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

As consumers we are in control of choosing the music that we want to listen to and purchase - record companies cannot force you into buying something that you do not want to listen to. They can over publicise the song by ensuring it’s played regularly whether on the television or radio. Therefore it could be argued that an artists’ success is linked to the music industry’s intervention, in creating an audience for popular music. We shouldn’t lose sight of the fact that the music industry’s main aim is to make money. If a particular type of music proves successful, then record companies will release similar music in the hope that it will have the same degree of commercial success. Adorno recognised that ‘standardisation extends from the most general features to the most specific ones, with repetition being the key to success’. For example Bob Dylan initially recorded ‘All Along The Watchtower’ with mediocre reviews, but when it was re-released by Jimi Hendrix the song took on an entirely new lease of life, becoming a cult hit.

A review of UNCUT magazine.

UNCUT magazine’s tagline, ‘music and movies with something to say’ sums up this charming magazine nicely. Having been cited as the most authoritative music and movie magazine around, it offers it’s regular readers facts, figures and in-depth interviews with some of pop, rock and cinema’s biggest names including the Rolling Stones and The Kings of Leon. New film and album releases are discussed and reviewed, and competitions are run to win tickets to some of the industry’s most coveted events. The magazine is aimed at males between the ages of 24-45, which is supported by the range of adverts appealing specifically to this market; from male grooming products, to the latest cool gadgets and fast cars. UNCUT also features a ticket forum for it’s readers to buy/exchange tickets for the hottest gigs in town. The only drawback is the magazine is priced at a whopping £4.30, so it’s far from cheap. Worse still, readers outside of the UK miss out on the free CD which comes free with every issue.

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

I think that although helpful to some degree, blackness and whiteness are not defining concepts in popular music. Music can’t be racially owned - there’s too much cultural cross-over. As Swiss points out, “‘black’ music has always drawn ‘white’ audiences, and often drawn from ‘white’ musical traditions.” Hatch and Millard also suggest that pop music has always been heavily dependent on the interaction between white and black traditions. Elvis broke racial and cultural boundaries bringing about the new era of ‘rock n roll’ - he was heavily influenced by gospel and soul music. We also need to consider who defines music; the artist or the audience? Rap music, traditionally considered to be ‘black’ music has given rise to incredibly popular and credible white artists such as Eminem and the Beastie Boys. Shanks comments ‘for some whites, black music becomes a means to interrogate their own racial identity.” Race is just one way of analysing music, but economic and social environment and class should not be overlooked.   

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

Since the advent of the compact cassette player in the 1970’s, the music industry has been fearful of technological advancement and has resisted change. Condry has commented that the US and Japan - two of the world’s largest recording industries are currently in trouble, partly due to the rise in digital downloads. The logic is supposedly ‘unassailable’ - if music is free, no one will pay for it. If no one pays, artists and producers will stop creating music. Arguably, rather than signalling the end, it’s making artists challenge the economics of the industry. Radiohead’s ‘pay what you want’ experiment with the release of ‘In Rainbows’ demonstrated that most fans were willing to pay the normal retail price for the album. Prince caused uproar by giving his last album away free with a copy of the Daily Mail. Perhaps the primary role of the industry is shifting - the live music scene is booming - ticket and merchandise sales are constantly rising. Maybe this is where their primary responsibility will sit with the artists going forward?

Can popular music achieve genuine political change?

Street argues that ‘music has symbolic force, it displays the power of language to create visions, articulate ideas and form bonds.’ Popular music has been used throughout history as a rallying force i.e. Bolsheviks used Communist music to galvanise support. More recently, Labour piggy-backed on the motivational lyrics of D-Ream’s ‘Things Can Only Get Better’ in their bid for office. Lyrics have the potential to influence thought and opinion.

Popular music’s potential to pose a political threat is also important to consider, when it becomes the expression of it’s wider political and social context. I.e. Billie Holiday’s ‘Strange Fruit’, condemning American racism was initially denounced in 1937 by Time Magazine as ‘a piece of propaganda’ for the advancement of black people. In 1999 the same magazine awarded ‘Strange Fruit’ the song of the century - testament to the progression of modern thoughts and values.

Popular music is good at raising awareness of areas which need political change and galvanising support, but in terms being the catalyst for direct political change - it’s not as successful. 

What is World Music?

World music is often used as a catch-all category encompassing virtually any music which  doesn’t fit into the mainstream popular categories; rock, pop, dance, urban, folk. World Music is often synonymous with traditional music or folk music composed and played by   native people of a specific region. However it should be noted that world music is not exclusively traditional folk music as it can also refer to modern cutting-edge pop music styles. 

The world has got smaller - people are travelling more frequently, and to further afield, experiencing different cultures. This has fuelled the growth of the World Music category, as well as demand for the genre. However the category is still not as popular as it’s mainstream counterparts such as pop or rock in the European market. It fails to resonate with a large number of people, and due to it’s lack of widespread popularity it doesn’t receive the support of the global media to help it’s promotion.   

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

Theodore Adorno takes the stance that popular music is a mass produced commodity, stating that the ‘fundamental characteristic of popular music is standardisation’, using the idea of part interchangeability and pseudo individualism to support his view. However, Gendron argues against Adorno, believing that music is consumed differently to other mass produced commodities. He believes that the context of the song is fundamental; artists can in their own way change the true meaning of a song through their performance of it. For example, the contrasting versions of ‘My Way’, one by Sinatra and the other by the Sex Pistols.   

Defining something as an ‘Art Form’ does have difficulties as you have to consider what constitutes ‘art’. If we use this idea in terms of music, we have to question, who is the artist, writer, or performer? Some people believe that  shows such as ‘The X-Factor’ provide us with creative, talented young artists such as Leona Lewis or Alexandra Burke. However, the ‘X-Factor’ is a prime example of Adorno’s Pseudo individualism as the winner for the past four years has released a cover version rather than being given the chance to write and perform their own music.        

How useful is a production of culture perspective in understanding the birth of Rock and Roll?

Richard A. Peterson’s article entitled ‘Why 1955?’ tries to explain the formation of the Rock and Roll era by focusing heavily on the social context of the time. Peterson claims that there are six key elements that brought about the birth of Rock and Roll; law, technology, industry structure, organisational structure, occupational careers and market but considers no other factors. 

One fundamental problem with Peterson’s theory is that it is based on the assumption that Rock and Roll began in 1955. However, it is very hard to pinpoint an actual date. Critics have other beliefs, with ‘Rolling Stone’ magazine suggesting that Elvis’s 1954 hit ‘That’s All Right Mama’ was the very first rock and roll song. Another flaw with ‘why 1955?’ is that Peterson does not mention the actual music itself, instead he chooses to discuss the circumstances that came together to produce a form of music. He fails to address the excitement that was to ensue this new era of liberating music or how much of a ground breaking phenomena it was, especially with teenagers. It is apparent he has no real feel for the music itself.  

Is it reasonable to consider Rock music is gendered male?

Jimi Hendrix, Mick Jagger, Bob Dylan, Robert Plant – all synonymous with rock n roll ‘cool’, and feature in the top ten ‘Greatest Artists of all time’ polled in Rolling Stone magazine. The characteristics of the genre - the fuzzy, over amplified guitars, and lyrics celebrating women and cars lend themselves to an inherent masculinity. Notably, the only female representative in the top ten was Aretha Franklin. Bayton stresses that females are more prominent in pop music, where they take the lead of the vocalist. Are women simply less talented, or under represented due to the male dominance in the rock industry? Certainly music journalism influences our understanding of the rock genre. The discrimination of female rock artists is prevalent, focussing largely on discrediting them for their private lives as opposed to their musical success; Courtney Love has been continually slandered by the press for her drug addiction and child welfare dispute. Conversely, when the private lives of male rock artists such as Ronnie Wood and the Gallagher brothers are displayed in the media, it’s often dismissed as simply ‘the sex, drugs & rock n roll’ lifestyle.

Can popular music ever be unplugged?

“Without electronic technology popular music in the 21st century is unthinkable.” Theberge’s statement provides the foundations to support the argument that popular music can never be unplugged. The technological advancements of the late 19th and early 20th century have revolutionised the music industry through the constantly adapting process of music production. The invention of the microphone was a key advancement in the way that music is performed. The greatest advance in technology came about with the development of amplification which soon became a necessary part of the establishment of rock and roll as it placed an emphasis on the sound of amplified electric guitars. High powered amps enable artists to perform to large venues of any size. The production of music is another process that uses technology with many self made artists using programs such as garageband to record and produce their own music. We are seeing a shift in the way that music is recorded, with the digitalisation of songs overpowering the production of music CDs. There will come a time when CDs will become obsolete.  

What is popular music?

Our understanding of the term ‘popular music’ has evolved over the course of history. Initially stemming from the legal term, ‘popularis’ meaning ‘of the people’ - ‘popular music’ in the sixteenth century had generally negative connotations with the base of society, and being ‘low brow.’ During the seventeeth and eighteenth centuries, the term took on a more positive tone, and to ‘popularize’ was considered a good thing - essentially presenting knowledge in an accessible way. This paved the way for the American Magazine in the nineteenth century describing the term ‘popular’ as a synonym for good. Since the 1950’s and the birth of ‘rock n roll’, popular music has been widely perceived as being the music that’s selling the most copies, receiving the most radio-plays and is therefore the most well-received by society. This has developed into our modern understanding of ‘popular music’ being commercially orientated, with profit rather than artistic value as it’s primary aim.