Week 2: How useful is Peterson’s production of culture perspective in understanding the birth of rock ‘n’ roll?

When studying Peterson’s explanation of the birth of rock music, it quickly becomes apparent that his focus is on the industrial side of the rock revolution, with almost no mention of the emergence of the brand new sound which would become known as rock ‘n’ roll. However, Peterson does explain how the circumstances of the music industry created the opportunity for a new genre of music, recalling how the abolition of airing only ASCAP-licensed music on the radio increased airtime for previously excluded genres, which would eventually help to form the rock music genre. Peterson also challenges other ideas about the birth of rock music. He dismisses claims that the post-Second World War baby boom contributed towards the emergence of rock ‘n’ roll, as the oldest of these youngsters would be merely 9 years of age in 1954, which hardly amounts to a demanding teenage audience. Peterson’s explanation is detailed on the industry side, but is less useful in understanding the creative evolution of music which led to the birth of rock ‘n’ roll.

Week 1: What is 'popular' music?

Initially, one might assume that popular music is simply music that is enjoyed by lots of people, but the very meaning of ‘popular’ is open to interpretation, and can be self-contradictory. There’s also the argument that ‘popular’ music is merely commercial, but this wrongly suggests that the artists’ sole intention is to make money from their music. Whilst music can arguably become commercial by generating profit, artistic vision remains the primary motive. One must also consider that the word ‘popular’ and its meaning have evolved throughout the history of the English language; originally a legal term meaning ‘belonging to the people,’ it is defined today as ‘from and of the people.’ However, this is unspecific; some people like rap music whilst others favour opera. The fact that there is an audience for every genre of music, whether mainstream or alternative, suggests that all music is popular to some extent.