Power pop is a type of rock music and a form of pop rock that was inspired by the early music of bands like the Who, the Beatles, the Beach Boys, and the Byrds. It usually includes catchy tunes, vocal harmonies, lively performances, and cheerful-sounding music that also carries feelings of longing, hope, or self-confidence. The style is mainly based on pop and rock music from the early-to-mid 1960s, though some artists have also used influences from later styles like punk, new wave, glam rock, pub rock, college rock, and neo-psychedelia.

Power pop began in the 1960s, mostly among American musicians who were growing up during the British Invasion, a time when British bands became very popular in the United States. Many of these young musicians wanted to keep the "teenage innocence" of pop music and disliked newer rock styles that seemed too complicated or hard to understand. The term "power pop" was first used in 1967 by Pete Townshend, a guitarist and songwriter from the Who, to describe his band's music. However, power pop became more widely known in the 1970s, when artists tried to bring back the style of music made by the Beatles. Releases in the early 1970s by bands like Badfinger, the Raspberries, Big Star, and Todd Rundgren helped define the power pop sound. Power pop had its greatest success in the late 1970s, during the rise of punk and new wave, with bands such as Cheap Trick, the Knack, the Romantics, Nick Lowe, Dave Edmunds, and Dwight Twilley achieving the most popularity. After the genre's biggest hit, "My Sharona" by the Knack in 1979, record companies stopped supporting power pop groups, and most of the 1970s bands ended by the early 1980s.

In the years that followed, power pop continued with limited success but often faced criticism from some musicians and critics. In the 1990s, a new group of alternative bands became interested in 1960s artists because of the 1980s music they influenced. Though not as successful as earlier power pop bands, groups like Jellyfish, the Posies, Redd Kross, Teenage Fanclub, and Material Issue were praised by critics and had a strong following among fans. In the mid-1990s, a related style called "pop-punk," which mixed power pop harmonies with fast-paced punk rock, became popular with a wider audience.

Definition and etymology

Power pop is a lively type of pop rock music known for its catchy tunes and strong melodies. AllMusic describes it as a mix of the loud rock sound of The Who, the sweet harmonies of The Beatles and The Beach Boys, and the bright guitar style of The Byrds. Most power pop artists are rock bands made up of white male musicians who use musical styles, vocal arrangements, and sounds similar to those of groups from the mid-1960s British Invasion era.

A key part of power pop is its cheerful music, which often includes feelings of longing or sadness, much like songs such as "Wouldn't It Be Nice" by The Beach Boys (1966) and "Pictures of Lily" by The Who (1967). These emotions can be shown through sudden changes in music or lyrics that mention times like "tonight" or "Saturday night." Power pop is also known for being serious about classic pop music techniques and not using irony.

The term "power pop" was first used by Pete Townshend of The Who in a 1967 interview to describe their music and that of bands like The Small Faces and The Beach Boys. However, the term became widely used only in the late 1970s with the rise of new wave music. Greg Shaw, an editor of Bomp! magazine, played a major role in writing about power pop during this time. This development was similar to how the term "punk rock" was introduced earlier in the decade. Theo Cateforis, a music writer, noted that the way power pop was defined was not a natural process.

There is much disagreement among fans about which bands and artists should be considered power pop. Shaw claimed he helped define the genre in 1978, calling it a mix of pop and punk. He later said he was disappointed when the term was used by many less talented bands. Music journalist John M. Borack wrote in 2007 that the term is often used without much thought, even for artists like Britney Spears, Green Day, and Def Leppard.

Power pop has faced criticism and is sometimes seen as a simple style of music aimed at young people. This view was made worse in the 1980s when record labels used the term to market post-punk music. Music critic Ken Sharp compared power pop to "the Rodney Dangerfield of rock 'n' roll," saying it updates the work of respected artists like The Who, The Beach Boys, and The Beatles but is not respected. In 1996, singer-songwriter Tommy Keene said that being labeled power pop since the 1980s is like being compared to bands that did not sell many records. Musician Steve Albini avoided using the term, calling it a label for people who are not serious about music. Ken Stringfellow of the Posies believed power pop lacks depth and wanted music with more serious meaning.

Original waves

Power pop began in the late 1960s as young music fans wanted to move away from the more complex styles of rock music. At that time, some musicians focused on serious, artistic music, while others created songs that appealed to younger audiences. Greg Shaw said the band The Who started power pop, but Carl Caferelli wrote that the story began around 1964 with the Beatles’ popularity in the United States. Caferelli also said the Beatles represented the ideal of a pop band. According to The Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll, British Invasion bands, especially those with a "jangly guitars, pleasant melodies, perfect vocal harmonies, and a sense of teenage innocence" sound, greatly influenced 1970s power pop bands like the Raspberries, Big Star, the Knack, and XTC.

Some people believe pop music should be simple and easy to enjoy, like turning on the TV. Others think songs like the Beatles’ "Strawberry Fields" are too complicated to appreciate.

When Pete Townshend created the term "power pop," he said songs like The Who’s "I Can’t Explain" (1965) and "Substitute" (1966) were easier to understand than the more experimental music other bands, like the Beatles, were making. However, the term was not immediately linked to The Who. It took time for power pop’s style to become clear. The A.V. Club’s Noel Murray said once the sound became popular and widely copied, it was easier to see its roots in rockabilly, doo-wop, girl groups, and early music by the Beatles, the Byrds, the Beach Boys, the Kinks, and the Who. Robert Hilburn said the genre mainly came from how the Beatles and the Beach Boys mixed rock style with Top 40 music, like the Beach Boys’ "California Girls." Borack noted that power pop also has clear connections to garage rock.

Townshend was influenced by the guitar work of Beach Boy Carl Wilson, and The Who’s first single, "I Can’t Explain," was inspired by the Kinks’ "You Really Got Me" (1964). Roy Shuker identified the Byrds, Tommy James and the Shondells, and Paul Revere and the Raiders as leading American power pop acts in the 1960s. Other important bands from that time included the Dave Clark Five, the Creation, the Easybeats, the Move, and the Nazz.

In the 1970s, rock music split into many new styles. Fewer artists used the sound of early Beatles songs, and those who cited the Beatles or The Who as influences were rare. Music journalist Paul Lester said power pop became a 1970s invention, created by young musicians who missed the 1960s but used its sound in new ways. Novelist Michael Chabon believed the genre truly developed in the early 1970s with "second generation" power pop bands. Lester added that power pop was an American response to the British Invasion, made by fans of British music who were too young to have been in bands in the 1960s.

According to Carl Caferelli, the "overly complex and lifeless" style of 1970s rock reflected the gap left after the Beatles broke up in 1970. In the early to mid-1970s, only a few bands continued the tradition of Beatles-style pop. Some were younger glam or glitter bands, while others were "60s holdovers" who refused to update their sound. Badfinger, the first band signed to the Beatles’ Apple Records, was one of the most prominent groups in the latter category. They had international top 10 hits like "Come and Get It" (1969), "No Matter What" (1970), and "Day After Day" (1971), but were criticized for copying the Beatles. Caferelli called them "one of the earliest—and finest" power pop bands. AllMusic said while Badfinger helped shape the genre’s sound, the Raspberries were the only power pop band of that era to have hit singles. Noel Murray wrote that Badfinger had "some key songs" that were power pop "before the genre really existed."

Andrew Earles of Magnet said 1972 was "year zero" for power pop. That year saw the rise of Big Star and the Raspberries, the release of Todd Rundgren’s Something/Anything?, and the recording of the Flamin’ Groovies’ "Shake Some Action." Many garage bands also stopped copying the Rolling Stones. Michael Chabon credited the Raspberries, Badfinger, Big Star, and Rundgren’s songs "Couldn’t I Just Tell You" and "I Saw the Light" with "inventing" the genre. On a 1978 TV performance, Rundgren introduced "Couldn’t I Just Tell You" as part of "the latest musical trend, power pop." Paul Lester called the studio recording of the song a "masterclass in compression" and said Rundgren "staked his claim to powerpop immortality [and] set the whole ball rolling."

Earles said the Raspberries were the only American power pop band with hit singles. Murray called them the most representative power pop band and described their 1972 US top 10 hit "Go All the Way" as "practically a template for everything the genre could be, from the heavy arena-rock hook to the cooing, teenybopper-friendly verses and chorus." Caferelli described their follow-up song "I Wanna Be with You" (1972) as "perhaps the definitive power pop single." However, like Badfinger, the Raspberries were criticized for being "Beatles clones." Singer Eric Carmen remembered that in 1972, many people were not ready for a band that even resembled the Beatles. The Raspberries disbanded in 1975 as Carmen pursued a solo career.

In the late 1970s, a new

Succeeding waves

In the 1980s and 1990s, power pop remained a genre with limited commercial success, with artists such as Redd Kross and the Spongetones continuing to create music. Later works by XTC influenced bands like Jellyfish and the Apples in Stereo, while Big Star gained a loyal fan base among musicians in later bands, such as R.E.M. and the Replacements, who admired their music. Many bands inspired by Big Star combined power pop with the style and sound of alternative rock. AllMusic listed Teenage Fanclub, Material Issue, and the Posies as bands that were well-received by critics and had a dedicated fan base.

In 1991, Chris Willman of the Los Angeles Times described Jellyfish, the Posies, and Redd Kross as leading a "new wave of energetic power pop bands" that reminded listeners of the 1960s, when songs were short, and catchy melodies were highly valued. Members of Jellyfish and the Posies said they were inspired by 1960s artists because of the music these artists influenced in the 1980s. At the time, it was unclear if this movement would achieve mainstream success. Karen Glauber of Hits magazine noted that some people viewed these bands as "retro" or not modern enough because they did not sound like grunge bands or other popular groups of the era.

Velvet Crush’s Ric Menck said that Nirvana helped make it possible for bands like Matthew Sweet, the Posies, and Material Issue to gain airplay on college radio stations. As power pop gained attention from music fans, older bands reformed to record new songs, often released through independent labels. The Chicago-based label The Numero Group released a compilation album called Yellow Pills: Prefill, which included overlooked pop songs from 1979–1982. Throughout the decade, AllMusic noted that these independent power pop bands developed a small but dedicated fan base in the United States.

With the rise of bands like the Apples in Stereo, power pop became a key part of the Elephant 6 music collective’s identity, often blending with psychedelic and Slacker rock styles.

Since the 1990s, power pop has had mixed success. In 1994, Green Day and The Offspring popularized pop-punk, a subgenre of alternative rock that combines power pop harmonies with fast-paced punk music. According to Louder Than War’s Sam Lambeth, power pop has "ebbed and flowed" in popularity while sometimes facing criticism. However, he noted that Fountains of Wayne helped revive the genre in the late 1990s, especially with their 2003 album Welcome Interstate Managers. He also stated that as of 2017, bands like Best Coast, Sløtface, Diet Cig, and Dude York still used power pop’s key features. In 2005, The Click Five released their debut single Just the Girl, co-written by Adam Schlesinger of Fountains of Wayne. Their sound was described as "new school power pop," and their debut album Greetings from Imrie House reached number 15 on the Billboard 200, the highest chart position for a new rock band in 2005.

In 1998, the International Pop Overthrow (IPO) festival, named after an album by Material Issue, began celebrating power pop bands annually. Originally held in Los Angeles, the event later expanded to locations such as Canada and Liverpool, England, where performances took place at the Cavern Club. Paul Collins of the Beat and the Nerves hosted the Power Pop-A-Licious festival in 2011 and 2013, featuring classic and emerging power pop, punk rock, garage, and roots rock bands. The events were held in Asbury Park, New Jersey, and New York City.

In the 2010s, mainstream pop acts like the British-Irish boy band One Direction and the Australian pop rock band 5 Seconds of Summer introduced power pop elements to a wider audience. One Direction’s early albums, Up All Night (2011) and Take Me Home (2012), featured catchy melodies, strong guitar riffs, and lively arrangements, traits common in power pop. Their 2011 single What Makes You Beautiful reached number one on the UK Singles Chart and number four on the Billboard Hot 100. Other songs, such as One Thing, Live While We’re Young, and Kiss You, achieved top-ten positions in the UK and other countries. In 2013, Best Song Ever reached number two in the UK and US, becoming their highest-charting single in the United States.

5 Seconds of Summer gained commercial success with their 2014 single She Looks So Perfect, which reached number 24 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number one in Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, and the UK. Their self-titled debut album 5 Seconds of Summer debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, selling 259,000 copies in its first week in the United States.

Suggested reading

• Rockwell, John (December 30, 1979). "Disco vs. Rock and Industry Ills Made the Year Dramatic." The New York Times. Found on September 29, 2018.
• Sharp, Ken; Sulpy, Doug (1997). Power Pop: Conversations with the Power Pop Elite.

Suggested listening

• DIY: Come Out and Play – American Power Pop I (Songs from 1975 to 1978) (Rhino Records, a collection of songs on a CD released in 1993)
• DIY: Shake It Up! – American Power Pop II (Songs from 1978 to 1980) (Rhino Records, a collection of songs on a CD released in 1993)
• Girls Go Power Pop (Big Beat Records, a collection of songs on a CD released in 2020)
• Harmony in My Head: UK Power Pop & New Wave (Cherry Red, a set of three CDs containing songs released in 2018)
• Poptopia! Power Pop Classics of the '70s (Rhino Records, a collection of songs on a CD released in 1997)
• Poptopia! Power Pop Classics of the '80s (Rhino Records, a collection of songs on a CD released in 1997)
• Poptopia! Power Pop Classics of the '90s (Rhino Records, a collection of songs on a CD released in 1997)
• Power Pop Anthems (Virgin, a set of two CDs containing songs released in 2002)