Research into the Pop-Rock Genre.

Pop Rock songs tend to follow a catchy, pop-based structure but they mainly use electric guitars and drums. It originated in the Western world of the UK and the US in the 1960's.

The genre has previously been described as an "upbeat variety of rock music represented by artists such as Elton John, Paul McCartney, Rod Stewart, Chicago and Peter Frampton.

Critic Philip Auslander believes that Pop and Rock are much more distinctive as separate genres in the US, whereas in the UK Pop-Rock is a much more common feature in modern music. He notes that Pop and Rock are typically opposite genres, however bands such as Magnapop have made them work together.

Pop music is viewed as comercial and inauthentic, but Rock music is seen as authentic and anti-commercial. This theory has been admired by Auslander, Grossberg and Simon Frith. Rock music is much more about the song writing and the sincerity of the lyrics, whereas Pop is seen as just being catchy in order to sell the music and make money.

Some Pop-Rock bands include ABBA, Blondie (1970's), Michael Jackson, Queen (80's), Green Day, Shakira (90's), McFly, P!nk (00's), Maroon 5 and Take That (10's). There are now many different Pop-Rock sub-categories such as: folk-rock, pop-punk, Indie-pop and soft-rock.


McFly are considered a Pop-Rock band because they use electric and bass guitars, drums, vocals and keyboards. They create catchy songs in a pop-style but also develop a connection to their audience through the music and write their own emotional, sincere songs such as 'Not Alone'.