For year after year, decade after decade, the Boston Pops were one of the most popular orchestras in America. Through concerts, tours and an endless series of record albums, they brought classical music, marches and contemporary pop to millions of listeners. Over the course of the 20th century, the orchestra was recorded more than any other. They developed a repertoire that functioned as the de facto American classical and pop lexicon. The Boston Pops were populists, emphasizing melody and texture instead of somber, challenging classical pieces.