Are Blackness and Whiteness useful concept in the study of popular music ?

Blackness and whiteness are useful concept in the study of popular music is useful in it’s on way. They are useful when studying when one want to know the history of popular music. It’s a concept that gives one a platform in understanding the origins of race music, it helps individuals to learn where certain music originates. Black and white music has always been influential to each other since the early 1940’s as though there is nothing evident in the foundation of black and white music. It is also useful in terms of understanding the genres of music i.e. certain artist make music based on their political views. This concept is definitely useful in the study of popular music, as David Hatch stated ‘ Pop music has always depended on the interaction between white and black traditions’. However it broadens one’s knowledge on popular music and shows the narrow link between Black artist and White artist

Emergence of digital downloads

The music industry hasn't been the same since the birth of digital download.There has been a decrease of record sales which has resulted in musicians having to work ten times harder than usual, finding alternative ways of promoting thier music. The effect of the digital download on the music industry has lead to record companies realising singles through downloading websites such as itunes.Releasing singles download has made an impact in terms of increasing record sales, but it still hasn't made the music industry as comfortable as it use to be due to the rapid growth of music sharing softwares.As we are aware, the introduction of these digital downloads doesn't neccessarily mean progression because there is a massive sound quality difference between the music you purchase with your own money than the music you downloaded for free, therefore the emergence of digital download doesn't signal the end of the music industry.

World music can be defined as music that are of an origin,music that are created and performed by indigenous musicians.
World music has characteristics that distinguishes itself as a genre from the others.The ethnic style and rythm of world music makes the genre
unique,and also traditional ethnic instruments such as the West african harp, steel drums and the sitar has its own tone.These intruments does not
automatically isolates world music as a traditional genre but rather music from all over the world.All these modes and musical inflections is created
and it helps promotes a distinctive sense of national identities.World music from different cultures and different nations have influenced one another
which helps get their music out to the rest of the world.World music also allows people to express themselves in a way they can not do in other genres in terms of
creativity.

Popular Music

According to Theodor W. Adorno, “the popular music industry is an all consuming production line that churns out mass produced and inferior commodities”. One can argue in favour of Adorno as there have been major traits of industrial standardization in music, i.e. most artist take songs and remake it by adding a creative twist to it in order to make it sound different. Adorno may have a point because, this type of standardization has been used over and over again in centuries. On the one hand, one can argue against Adorno theory that the popular music industry is not all consumed and mass produced but just a tradition. Most music of today is remakes of songs from past decades but people still enjoy them due to the slight changes added. We enjoy a piece of music hence the reason why we go out to buy similar piece or a piece that have similar styles or connotations.

Popular Music

According to Theodor W. Adorno, “the popular music industry is an all consuming production line that churns out mass produced and inferior commodities”. One can argue in favour of Adorno as there have been major traits of industrial standardization in music, i.e. most artist take songs and remake it by adding a creative twist to it in order to make it sound different. Adorno may have a point because, this type of standardization has been used over and over again in centuries. On the one hand, one can argue against Adorno theory that the popular music industry is not all consumed and mass produced but just a tradition. Most music of today is remakes of songs from past decades but people still enjoy them due to the slight changes added. We enjoy a piece of music hence the reason why we go out to buy similar piece or a piece that have similar styles or connotations.

Advent of rock music

There is no doubt that Jazz legends like Frank Sinatra and Tommy Dorsey, paved the way on the popular music chart for the growing legion of rockers ( Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry ) in the early 1950’s . The music industry at that time was aesthetically committed to the big band crooner style of popular music, because of the oligopolistic control they had on the production, distribution and marketing of the music. Nonetheless, these legions of rockers' associated culture and their aesthetic help develop the political and social events in the 1950's as their music had a direct approach to younger audience. The introduction of transistors and development of the Top Forty radio jukebox guaranteed a variety of music was exposed to the audience, and also the global exposure of the legion of rockers in the mid 1950's in which rock was forged due to their individual creativeness.