Is the audience for popular music created by the music industry?

Roy Shuker argues ‘that the market for popular music recordings, and therefore the pop music audience itself are essentially created by the music industry’. He further suggests that this has may lead to a level of music that is essentially compressed with minimal diversion from the framework taken on by those involved in the industry, which in its self to a degree has the ability to almost guarantee hits not only for artist, but for consumers too.

On the other hand, Theodor Adorno states an alternative viewpoint that specific artists are able to create genuinely innovative and culturally significant music in spite of a manipulative and controlling music industry.

In my opinion, it is unintelligent to suggest that audiences do not depend on the music industry for their music consumption to some degree, with programmes such as ‘The UK Top 40’ being a prime source for top music choices, on the other hand it is unrealistic to suggest that specific styles or genres are forced on them, many individuals are simply more passive in their music choice, while others will actively look for new exciting music.

Are blackness and whiteness useful concepts in the study of pop music?

David Hatch states "pop music has relied on the merging of both black and white traditions" and is further backed by Barry Shank, who proposes "Rock and Roll came about from white people’s fascination with black music." The music industry recognised the benefit of such mergers; with one of history’s most successful artists Elvis Presley being the quintessential mix, making the combination commercially successful.

I deem the concept of ‘blackness’ and ‘whiteness’ can provide limited insight into the origins of pop music, though supplementary factors have significant influence; including prejudiced by class, legacy and cultural backdrop; common factors everyone has in common, regardless of skin colour or ethnicity.

As a final point; I believe that ‘blackness’ and ‘whiteness’ as individual concepts do not exist as separate genres, though as individual artists or majority consumers it is possible (questioning ones definition of what black/white music is), these concepts simply provide a starting point for further exploration.

Can pop music achieve genuine political change?

It first appears that music and politics don’t mix, however some have argued that “pop becomes the expression of its political and social context” (street in F.S.S) this can be best examined in music events know for political impact; such as live8. Causing millions of individuals to take part for both political and musical reasons; subsequently having genuine political impact.

On the other hand, it has also been suggested that the mixing of music with politics has lead to generations of arguably hypocritical artists; such as Michael Jackson who despite producing outwardly politically music about world issues, appears in deeper analysis to be only self-serving, with limited political motivation.

The single redeeming factor being that despite the overriding objective of financial gain, the music still provokes thought on political issues. So in this sense music may not achieve political change itself, but can set into motion events that can.

Does the emergence of the digital downloading signal the end for the music industry?

The music industry, notoriously cautious and averse to change has a history of fear concerning new technologies. As cassettes became widely available, piracy became a predicament for the first time, consequently, an Anti-Piracy campaign was introduced in the 80”s. It must be noted, the music industry survived cassette, making the concept that music downloading will have the same perceived impact illogical.

This can be explored through Radio-Head's album leak to Napster in 2000. Illegally downloaded by millions it was expected to washout, it-in fact went straight to number one. This demonstrates Lawrence Lessig four categories of file-sharing, particularly the category of ‘those that download music to sample ahead of purchase’.

The iTunes store profoundly impacted legal downloads, recently selling its 10-billionth download, proving people are willing to-pay for music. This limits the cost and threat (to the industry) of illegal downloading to Lessig’s group: ‘those who download rather than buy’.

What is world Music?

Essentially, there’s two key areas of theoretical debate, primarily undertaken by Frith; initially it’s suggested world music is ‘created’ across the world, by individuals, and ranges in content, from; Australia’s indigenous music, Irish folk or Iceland’s Nordic music. Each known as local music due to its local creation, though as a combined form cover vast expanses of the world, however only a fraction may hear each style.

Opposing this, world music can be described as music recognised globally, for instance popular music such as Madonna. Popular music is generally being created in Anglo-American as the world standard, Shuker advocates, these dominant Anglo-American countries promote what consists of ‘their cultural values’ injecting their customs broadly across the world, and poses a risk of suffocating other genres altogether. It is my opinion that world music should be something that integrates both of the above, allowing all cultures to thrive, continuing music evolution.

Is popular music a mass produced commodity or a genuine art form?

Adorno positions ‘the popular music industry as an all consuming production line that churns out mass produced inferior commodities’ and while modern popular music is comparable to traditional factories, with ‘part interchangeability’ streamlining costs and the idea of ‘Pseudo Individualisation’ suggesting “new” music is essentially this, standardisation isn’t unique to popular music; for example; Jim Connell’s 1889 ‘The Red Flag’ was significantly influenced by ‘My love was Born in Aberdeen’ (18thcentury folk song), a single illustration of standardisation in an alternative genre, suggesting Adorno is fundamentally erroneous because of his specification to popular-music.

On the other hand Adorno may have limited accuracy, as Gendron’s theory suggests a Universal and a Particular. Universal equals the song, while the particular refers to the c.d. suggesting the music itself is art, though the record is the mass produced commodity. In conclusion, my opinion is original recording are art, mass produced c.d’s are not.

How useful is a production of culture perspective in understanding the birth of rock and roll?

Richard A Paterson’s six key factors discusses and describes the social and economic factors that produced a platform for ‘something’ new to emerge, in this instance rock and roll, and how and why this new music genres emergence was possible.

Although Paterson first appears to cover all bases in depth, after further analysis, one key and almost fatal flaw emerges from his work. Why rock and roll? At a time when numerous genres were on the rise, Paterson fails to address in particular why it was the complex mixture of genres that is rock-and-roll and not another of the copious other genres of music that took off and had such a resounding impact.

Although in my opinion Peterson has missed a substantial fragment of this topic, I am not suggesting his views are completely incorrect; rather they’re accurate, though Paterson simply misses why it was rock-and-roll in particular that emerged.

Is it reasonable to consider that rock music is generated male?

Although it’s clear large scale ‘rock’ is male dominated, it must be considered that the stereotype of rock is one of guitar solos, not vocal symphonies, and it’s generally recognised that females have tendencies to opt for vocal positions, rather than the electric guitar ‘technology’, which is branded a masculine topic anyway.
Furthermore, Frith and McRobbie, when discussing the stereotypical style of rock (heavy metal) branding it ‘cock-rock’ as music and performance was crude and aggressive, not the typified female image.
Although looking at 1980’s rock, gender becomes less relevant, as ‘gender-benders’ such as the ‘Motley Crewe’ appear, taking on female features, questioning is gender really relevant, or does rock simply appeal to males more? Artists such as Janis Joplin (renowned for being ‘one of the boys’) would disagree.
Suggesting rock-and-roll, synonym for sex (a male dominated topic), operates as a form of sexual expression and control for both genders?

Can popular music ever really be unplugged?

The crucial point that I believe needs to be considered with regards to this question is ‘scale’, as a genre of music can be exceptionally popular within a group of fifty people, but outside that fifty, know one may have heard said genre or artist.
As a consequence of this, without the use of electrical technology to broadcast music; such as the introduction of amplifiers (invented by Lee Defrost) and transistors (invented by Julius Edgar Lilienfeld), which enabled artists to play to virtually any size audience, e.g. Woodstock and live Aid. It’s unlikely to become popular in the broad definition recognised today, at least not without extensively more travel, time and effort.
On the other hand, through not having one single definition, but instead a multitude of definitions of what popular music is, depending whose opinion you take, unplugged popular music can be made possible.

What is popular music.

One single definition of ‘popular’ must first be recognised prior to an overall definition for ‘popular music’ can be attained, though this is an almost impossible task, as a definition for popular has undergone continuous alteration since before the 16^th Century from positive to negative perceptions.

Individuals such as Anahid Kassabian have attempted to accurately define ‘popular music’, including references to ideas of homemade, good, and opposition to folk music, though there are several easily identifiable issues, such as; what is recognised as good? Alternatively Robert Burnett cited ‘popular music’ stems from commercially originated roots, though this may develop at later stages in a career, I believe musicians don’t enter the profession with the intention of becoming wealthy.

I believe Roy Shuker sums up popular culture most accurately; "Essentially, all popular music consists of a hybrid of musical traditions, styles and influences and is also an economic product which is invested with ideological significance by many of its consumers"