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Could someone please give me a clear definition of the difference between Pop and A/C and where the crossover is likely to occur. Thanks!

pop means popular music
AC means Adult Contemporary

Pop isn't really a genre, more about the music played on the radio, popular commercial music.
Pop is also a genre, but I can never explain that genre. In my opinion pop isn't a genre.

In terms of radio format, a pop station plays whatever is most popular, regardless of genre; you'll hear Ke$ha right next to Taylor Swift. Adult Contemporary could be anything from any artist defined as AC; Colby Caillat, John Mayer, Sheryl Crow, etc. Obviously, there's a subset that falls into both categories; if it sounds like something those AC artists would do and it's very popular, it's crossover. If it helps any, AC used to be called Soft Rock, but nobody wanted to die in a car crash with their radio tuned to that. (real rockers want to go out to something like Detroit Rock City)

mojobone wrote:In terms of radio format, a pop station plays whatever is most popular, regardless of genre; you'll hear Ke$ha right next to Taylor Swift. Adult Contemporary could be anything from any artist defined as AC; Colby Caillat, John Mayer, Sheryl Crow, etc. Obviously, there's a subset that falls into both categories; if it sounds like something those AC artists would do and it's very popular, it's crossover. If it helps any, AC used to be called Soft Rock, but nobody wanted to die in a car crash with their radio tuned to that. (real rockers want to go out to something like Detroit Rock City)

HAHA! LOVE IT!

In the world of music (charting) there are ways of grouping things into certain perspectives.

When something is on the pop charts, this means what is selling overall, no matter what category it's in i.e. soul, country, rock, jazz, even classical).

In the mid 1990s, there came several new category/divisions that were installed in the music system

Alternative (overstretched weak folk)
Soft rock
AC [Adult Contemporary] Music aimed at the thirty year and up crowd ala' Celine Dion, Michael Bolton, the Post-Police Sting,
Old School (Bits and pieces of the later 70's soul music)
Grunge (tonal mush) {Ever hear Grand Funk Railroad's version of Gimmie Shelter}?
General pop (Jonas Bros., Justin Timberlake, Lady Gaga, Beoncye, (mostly under 30)
Rap/hip-hop/urban (mostly under 25)
Hard rock/Metal (volume freaks)
Smooth Jazz (post modern elavator music) geek pop
Modern country (questionable pop)

This may give you a general idea.

www.youbloom.com/web/luciusaustin
www.myspace.com/luciusaustin

grandsoul wrote:In the world of music (charting) there are ways of grouping things into certain perspectives.

When something is on the pop charts, this means what is selling overall, no matter what category it's in i.e. soul, country, rock, jazz, even classical).

In the mid 1990s, there came several new category/divisions that were installed in the music system

Alternative (overstretched weak folk)
Soft rock
AC [Adult Contemporary] Music aimed at the thirty year and up crowd ala' Celine Dion, Michael Bolton, the Post-Police Sting,
Old School (Bits and pieces of the later 70's soul music)
Grunge (tonal mush) {Ever hear Grand Funk Railroad's version of Gimmie Shelter}?
General pop (Jonas Bros., Justin Timberlake, Lady Gaga, Beoncye, (mostly under 30)
Rap/hip-hop/urban (mostly under 25)
Hard rock/Metal (volume freaks)
Smooth Jazz (post modern elavator music) geek pop
Modern country (questionable pop)

This may give you a general idea.

http://www.youbloom.com/web/luciusaustin
http://www.myspace.com/luciusaustin

SHould add to note: MOR (Middle of the road) songs/artist that go between the pop and jazz/rock/soul/country/folk side of music. Also known as soft rock. Just a slight crash of heavy guitars. Mostly ballads. [A lot of stuff from the 1980s ].

pop music is cool.
adult contemporary is thought-provoking.

onglee wrote:pop music is cool.
adult contemporary is thought-provoking.

Nice

Grandsoul pretty much hit the nail on the head.

A good way to know the difference is to listen to your local pop and AC stations to get a feel of the kind of music being played. Much of the music on AC will not be in the category of talking about booty, the club, rollin on 22s, how much life stinks, or overtly raunchy. For certain, they'll never play a rap cut.

Pop will go there if it's what people are listening to.

What is the difference between "Hot AC" and AC? Are "Hot AC" songs just AC songs with a faster rhythm/beat?