When did pop music begin?
Pop music, as in ‘popular’ music, has been with us for ages. We are very aware of it today, through the promotion of recordings, but that does not mean it arose any time recently. Before the entertainment industry was created, to amuse consumers and profit industry, entertainment generally consisted of what people could do for themselves and with their neighbours, through activities such as music, singing, and storytelling. These activities played an important role in community life by sharing news and entertainment with people who would not otherwise have been exposed to it. Travelling musicians and actors, were a part of daily life and carried songs and stories with them between towns. Since most people lived and died within five or ten miles of their birthplace, travelling entertainers played a vital role in society. Most of the popular music written over the centuries has been lost, as some of it was never written down and what was committed printed was eventually destroyed or lost
