Week 9: Are blackness and whiteness useful concepts in the study of popular music?

‘Blackness’ and ‘whiteness’ are tricky concepts to define, particularly in today’s politically correct society. In the 20th century, it was not uncommon for white artists such as Elvis Presley to cover black artists’ songs and frequently have more success than the original. This was seen as ‘black music’ having an influence on white artists, which led to new genres such as rock ‘n’ roll emerging from ‘black music’ like blues and R‘n’B. Indeed, Hatch & Milward claim that ‘pop music has always depended upon the interaction between white and black traditions,’ and it is true that no matter whether a song is recorded by a white or black artist, it is still enjoyed by a mixed market. Also, whilst black people having segregated record labels seems racist today, in the early 1900s it allowed artists of different races to release music on a wider scale for the first time, also benefiting the record companies who could profit from a whole new market. Although it is impossible to categorise music as ‘black’ or ‘white,’ these concepts are still useful in the understanding of the development of popular music.

Week 8: Can popular music really achieve genuine political change?

Shuker describes how popular music ‘can be a means of raising both consciousness about and funds for political causes.’ However, the success of popular music in achieving political change depends greatly on its context. There is the example of Band Aid, in which the Christmas single released by celebrities including Bob Geldof raised £8 million for famine relief. USA for Africa followed Band Aid and raised a subsequent $50 million for the same cause; clearly this was a massive help for the charities. Interestingly, Red Wedge’s similarly preaching popular music did not achieve its goal of helping the Labour party win the 1987 general election. However, although both groups’ music was listened to by the masses, Band Aid was also a social cause, whilst Red Wedge was purely political. Indeed, Billie Holiday’s ‘Strange Fruit’ is another example of how popular music can have an enduring influence on social causes. Whilst popular music is not always a guaranteed way to achieve political change, it has certainly demonstrated its potential to do so.