doo-wop

See also: doowop and doo wop

English

Alternative forms

• doowop (rare)
• doo wop

Etymology

Coined by a DJ, Gus Gossert, in the 1970s, referring to (mostly) white rock-and-roll groups of the late 1950s and early 1960s. The name is onomatopoeic, representing the nonsensical backing vocals of some songs of the genre.

Noun

doo-wop (uncountable)

1. A style of vocal-based rhythm and blues music popular in the mid-1950s to the early 1960s in America characterized by nonsensical backing vocals.