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.
This is quite good, but to clarify, Williams was referring to the word popular, rather than popular music. LB
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