Week 11 - Does the Music Industry create the Market?

I would say that although the music industry does have some effect on creating a market, it is both the audience and the music industry that are responsible for its existence. On one hand you have the music industry, which owns, produces and sells its own material and on the other hand you have the audience who dictate the market itself – if there was no demand there would be no need for the product in the first place. All in all I would argue that it is the audience who have the greater control as they have the power to choose what they listen to and buy and where they buy it from. In looking at the arguments for both sides I would say that although they do each have an individual case, it could be argued that it is the relationship between the two which has the greatest influence.

 

Week 9 - Are blackness and whiteness useful concepts in the study of popular music?

It is difficult to decide whether music can be considered ‘black’ or ‘white’ as there are many factors to be taken into account. However the concepts of blackness and whiteness are useful to some degree when studying popular music as they allow people to identify where the music is from or where it originated. There are many songs that will be made up from both black and white influences just as there are many that have been written by a white person and performed by a black artist and vice versa. For example Marvin Gaye singing a song written by John Lennon. This further blends the boundaries of what would be considered black or white music. Their will always be stereotypes e.g. most people will say reggae is predominantly black music but you have to remember that stereotypes are only social constructs so can change from one country to the next. I would say that although these are useful concepts they would only go as far as being a starting point as once you go any further it becomes very difficult to distinguish. 

Week 8 - Are subcultures a sign of revolt or an expression of style?

Stanley Cohen saw subcultures as being a threat to the countries social values and interests by either a person or group of people. The skinhead and punk cultures would be considered as a sign of revolt mainly being associated with criminal/anarchist activity, being working class and listening to genres of music that would not be considered popular by the mainstream. However some people would argue that they were just a group of people expressing themselves through their clothing and music, and that there expressions are merely reflective of societies problems at the time. I agree but would also say that although subcultures are often reflective of societies problems they are an expression of style as they often use images or symbols to help portray their message. For example even though the Sex Pistols commented on political situations you have to remember that they were also styled by Vivienne Westwood. So overall I would have to say that subcultures are both a sign or revolt and an expression of style.

Week 7: Can popular music be a genuine force for political change?

In one respect popular music can cause political change but on the other hand it has been argued that the change it creates is so minute that it doesn’t make any real difference.

One example of political change in 1994 was when trance/electronic music led to the introduction of special legal provisions in relation to raves. Although there were changes in the law because of this genre of music it didn’t really make any difference, as it didn’t stop raves happening. 

If popular music ever does create any kind of political change more often than not it is only a small, temporary fix e.g. Band Aid – its very name concedes the limitations of the project given the scale of the problem. It is unrealistic to think that one song could end world poverty, however it does raise awareness, which is a big step in helping, but this does not necessitate change. All in all I would say that music shouldn’t be considered a force for political change as it quite rare for a song to cause any kind of political conflict and there have been many songs that have failed in their efforts for political change.

Week 5 - Can Popular music ever really be unplugged?

One of the main problems with this argument is that the second you use any kind of technology, it becomes much harder to define music as being unplugged.

When considering whether or not music can actually be unplugged you have to take into consideration whether or not this means the exclusion of technology as there is a vast difference between this and the use of electricity. If it doesn’t then we could argue that music that involves the use of classical, acoustic instruments or a live performance with no microphones could really be considered unplugged. However if we look at any form of instrument as being a technology then it becomes harder to put this music in the unplugged category. There will however always be the exceptions for example an opera singer (without a microphone) or a gospel choir singing in a church. This really would be unplugged as the music they produce is solely vocal and could not be considered technological, instrumental or electronic.

Week 4 - What is World Music and Why Does It Exist?

Even though there is no clear definition of what world music is it can often be seen as something that comes from outside western civilization, whether this be the use of foreign themes, musical instruments or the exclusion of the English language. One of the main reasons for the creation of world music would be as a form of rebellion against cultural imperialism and the penetration of American culture. Another major factor in the existence of world music would be the production and marketing of singing talent who perform ‘local’ indigenous music to be marketed worldwide, with the use of the Internet this has become increasingly cheap and easy which means the multinational companies who invest in this talent are doing so in order to exploit the local market.

All in all it could be argued that world music is simply music from another country that cant be put into any other category and is therefore classed as world music in order to be sold by record companies. 

Week 3 Is Popular Music a Mass Produced Commodity or a Genuine Art Form???

Adorno argues that the whole structure of popular music is standardised. He says that popular music was symptomatic of the political and aesthetically destructive nature of the capitalist mode of destruction. Basically it’s a production line that mass-produces inferior commodities. Adorno also goes on to say that part interchangeability only serves to give these products an illusion of uniqueness. However Gendron, who goes on to say that music is the recording of a moment in time and that it is therefore very hard to mass replicate can argue otherwise. For example you could have two versions of the same song but its connotations could be completely different. So the question were left asking is; just because something is a commodity does this mean its not art? There are arguments for both sides, however we also have to understand that art can be described as something aesthetically pleasing and it is my belief that popular music fills this criteria.

Week 2 What are the strengths and weaknesses to Peterson’s production of culture approach to the birth of rock and roll?

Richard Peterson’s theory on the production of culture (1976) in essence states that rock and roll (or “popular music”) is an item for consumption, therefore describing it as nothing more than a product and that the industries producing these products are in turn defining culture – basically culture is a social construct. Like any theory it has strengths and weaknesses. For example he concentrates heavily on just the theoretical side, taking into account; law, technology, organisation and industry structure as well as the market.
A major problem with it is that he seems to see Rock and Roll solely as a tangible product and nothing deeper. He doesn’t see any connotations or emotions the music sends out.
Also at the time there were many genres of music so why Rock and Roll? Rock and Roll was new and innovative, was accepted by the majority and it had an energy that other genres lacked.