Are Youth Subcultures Genuine Signs Of Revolt Or Simply The Manifestation Of Style?

Talcott Parsons argues that subcultures are youth’s way of dealing with the transition from childhood to adulthood. Most subcultures begin as a way for the youth’s to create a different style that is different to mainstream society, giving themselves their own identity and this could be classified as a rebellion against the mainstream. These subcultures are often linked to the groups musical preference and are seen to influence the way they dress and act, such as Goths and Punks. Yet Hebdige claims that ‘the styles expressed by different subcultures are a response to social conditions and experiences'. He suggests that the style of punk must be interpreted ‘in the context of the social decay of Britain during the late 1970s.’ It seems that the subcultures from the 1950s-1990s incorporated revolt and style unlike subcultures today which are not as often showing signs of revolt, rather using style to fit into the life which surrounds them, such as students.

Does The Emergence Of The Digital Download Signal The End Of The Music Industry?

Digital downloads became popular in the late 1990s through file sharing sites such as Napster and LimeWire. CD sales dramatically fell causing the music industry to panic over these illegal download sites where people can download an artist for free instead of paying for the album. However in 2003 Apple launched the iTunes Store which sold individual songs or albums at a cheaper price than in shops, causing a resurgence in music sales. Still, many believe that if people can download an album for free, why would they pay for it, meaning the music industry needed to give customers something different which they would not get from a download. This comes in the form of the CD itself, as well as the album artwork and sleeves causing CDs to still be popular with many who may not want to break the law or are nostalgic towards owing a CD which many people are.

Can Popular Music Ever Really Be Unplugged?

Popular music relies on technology in order for the bands to produce their music. Technology is used to produce albums in studios; it excites in most interments, drums, guitars, bass guitars and vocals and all use amplifiers and microphones to enhance the sounds when performing. Therefore if unplugged is defined as without technology or effects then it is almost impossible for music to be truly unplugged because by taking away the technology then the albums would not be made, and the only possible way for popular music to be really unplugged would be at a live concert by using nothing but their acoustic interments and voices, with the audience having to be very quiet to hear the band, which has been known to happen but very rarely.

What Is World Music?

In basic terms world music could be defined as music that is none Anglo-American, sung in a foreign language, using local and indigenous sounds to compose music associated with that country. However local music cannot simply be associated with national cultural identities. Due to the monopoly that Anglo-American music has over the world it is impossible that these do not influence local music. World music now seems to overlap local or traditional music with global music. It could also be argued that the term ‘world music’ was used by music shops to categorize music that doesn’t fit the norm, making it easier to sell. Many ‘global’ bands incorporate world music into their songs in the form of African drums for example, yet this is not classified as world music due to the fact that it is sung in English or composed in an Anglo-American way. 

Is Popular Music A Mass Produced Commodity Or A Genuine Art Form?

It can be said that popular music is both a mass produced commodity and a genuine art form, as it can be argued that art is a mass-produced commodity as well as an art form. Chart music is commonly seen as a mass-produced commodity, with artists and producers churning out similar bands with similar songs. The bands are not only selling their songs and albums, they are selling merchandise, clothes, concert tickets and posters making them a brand and a commodity. Art can also be classified in this way when looking at the vast amount of prints, calendars, magnets and postcards selling one image or an artist’s work. However, they both contain genuine art forms as well. The art in music is the composing and performing of the music itself, and the capturing of an image or idea through painting or sculpting or other forms is art, causing the line between what is art and mass produce to become obscure.