Academic and Popular are two commonly used categories for the articles and books commonly encountered in the research process. These represent two extremes to some. On one end, you have the academic sources for your scientifically written, peer-reviewed journals, and on the other are articles written more for the everyday person, with a wide range of credibility in this category since peer-review isn't required. While these categories are useful and true for the most part, there is some wiggle room to be found among the array of publications and publishing outlets available to so many.
I suggest that a researcher should consider a third category, broadly speaking, for Grey literature, which I like to think of as "Academic Adjacent" materials. While not necessarily peer-reviewed, there are publications that, from a practical standpoint, act as a given field's professional publications, or represent materials produced by credentialed authors who have all but undergone the peer-review process, publishing material meant to inspire or guide academic and civic policy moving forward in a field. Trade Journals might not be peer-reviewed in some cases, but represent a category of professional publications written by professionals for professionals, such as Advertising Age. Those have some status beyond a tabloid publication, but are not quite a refereed, academic journal.
Think Tanks can be consulted to explore content that influences public policy, and it is actually very important to recognize that many of these Think Tanks are very partisan, although not always so. Many of the content creators found within these organizations have advanced degrees in public administration, economics, or policy. Explore disparate Think Tanks, such as Brookings Institiute and the Heritage Foundation. Try the same search on COVID-19 in each. How do each of these address the pandemic? How does the terminology differ when referring to the pandemic, if at all?
There are data tools and multimedia creations that present facts from quality sources in unique ways other than text, providing a credible way that still contributes to the research process, albeit outside the realm of peer-review. If trying to choose between different tools, it might be best to lean toward tools from organizations that are partnering with universities or other professional organizations that provide some transparency in how their data is being sourced. When in doubt, contact a librarian!