular music based mainly on pop rock, characterized by cheerful, well-harmonized melodies; fast, strong rhythms; and energetic vocals.

Word History and Origins

Origin of power pop¹

First recorded in 1965–70

Example Sentences

Especially not the internet-savvy young fans of his obscure, ‘80s power pop band the Earwigs who followed him to his present-day gigs as a singer-songwriter begging for copies of “She’s So Naive” pressed on 45s for a mere $20 each.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Ubaldini thinks it started when radio DJs like KROQ’s Rodney Bingenheimer and KNAC’s Sue Mink started playing the band’s music on their radio shows frequently in the early ‘80s. Fans recorded the tunes off the airwaves onto cassettes that got passed around before they even had an official record to sell. Their songs became sought after among fans of power pop/garage rock and sped-up rockabilly. The underground success was driven by the catchy, saccharine-yet-explosive single “She’s So Naive.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Jimmy Eat World has consistently put out impeccable power pop for 30-plus years, with “Clarity” and “Bleed American” among the best alt-rock records released in that time frame.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

The US star rose to fame with the power pop group the Raspberries before establishing himself as a solo artist.

Read more on BBC

Dave Swanson of the website Ultimate Classic Rock called it “the definitive power pop song of all time,” as the emerging style, known for grafting ’60s-era vocal harmonies onto the crunchy guitar riffs of the ’70s, would come to be called.

Read more on New York Times