IS THE AUDIENCE FOR POPULAR MUSIC CREATED BY THE MUSIC INDUSTRY?

The music industry is riddled with stereotypes and things that appear to be popular, these are only popular as they are the only option. If one is willing to search for difference then the audience wont be created by the music industry but perhaps influenced by it. Radio is used to show what the music industry wants us to hear, music stations based around heavier music such as Kerrang! radio are now playing softer more indie music as this is what is currently "popular", Adorno's theory of standardisation fits in well, the music that is popular is heavily standardised, with recurring beats, notes and lyrics. Audiences appear to be passive just accepting what is offered to them. Without a music industry however there wouldn't be an audience as there would be no music available to purchase and listen to, therefore the music industry does create the audience.

Magazine review - mixmag

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

Blackness and whiteness are useful concepts to a certain degree, this may include the classification of music in the early 20th century; it may also be useful in advertising strategies to pull in certain audiences. Other than that the classifications are irrelevant or only play a small role. The developments in technology and the vast differences in subcultures means that there are more distinctions based around genres rather than race. Styles are borrowed, fusing together other styles and cultures, this may lead to blurred distinctions. People don't tend to stick to one style of music alone. Blackness and whiteness cannot explain the other cultural music genres such as Bhangra. Class and location are more socially relevant in current times in such a multicultural society. Barry Shanks suggests that in every case, within every popular music genre, crossover exceptions to the typical racial identification exist; for in the very vibrations of its being, music doesn't know race.

Can popular music achieve genuine political change?

Audiences try to convince themselves that they are not passive and that they consciously select what they take from music. Street suggests that in the west, the political right has been terrified that popular music will undermine capitalism, family life and traditional values. He also suggests that musicians from left to right have used political music as a vehicle for their politics. The truthfulness of the artists through their lyrics may influence the views of the listeners away from the lies of the politicians. Any form of art is expression, any form of politics is manipulation. Working for large scale capitalist companies, (rather than being hypocritical) allows artists to spread their views globally without being penalised for their opinions. Even though music can achieve political change it has yet to prove it on a large scale rather than small economic achievements such as live aids help in Africa.

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

The emergence of digital download doesn't signal the end for the music industry, but more of a change. CD sales are still peaking with artists such as Lady Gaga achieving diamond on her latest album. CD's and even vinyl's are often purchased for the cover art, and also as collector items. What people don't spend on CD's and recorded music, they are saving and spending on attending live gigs and festivals, giving them a chance to see an array of musical talent they would and wouldn't normally listen to, these live music events lead to a sense of comradeship amongst the attendees, all there to see the music they love. Downloading music and free listening sites such as Spotify allows people to sample music they are interested in at the current times, if a person likes more than one of an artists songs they may then purchase the recorded music.

What is world music, and what are the functions of it?

World music is the bringing together of local (national) and global (international) music. Everything in the world appears to be interconnected, world music may therefore be seen as a hybrid taking on various characteristics, including those of local and global styles. World music should be there to bring together and merge different talents, sounds and cultures. The main issue with world music seems to be the power relations behind it; which record company owns who? are the artists selling well? do they have a high revenue? rather than how enjoyable or well produced the music is. The function of world music is there to challenge the power relations offering people new sounds and experiences. Jocelyne Guilbault suggests that if we want to fully understand world music, we must look at its place within the complex and constantly changing dynamic of a world which is historically, socially and spatially interconnected.

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

Popular music is a mass produced commodity, Adorno suggests that when there is a successful song, hundreds of others spring up imitating the successful one, the first version is therefore commodified for mass production and a money making scheme. The genuine art within popular music is only applicable to the song writer as this shows a talent, being able to sing a tune or dance along while singing is not an art form. Adorno suggests that it is exploited to commercial exhaustion, culminating in 'the crystallization of standards'. The standardization of music creates the illusion of the individual, people feel invigorated by the music they listen to and see themselves as different and individual whereas they are just succumbing to the popular. People may view their own tastes in music as an artistic taste, but some people aren't to bothered if theirs is seen as art or not as long as they enjoy what they listen to.

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

The perspective seems to ignore the music and more importantly the genres of music, therefore it might as well be called the birth of different forms of music rather than rock and roll. This apparent rock and roll of the 50s and the suggested rock and roll of Peterson's perspective incorporates Jazz, R&B, and black music, which in current times would be hiphop and so on rather than the general ideas of what makes up rock. The perspective suggests that the only reason rock and roll was born was due to the creation of vinyl, the distribution of music and the rebellion of radio. Peterson's six factors for the creation of rock and roll ignores the music and concentrates on the economic factors for example the industry structure with the different record companies. Peterson's perspective is key in understanding the economic and environmental factors but ignores the musicality of rock and roll.

Is it reasonable to consider Rock music as gendered Male?

It is reasonable to consider Rock music male, as it may be seen to be written by the men for the men, also suggesting its written to tell women what men want. Women are seen to be too emotional to 'Rock out', they also aren't as willing to show anger or be sexually suggestive. Women are more prominent in 'softer' genres such as RnB where the music is generally written for them. To understand whether something has been gendered male an understanding of the audience needs to take place, heavy metal for example has a large working class following this suggests a common ground between the lyrics and the audience. However for all good Rock music there is normally a woman in the side lines whether this be the guitar, the wife or the androgynous fashion sense of the glam-rockers. In a way the sexually suggestive material of Rock may make women feel sexually desirable.

Can popular music ever really be unplugged?

In the current twenty-first century popular music without technology appears impossible, with the constant use of amplifiers, microphones and even the musical equipment itself. Technology rules all contemporary music, Théberge suggests that technology is also an environment in which we experience and think about music; it is a set of practices in which we engage in making and listening to musical sounds. Through the history of technologies that are used in music making and distribution it was clear to see that the sole intentions weren't how it actually ended up. Théberge suggests that pop practices constantly redefine music technologies through unexpected or alternative uses. From microphones, instruments and amplifiers to recorders to C.D.'s and mp3, music wouldn't be able to reach the ears and hearts of the millions of fans without these, the only way for people to hear or create music would be acoustically in a bedroom or small area with a very small fan base.

What is popular music?

To understand what popular music is it's essential to know what popular means. A dictionary definition may include, well-liked, sought-after or even commercial which means goods, often refined, produced and distributed in large quantities for use by industry. This idea suggests that popular music is unrefined and created in large quantities, popular music is music that has a mass and wide appeal. Middleton observes that the question 'What is popular culture?' is 'so riddled with complexities'. If we concentrate on the commercial aspect of popular music this places a greater concentration on the charts, however this may eliminate certain genres of music that do not appear in the charts, but they may still be popular in certain subcultures. Shuker suggests 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.