Pop and rock is basically fusion music.
Influences brought together. The root of rock has the jazz, blues, and country element to it.
Rockers don't have to be a jazz student to wear those influences well.
The thing I have discovered and also with myself is when those influences are poorly defined or used. But I guess there may be exceptions to that to where an act has another element to them to make them sound unique and listenable.

I sure appreciate that there is a net with music forums to delve more into those influences.
I wonder how many that play rock and pop have influences that they don't even know of.
Much of music given over to a certain genre does'nt sound like what I remember 10 to 20 years ago growing up.
Not that there is'nt some of today's acts that I don't like, because I do.
The music scene seems to be one vast melting pot, trace elements carried down.

The band I have been getting into lately is Coldplay.
They wear those influences well that I remember growing up, yet they still sound unique.

http://www.f3music.com/444