

So how does one go about describing classical music? I can describe pop music pretty well, but I just don't even know how to describe it.
Thanks for the info and orthonorm will try and get back to your reply later. I have a terrible stomach ache right now.
You need a bowl of avgolemono soup Achronos. There is nothing for Orthonorm to reply to. I am however curious about pop music. When you are well I would be curious about knowing your definition, but it better include "Get thee behind me Satan" by Harriet Hilliard (Nelson, of Ozzie and Harriet). I would also include all of the other songs from "Follow the Fleet", this is just a start.
Some may be enticed by "Let yourself go", but I am much more of a "Lets face the music and dance" type.
A definition of pop music? I think that's impossible. It's much too vague. I mean popular music, for the most part, has always existed as long as there has/is an urban middle class to consume it.
A few comps that might be beneficial:


That's more of a historical look.
What's really going on in pop music these days is hip-hop, not so much Rock and Roll anymore. As Lester Bangs would say, we are waiting for the next big thing but nothing has happened. However I disagree with him from whence he said those words, but I believe it is true of today's pop.
If you were to ask me who would be remembered from the latter half of the 20th century it would be this guy:

And that is the best boxset I own. I hate boxsets too, but it is probably in my top 10 favorite "albums". He was smart (gifted?) enough to putting rhythm on top of pop, which is what made him the greatest pop/r&b artist of his era. Chuck Berry, Elvis, the Beatles are pretty close to second.
As far as stuff from those 3 artists, probably the best single disc compilation is:

I don't think this boxset is as good as the former, but if you want even more of Chuck, go for the Chess Box:

As far as Elvis:

And the Beatles must be the Mono Box Set that was released in 2009:

(The definitive version of the White Album is the stereo mix, although there is some interesting mixes like that of "Don't Pass Me By" which seems sped up.)
But of course this barely scratches the surface, there's just so much pop music out there, and stuff I have yet to consume, that I'd probably need to be in my 30s and 40s to get all the way caught up.
The Beatles in my youth more or less baptized me into realizing just how good popular music could be.