Indie-pop's finest hit NYC for Popfest

That most elastic of genres, pop music simply means music that people like, regardless of who and how many are doing the liking.

At its grandest, it can mean world-beating hits from women in whipped cream-spurting bras and gangs of young men gamely executing synchronized routines. At the more intimate end of the spectrum, it can mean energetic yet gently mannered music made by people who favor the librarian look for the fervent enjoyment of an audience who, more often then not, look much the same.

This weekend, the latter group can revel in the sweetness of the sixth annual NYC Popfest, an event that holds aloft the timid torch of indie pop, hosting bands from across America and around the world that share affection for the jangling guitar-based style birthed in mid-'80s England.

In recent years, the highly collegial event has become a proving ground for up-and-coming bands like the Pains of Being Pure at Heart, as well as a showcase for proven acts with fresh tunes to share.

Here are five names that amNewYork heartily recommends: