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

It is hard to define black and white music, obviously stereotypes can define it for us with black music being R n B and Rap and white music being opera and hillbilly, but how much is it that we agree with this anymore. Stereotypes originate from many years ago so why now do we still use it in our culture.  Music is now multi cultural, it has an aim to a much larger target audience. 1950's  was the ultimate change to black music with a white audience, artists such as Elvis Presely started writing songs which were largely influenced by black artists. "Pop music has always depended on the interaction between black and white traditions"(Hatch & Milward 1987). Music could now be defined as 'mixed race' white artist make black music such as Eminem a hugely successful rap artists, and black people make white music. Not only that but genre's now mix to make a hybrid genre. It keeps music catchy and fresh. Blackness and whiteness is therefore only useful in describing history of music not our current society.

Does the emergence of digital download signal the end for the music industry?

Since 1877 when the first patent recording system evolved the music business has been on an increase with year by year technology's progressing and the industry evolving. By 1979 the first portable cassette is brought out meaning the music industry is thriving. It only then took the industry 10 years to produce the mp3 then apple releases the ipod in 2001. With the music industry evolving so quickly file sharing was the ultimate boom. File sizes decreasing and internet speeds fastening mass internet distribution is then viable. The problem that then occurs is the question of why would you pay for something if you know you can get it for free? Everyone would pay if it wasn't free therefore if the music industry went on decline I feel our culture as it is today would support the industry and forget the free downloads. Our culture thrives of music, if we were to face paying for music or loosing music I know which one i'd choose!!

Can popular music achieve genuine political change?

Popular music is probably never going to be strong enough to expedite political change. Saying that political campaigners do use the influence of music in their parties to sway voters. But weather popular music as a whole can achieve political change is debatable. The Red Wedge formed by Bill Bragg, Paul Weller and Jummy Sommerville in 1985 hoped to be able to shift the Thatcher party from parliament and form a labor party agenda using popular music, they organised tours with big names but as much as they tried their party proved unsuccessful and weren't voted into parliament. Artists such as Bob Marley a hugely recognized artists emphasizes his view on anti capitalism through his music, selling millions of records which then profit back into the capitalists system. Whilst it is obvious popular music certainly makes a change in political awareness, popular music is not strong enough to change any real political change.