If you're scratching your head in confusion as you see the word "bop" trending, it can only mean one thing: you're in your 30s or 40s and struggling to keep up with the slangs of today!
But we share your confusion, annoyance, and curiosity, which is why we decided to write on the topic. The bop definition you knew of growing up has run its course; kids on TikTok have now hijacked it to give it their own meaning, and it's so far from what it initially meant it's comical.
That said, sit back and relax as we take you on a ride into the world of TikTok to answer the question, "What is a bop?"
In this article
What Does Bop Mean Traditionally?
You probably know the bop definition of the past, or rather, you know at least one of the definitions. You see, "bebop," or the shortened form "bop," initially described a fast-paced style of jazz music in the 1940s.
Some famous and influential bands and musicians back then who took full advantage of bebop were the pianist Thelonious Monk, guitarist Charlie Christian, drummer Kenny Clarke, Dizzy Gillespie, and the legendary sax player Charlie "Bird" Parker.
Bebop was different from jazz in that it was less about playing music for an audience to dance to and more about the musician showing off his skills and expressing how creative he could be. This disparity in jazz and bop definition initially even split the jazz music genre into two opposing camps: the older and younger schools of jazz musicians!
Then, over 40+ years later (in the 1980s and 1990s), it evolved again to adopt a new bop meaning in music: any upbeat, catchy, and danceable pop song that compelled you to dance, not just jazz music!
Another bop style emerged in the 1950s, though it's not as well-known. It's called hard bop, which is yet another evolution of bebop. Hard pop took elements of rhythm and blues and gospel music, so it's the most soulful of bebop styles.
What about some classic bop tracks that still are regarded today? "Moanin'" by Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers (1958), The Sidewinder" by Lee Morgan, "Song for My Father" by Horace Silver (1964), and "Cantaloupe Island" by Herbie Hancock (1964) still find homes on radio stations and music platforms worldwide!
Okay, our history lesson ends here. Knowing this will help you better understand the latest evolution of bebop and bop meaning in music today. And now, let's find out why a word coined in 1940 is suddenly making waves in the modern world!
What is the New Meaning of "Bop" on TikTok?
What's the relationship between bop and TikTok? Well, the younger ones among us, or Gen Zs, have changed the meaning of bop, and TikTok is the primary platform they're using to spread this change and enlighten the rest of the "older world."
Bop TikTok
While Gen Zs still refer to bop as a highly catchy and enjoyable song, they've added another layer to the meaning (more on this in a bit).
Bop Meaning
Bop is often a song you can both sing along and dance to. So, if you hear a youngster exclaiming, "Wow! This song is a bop!" it just means the song's very popular and loved by many people. It's also likely the music is upbeat and something to get you in a good mood.
Bop Usage
On TikTok, if a song goes viral and ends up being used as background music for millions of TikTok videos, it's a bop! Some perfect examples are "STAY" by The Kid LAROI & Justin Bieber, "Montero" by Lil Nas X, and "Ameno" by Era.
Bop Female Meaning
Okay, so what is a bop female? That's another term Gen Zs throw around because there's more than one way to use bop female. But generally, it mainly refers to somebody who posts their body online a lot. Someone stylish, confident, and who stands out, just like a bop song!
But more precisely, a bop is a woman who knows she's attractive and loves to show it off. A femme fatale, if you will; a super hottie! So, if you ever see someone asking, "What is a bop female?" share your newly-gotten knowledge with them, lol.
Bop Female Usage
This term isn't just limited to TikTok. It's gone viral and found its way into the other major social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook. And regarding how Gen Zs use it, a bop female describes a cool lady who carries herself well. If, for example, a popular female TikToker always releases great new music content, she's a bop female.
Okay, since the new meaning of bop is generally an attractive woman or person, where does the confusion stem from?
It comes from millennials (born from 1981 to 1996) who don't always keep up with trends set by Gen Zs (1997 to 2012). Thankfully, Gen Alpha (2010 to 2025) are too young to set any trends or usurp the meaning of words like bop. So, we don't have to worry about them...yet.
Bop is Not Music Anymore?
Well, it's still music, but, as we said earlier, it's taken on another meaning, even if the dictionary doesn't officially recognize it. Millennials grew up with bop definition being sweet and fast-paced music, so suddenly hearing it's now a word to describe a person is quite odd.
You'll often see users in the comments section of TikTok claiming "she's a bop." And before reading this, we're sure you would have been utterly confused and had no idea what was meant!
So, to Gen Z, if a girl posts her body online for views, she's a bop. If she dances around in tight clothes, she's a bop. If she laughs gleefully at the hundreds of thousands of Likes her videos get, she's a bop! And the same applies to guys, too!
This video is one of the most popular TikTok videos explaining what a bop is. It has over a million views as of writing this, so you can tell this is something many people are curious about!
How has the TikTok Community Responded to the Redefinition of "Bop"?
This is where the controversy starts. While many people just went with the flow and accepted the new definition of bop, many more didn't.
Those people still question the bop definition and even deem it offensive. We'll break it down for you so you can understand the viewpoints of each group.
Confusion and Misunderstandings among the Older Generations (Millennials)
We already discussed this earlier, but since millennials are between 28 and 43, they're more familiar with the bop definition: an enjoyable song that has roots in jazz. Millennials can understand bop meaning in music but calling a woman bop will simply escape most of them!
And studies have shown that over 44.7% of TikTokers are Gen Zs, meaning they pretty much dominate the platform. To put it in perspective, each of the top seven earners on TikTok is 27 years old or younger, so they're ALL Gen Zs!
The chances of millennials even being aware of the latest evolution of bop via TikTok are slim because they have a weaker presence there (they make up less than 25% of TikTok users).
Criticism of Misogynistic Undertones
This is where it gets a little sensitive. While bop can mean an attractive man or woman, the term disproportionately applies to women. The worst part is that it's often used to denote something suggestive or sexualized regarding the said women.
So, the bop definition, in this instance, has been criticized as being demeaning to women and reducing them to objects of sexual appeal. It fails to highlight their creativity, talent, or achievements.
Along the same vein, TikTok users in the comments section complain that calling a woman a bop suggests she's highly promiscuous. Others point out that using the term to refer to women reduces their identity to their appearance and nothing beyond that.
Such claims and viewpoints have led to discussions about the misogyny underlying the term and how a better, more fitting, and respectful term can supplant the word bop.
Cultural and Linguistic Evolution
We like to refer to this group as the "mediators." Why? Because they just accept the new bop definition as something natural and inevitable in the evolution of language and culture.
They're often the "peacekeepers" on TikTok, explaining how languages on social media always assume new meanings. In fact, they see it as something creative that is part and parcel of online culture; hence, it should be welcomed.
Most people in this group are Gen Zs. They accept such changes without controversy and just view it as one of the many instances of social media reshaping languages to align with the moment!
How to Create Viral TikTok Videos without "Bop"?
While we can understand creators want to make TikTok videos on bop because it's trending and sure to get them views and likes, is that the only way to go viral on TikTok? No, not by a long shot.
Dr. Emily Chen, an expert in AI social media analytics, claimed AI technology has reshaped how users engage on TikTok; AI now gives them tools to create content that appeals to more users and piques their interests. Simply put, AI-generated videos are the newest way to gain views and increase followers!
What are we trying to say here? You don't need to create videos on bop to go viral and build a followership on TikTok. By leveraging AI technology and your creativity, you can generate videos that can make a huge impact on TikTok. And we have just the AI tool for that!
Wondershare Virbo AI Video Generator Online is a powerful AI tool to generate videos for several purposes. It utilizes text-to-speech technology where you can easily and quickly create animated videos from scratch!
This AI video creator is perfect for TikTok because it offers features to create content that will appeal to people worldwide. Below are a few of these excellent features!
Key Features:
- Unique avatars of different nationalities to appeal to a worldwide audience.
- Avatars can speak in over 460+ voices.
- Videos can be translated into over 40 languages, helping you overcome language barriers.
- Multiple AI video templates in different categories like Advertisement, Social Media, and Explainer Videos.
- Royalty-free music for your TikTok clips.
Below are simple steps to generate a video using this neat AI tool!
Step 1: Open Virbo AI Video Generator on your mobile or PC.
Step 2: Select an AI avatar and choose the aspect ratio you want, but since you're creating videos for TikTok, go with "Portrait".
Step 3: Type in the script you want the AI avatar to read. You can also edit the speech speed, pitch, and volume. You can also enable subtitles, add background, and make many other edits to perfect the video's look. Once done, click "Export", and your video will be generated!.
Conclusion
So, after reading all that, we're sure you won't be asking anyone what does bop mean. And now you know how a term that first represented catchy music became a synonym for an attractive person.
But the most important thing you should take away from this is you have a powerful AI tool at your disposal to help you create a video and make it go viral.
Virbo AI Video Generator Online was designed to meet the preferences and needs of brands, educators, hobbyists, and content creators like you! Who knows? Maybe your video will get so popular that it's the next big trend on TikTok!
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