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

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

For me, art is a single moment of inspiration; it is a distinctive statement from its artist. Popular music can be art; there have been some great inspiring artists that have created distinctive artful music but especially nowadays popular music is in contrast to art. Popular music is a mass-produced commodity; most artists set out to or are used to make money rather then to create art. The popular music industry has become very repetitive with tracks that have similar sound, style and connotations, because it is safe and they know that this would make money. This is not art; this has no moment of inspiration or distinctive statement. “ The popular music industry is an all consuming production line that churns out mass produced, inferior commodities”. One could argue that yes there have been some popular music that can be considered art but this it self is very rare.

Theodor W. Adorno, On popular music (Studies in Philosophy and Popular Science) 1941

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

The theory tells us a lot about the social and economical factors that create a platform for something new in the music industry. Peterson theory suggests that they’re six factors for the emergence of Rock and Roll: Changes in law, development of certain technology, Industry structure, organisation structure, occupational careers and changes in the market. These are very useful in understanding how the platform for Rock & Roll was created but however they do not explain why it was Rock and Roll that became so big. Why didn’t Latin Music or R&B become so big? That’s the problem in analysing the birth of Rock and Roll in this perspective. It is still useful in understanding the birth of Rock and Roll, as the changes in culture play a major part in its creation but the theory fails to suggest why it was Rock and Roll that was the chosen one.

Richard A. Peterson, The Production Of Culture (1976)

Is it reasonable to consider that rock music is gendered male?

Males have undoubtedly dominated rock music since its creation. Women in all aspects of music are seen as vocalists rather then playing instruments and that’s why there is a lack of women in Rock. Rock music is symbolised by its use of instruments especially the electric guitar, the lack of female guitarists leads to the idea that rock is gendered male. “Playing the flute, violin and piano is traditionally feminine, playing electric guitar is masculine”. There is no physical reason for why there is a lack of females becoming lead guitarists.“ Lead guitarists are made not born. The reason for women’s absence is entirely social”. The lack of representation of female guitarists to inspire young females means it’s harder for females to relate to rock music in playing terms. Unless this under representation of females in rock changes then rock music will always continue to be gendered as male.

Mavis Bayton, Women and the Electric Guitar, in Sexing The Groove, Ed. Sheila Whiteley, London, Routledge, 1997. p:39