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

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

‘Pop music has always depended upon the interaction between white and black traditions” Hatch & Milward(1987) The titular two concepts are simply sub-categories of Popular Music, and when studying Popular music one must acknowledge the other categories, which may or may not de-value the concept of ‘race’ especially in comparison to factors such as class, culture and social background. However it does stand as a theoretical starting point; some people feel the lines of blackness and whitness have merged, others feel there is an animosity between the two because history has shown that a corporation will find/ create a white artist as an alternative to the new form of musical art created by Black people.

However the lines between Black ‘Afro- American’ music and white ‘European’ music have been blurred for there are Black artist performing and creating European music and vica-versa therefore I think it is fair to comment that blackness and whiteness are becoming ever more futile in music as they are in society.

Can popular music achieve genuine political change?

Popular music has a long historical connection with politics, however achieving genuine political change is questionable, many would argue that Popular music simply contains political expression to portray the specific political message of the moment, others would argue it should '...exercise power over its listeners to shape and influence, (their) thoughts and actions" (John street in Frith. Straw and Street)

In July 1985 Live Aid raised £50 million and over 1 billion watched it was more successful than anyone had every anticipated however was harshly criticised for being "tasteless, self serving for those involved, symptomatic of existing geopolitical relations and politically inappropriate." Those who criticised were perhaps those who feared its success and the genuine effects of the music. Ultimately Live Aid did what it intended (which is more than can be said for general Politics) which was to raise money and awareness, it may not have been a 'symbolic force' that creates visions and a change but it served its purpose.