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.