Week 5 - Can popular music ever really be unplugged?

Popular music cannot be unplugged as to keep it popular it needs to be distributed and in order to do so the music has to be performed with technology to be recorded and placed on to CD. There wouldn’t be the varied genres we have today, such as Rock music, where all of its sound is consisted of technology and its misuse. For instance the Stratocaster by Fender in 1954 and the feedback made by the closeness of the amplifier and instrument constituted a trademark sound and an iconic style for rock n roll. A need for microphone and amp is important in the creation of popular music so not to overshadow the other instruments when performing, such as drums overpowering vocals. It can be said Radio 1’s Unplugged is contradictory as techniquly the music is not unplugged as to be heard it is recorded. The points that say popular music can be unplugged are always justified. Such as singing acapella, but there is the need of a venue that would have to have the ability to carry a voice to make it loud enough for audience appreciation. Also the banging on an inanimate object (a table) can be performed to produce popular music; however as it is the use of scientific knowledge it makes the table technology.

Week 4 - What is world music and why does it exist?

World music is a genre that covers all music that is not part of mainstream pop music within Western Europe and North America (English speaking countries). It has an "ethnic" element to it that can be seen as pop music that embodies influences from the third world. World music has sounds that reflect a particular culture through the use of geographically specific musical structure, instruments, and lyrics that can also reflect a cultural, social, and even political realism. As an audience we can determine world music as a musical style that is rooted to a culture which is opposed to our own. When musical styles and cultures mix using a range of cultural instruments and styles it is called world fusion. Meaning, it doesn't necessarily matter where an artist is from or their background, if a performer uses different ethnic influences that are apparent in song then that is World Music. Robinson, Buck and Cuthbert indicated that international and local sounds are being fused to create world music, and an example of this is Punjabi MC who has taken Asian cultural music and fused it with a Western hip-hop beat. This music exists as we live in a globalise world where culture plays influence on the music that is made in each country. Without it a distinctive sense of national identity would not be distinguished. It can be said this genre is used as a marketing device, sometimes referring to any kind of foreign music, especially in a foreign language.

Week 3 - Is popular music a commodity form or is it art?

With an artist it is difficult to determine whether they are an artist for the ability to express a feeling or idea, or whether they are truly in it to make money. Adorno agrees that popular music is a commodity. Adornos idea of Pseudo Individualisation explains why popular music is a commodity as the illusion of exclusivity is achieved by marketing a music album for a second time for instance which is practically the same as the one before. Even covers of songs like ‘against all odds’ by Phil Collins has had its structure re-used by the likes of Westlife, seeing the music as just a selling commodity. Popular music is a universal text which is sold, a done so by being contained by a particular consisting of a CD or vinyl. Although music is part of a performance when expressed, which makes it a form of art. Like art, good music can not be achieved by just anyone, there has to be a variety of talent involved. Musicians are referred to as artists for such a reason. With artistic covers achieved by producers and musicians such as Mark Ronson there is the idea of popular music being an art. Popular music is not consumed more than once by a particular artist as other commodities are such as a good pair of Converse shoes. As a consumer we’ll buy a similar style or connotation of music to that artist.