Popular beat combo, which originated as a synonym for "pop group",[1] is a phrase that occurs in British culture.[2] It may also be used more specifically to refer to The Beatles, or other such purveyors of beat music.
The phrase is frequently used in Private Eye and in the BBC panel game Have I Got News For You, making fun of Ian Hislop's supposed lack of knowledge about modern music.
Informally defined as the description of a pop group from the early days of rock and roll.