Week 7: Are youth subcultures genuine signs of revolt or simply the manifestation of style?

Hebdige claims youth is a painful transitional period, which suggests subcultures are less about revolting or self-expression and more about simply wanting to belong. However, there is the example of youths self-harming purely to feel part of ‘emo’ culture, which certainly leans more towards revolt than manifestation of style. Hebdige also points out that punk must be interpreted in the context of the time it emerged, suggesting that this subculture was a genuine revolt born out of the social decay of 1970s Britain. Cohen claims subcultures are the solution for youths wanting to express their individuality whilst still maintaining parental identifications. This would suggest subcultures are used to help youths get to know themselves as opposed to revolting. It could be argued that at the point of emergence, subcultures are a form of revolt against the mainstream, but eventually they become widely recognised and it is at this point that they become merely an expression of style for youths to adopt.

Week 6: Does the emergence of the digital download signal the end of the music industry?

In the music industry, every significant progression in technology is followed by a prophecy of doom for profitability. The cassette was considered a threat when it grew popular in the 1970s, as was the compact disc. Neither of these led to a decline in record sales, and so far digital downloads haven’t either. Steve Jobs has commented that Apple’s biggest rival is piracy itself, and it is true that the introduction of smaller, compressed MP3 files and faster internet connections have made file sharing easier, but is this theft? The music industry insists that it is, despite that nobody is making a profit from P2P file sharing. However, Jobs is still urging major record labels to abandon DRM and release DRM-free files for downloading. This suggests that it will always remain the case that people get what they pay for; downloads can be unpredictable and carry the risk of spyware, so people choose to buy albums in shops and online so they can be assured of quality.

Week 5: Can popular music ever really be unplugged?

This would depend on the definition of ‘unplugged’; albums claiming to be ‘unplugged’ tend to simply be recorded without the use of electric instruments or special effects. Théberge claims that today’s popular music would be ‘unthinkable’ without the use of technology, and indeed technology is still a major part of ‘unplugged’ albums, and ultimately they could not be recorded without it. The use of microphones and amplifiers is now commonplace, so to be truly ‘unplugged’, popular music would have to be recorded acoustically or played with acoustic instruments and simply listened to live. The former option would be impossible with the use of the bass guitar and drums in most popular music, and the latter would be impractical as technology is essential for the audience to clearly hear the artist performing. Whilst it is possible for popular music to be fully unplugged, it is generally never done due to the sheer impracticality of the task.

Week 4: What is world music?

There is a general view that ‘world music’ is indigenous music, that is, music that uses sounds and instruments associated with the local culture of a country as opposed to Anglo-American music. Shuker points out that the internationalisation of the music industry has led to cultural imperialism, which could be why the label ‘world music’ has emerged, as different cultures try to retain their original music styles whilst Anglo-American music is imported. This globalisation means that what started out as folk music has taken on a new genre, as Anglo-American music is injected into other cultures and people look to world music as a more authentic, traditional representation of their cultural identity as opposed to imported music. However, inevitably lines have blurred and it is not unusual for a European musician to sing with an American accent, or for imported Anglo-American music to sample instruments traditional to different cultures. The globalisation of the music industry goes hand in hand with the emergence of the ‘world music’ genre.

Week 3: Is popular music a mass-produced commodity or a genuine art form?

Theodor Adorno argues that ‘popular’ music is standardised and has a specific structure, whereas ‘serious’ music is more complex and must be appreciated as opposed to simply enjoyed. If we assume that art is any form of self-expression, then it could be argued that some popular music is not art. For example, a manufactured group who do not play their own instruments and have their songs written for them are hardly expressing themselves personally when they perform, yet it is generally these groups who are most popular. Music moguls tend to put these groups together for the sole purpose of making money, through merchandise as much as music, making the group a brand and thus a commodity. However, other popular artists, though perhaps imitating the same standardised structure of popular music that Adorno points out in their own songs, write the music and lyrics themselves to express themselves artistically. This could be considered a genuine art form. Some popular music is mass-produced for commercial profit, but it depends on individual artists as opposed to the whole genre.