i don't know why coinmarketcap has become popular for people as a go to when they want to check the price! it is the worst place you can check the price from. it gives you the average, the charts aren't accurate,...
Unfortunately, most cryptocurrencies, especially bitcoin, news outlets (save coindesk and CCN) use CoinMarketCap's information and charts as a reference for prices in their daily "bitcoin/altcoins is up/downbull/bear" articles. I admit, I often use CoinMarketCap to check prices as it has tools and markets lists that make navigating exchanges for trading opportunities easier.