Literature is a term we use for written works like books, magazines, and sometimes even pamphlets or leaflets. Many pieces of literature become famous enough to be considered "popular culture," like the works of William Shakespeare or J. K. Rowling. Not all pop culture is necessarily literary, but let's bear in mind that the literary pop culture of today does help to shape the non-literary pop culture of tomorrow through the greater workings of culture and memetics.
As an example of literary pop culture, we can discuss the young-adult fiction series, The Hunger Games. This book series was a hit among youths and adults alike, as protagonist Katniss Everdeen is very relatable, and the conflict of the story mirrors real events and possibilities throughout our own world. Though the books have also been made into a film series, the pop culture content comes from the books themselves.
Perhaps a better example of literary pop culture would be Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. This play was written more than four-hundred years ago, but is still quoted on a daily basis around the world! Shakespeare's work is very famous and permeates the pop culture of not just the English speaking world, but almost every language and culture on the planet.
As I mentioned above, pop culture isn't always literary, but can be inspired by literature. For example, Taylor Swift's song, "Love Story," references the characters Romeo and Juliet. Though this song draws on earlier literary pop culture, the lyrics and music themselves technically are not literature.
Another example of pop culture that is not literary would be Andy Warhol's famous titled Campbell's Soup Cans. Warhol was one of the pioneers of "pop art-" art that drew from pop culture symbols like the already famous soup brand, Campbell's. Warhol's interpretation of the image of the soup cans has become very popular in Western Modern Art. These works were both shaped by popular culture and helped to shape the future of pop culture!
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