List of popular music terms

This is a list of popular music terms, not including musical genres; each term is followed by the corresponding classical term, if any.

Note: Many of these terms are both a technique and a genre or style, as genres are often named after the techniques used (swung note and swing), though sometimes the connection is in name only (downbeat and down beat).

• Arrangement - orchestration
• Beat - meter
• Break
  • Break beat
• Bridge - connecting interlude
• Call and response (music) - Antiphon
• Cover
• Chorus - refrain
  • Chorus form - strophic form
• Downbeat
  • Onbeat
• Fade out
• Groove - meter
• Hook
• Lick
• Mixing
  • Mix
  • Remix
  • Beatmatching
  • Cutting
• Outro - coda
• Power chord
• Rap - speaking
  • Toasting
• Rhythm - meter
  • Riddim
• Riff - ostinato
• Sample
• Scratching
• Solo
• Swing
• Top 40
• Tune - melody/song
• Turnaround
• Turntable
• Upbeat - anacrusis
  • Backbeat
  • Offbeat
• Verse