Popular music has become so reliant on electronic technology it can never become unplugged. Music has become popular because of electronic technology so taking it away would be unbearable. Nearly every song contains use of electronic technology; some genres such as dance would not exist without it. Inventions such as multi track recording ‘the primary mode of production in popular music’ and the electric guitar took music to new levels, without it the music would not be the same. It is hard to imagine music without some sort of electronic use, ‘ without electronic technology, popular music in the twenty first century is unthinkable’, some iconic songs and artists would not of existed. The music would not appeal to the mass audience not just in terms of how it sounds but also because it cannot be recorded or consumed, therefore music would not be popular it would have no impact.
Paul Therbage (2001) Plugged in: technology and popular music,in The Cambridge companion to pop and rock, Ed. Simon Firth, Will Straw and John Street. P.3, P.11
'No impact' might be a slight over statement but I certainly take your meaning. This is actually a pretty good summary of the arguments expressed in the lecture.
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