What is World music?

World music is a term which is surrounded by much academic debate. The concept has been arguably divided into two separate ideas; the first being that world music is traditional music of a culture that is created and played by indigenous musicians that is closely related to the music of regions of their origin, this is know as 'Local' (Frith, Straw &Street, 2002 pg 272). The other being 'Global Music' (Frith) which is essentially 'local' / any music reaching a global audience.

The term was created in the 1980s by Robert E Brown, largely due to a sudden increase of non-English language recordings being released therefore the music industry needed a marketing device in the media to classify any kind of non Anglo/ American music. (which was and still is the accepted standard global template for music in the music industry.)

Due to the ambiguity of the definition of world music, it can arguably, be anything from, Madonna to a Indian tribesman playing a drum.

Is popular music a mass produced commodity or a genuine art form?

Art is essentially a product of Human creativity, which would, indeed, assert the idea of popular music being a form of art. Now although the music (text) itself is universal and perhaps could be argued by some as true art, it must be contained by a particular i.e. vinyl record/C.D. which unfortunately transforms it into this 'mass produced commodity', for in order to sell a universal the text must be contained by a particular.

So to assert the idea of popular music being 'genuine' would be to oppose Adornos idea that 'The popular music industry is an all consuming production line that churns out mass produced inferior commodities' (Adorno on popular music 1941). However one must always consider the creativity undergone by the human because ultimately art is a skill, that takes time and effort to make a 'creation' and not just the creation of making of money.