pop group

IPA/ˈpɒp ˌɡruːp/
IPA/ˈpɑːp ˌɡruːp/

pop group — noun

1. a small band whose members sing or play popular songs together

1.nounA2
Definition

a small band whose members sing or play popular songs together

Example

After the talent show, Hao started a pop group with three classmates.

start a pop group with friends

Liam plays drums in a pop group that meets every Friday night.

be in a pop group

Common collocations
  • local pop group
  • school pop group
  • join a pop group
  • leave a pop group
Synonyms
  • band

    is broader and can describe groups that play many kinds of music, not only pop

  • group

    is a shorter everyday form when the musical context is already clear

  • act

    is common in performance or business contexts for a musical performer or group

Grammar Patterns

start a pop group

be in a pop group

a member of a pop group

Usage Note

Usually countable. It often appears after verbs like start, join, leave, or be in, and it normally refers to a small set of performers who make pop songs together.

Common Mistakes

She joined pop group at school.
She joined a pop group at school.
The phrase is a singular countable noun, so it needs an article.

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Pop group is a neutral everyday term for a small set of people who perform pop music together. Band is broader: a band may play rock, jazz, or many other styles, so it does not always suggest catchy popular songs. Group is even shorter and often appears when everyone already knows the topic is music. Act is common in the music business or on posters, where the focus is on a performer appearing on stage. Boy band is narrower because it usually points to a carefully branded group of young male singers. You can join a local pop group at school, but a festival poster may list the same performers as the opening act.

band ↗group ↗act ↗boy band

Common collocations

Nouns

  • pop group member
  • pop group singer
  • pop group tour

Phrases

  • start a pop group
  • join a pop group
  • leave a pop group

Prepositions

  • in a pop group

Etymology

English

This phrase joins pop, meaning popular music, with group, meaning several people acting together. It became a straightforward way to describe a small band that sings or plays pop songs.