C/o pop

Cologne's creative community began planning the festival in 2003 in response to Popkomm's departure for Berlin. The first edition took place in 2004. In 2010 the festival was moved to late June to make it easier for international industry representatives — and universities still in term — to attend the conference programme.

The festival brings national and international acts spanning electro, indie and related genres to indoor and outdoor stages across Cologne, ranging from established names to newcomers. Over the years the emphasis has shifted increasingly toward homegrown emerging talent; the festival positions itself as a discovery event. Special highlights include the popNRW Award for acts from North Rhine-Westphalia, label showcase nights and networking events.

In 2019 the organisers overhauled the concept: the festival moved to May for the first time, opening the season earlier, and the focus shifted from the Belgian Quarter to Ehrenfeld. Ticketed shows now run Wednesday to Friday at venues across Cologne, while the weekend hosts around 60 additional concerts and showcases under the banner "c/o Ehrenfeld" — a free programme that also includes cultural, sporting and political activities on Saturday and Sunday.

Running alongside the festival, the c/o pop Convention is held at the Herbrand's event hall in Ehrenfeld. It addresses the music business, digital media, electronic media and marketing strategies, billing itself as the first industry gathering of the year for the music sector and allied fields such as the digital economy and games.