“Pop Muzik” made M, the English musician Robin Scott, a US one-hit wonder. Released in 1979, the electronically styled single mixes spoken and sung vocals with a repetitive synth-driven groove and references to different forms of popular music.
Scott recorded the project under the single-letter name M, partly to create a flexible identity rather than present the record as a conventional solo singer-songwriter release. The production incorporates synthesizers, drum machines, guitar, and layered vocals, reflecting the growing influence of electronic pop at the end of the 1970s.
“Pop Muzik” reached number 1 in the United Kingdom and peaked at number 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in 1979. It was followed by other M releases, but none achieved comparable American chart success.
The title is often written with a space as “Pop Muzik,” matching the single’s stylized presentation. M should not be confused with the similarly named British band M People, which formed later.