> a lot of pop is made by knowingly and deliberately copying elements from various source songs One of the defining characteristics of "pop" music is the reuse

> a lot of pop is made by knowingly and deliberately copying elements from various source songs One of the defining characteristics of "pop" music is the reuse of major structural elements like the primary harmonic progression (e.g. the infamous "4 chords"[1]). Listeners that do not have a lot of music theory knowledge and experience can still follow along with the "plot" of the song because it reuses simple structures they already know. Appreciation of more complex harmonic structure and other unique features requires a lot more experience with complex types of music theory. As with all art/writing, knowing your intended audience is important. If the audience includes people without music experience/training, limiting the "vocabulary" top what they know is absolutely necessary. For a very good explanation of this that includes examples, see this[2] video essay. [1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pidokakU4I https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pidokakU4I [2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M33cRNx3ohI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M33cRNx3ohI