Pop	C&W	R&B
Melody	"pretty" melodies were very important; usually easy to remember; interesting melodic contours	melodies & lyrics were of prime importance	simple melodies, allowing for considerable freedom & spontaneous invention (improvisation) in performance; served as vehicle for the lyrics
Harmony	inventive harmonies, but still relatively simple (diatonic)	usually simpler than those of pop music	usually 3 basic chords with occasional variations
Rhythm	straight, uncomplicated rhythm; kept in background; tempos were usually moderate to slow	simple & straight-forward; usually more prominent than pop music; little or no subdivision of the beat	hard-driving, prominent rhythm
Instrumentation	professional singers accompanied by full orchestra and small chorus	vocalist, vocal backup group, acoustic & electric guitars, pedal steel guitar, piano, violin, and acoustic bass; drums omitted	vocalist, guitars (electric, acoustic, or both), acoustic bass, piano, drums, saxophone, & harmonica
Form	symmetrically organized, usually into 4-measure phrases	similar to the Tin Pan Alley pop song	commonly 12-bar blues
Lyrics	nonoffensive, noncontroversial, most often dealing with boy-girl love	often love-oriented (esp. unrequited love or jilted lover)	personal sentiments related to love, jobs, "hard knocks," and general philosophies of life
VocalStyle	crooner	nasal quality; yodeling	shouter