Looking at “Music, Culture and Society: changes in perspective” By Derk B. Scott, through this reader, the connections between music, popular culture, art, entertainment and consumption of pop culture I found quite relevent to the cracks and gaps in mainstream music top 40 charts. There is much more interesting aspects in the country music industry than can be seen in mass produced top 40 industry developed to entertain the masses, and the masses seem to consume what is thrown at them. With in the reader, Scott discusses sociological theorists who point out where modernity has had its effect on culture and what is considered mass-culture and consumption of music with in society. Looking at what is important to the music industry as an art form maybe shouldnt be associated with what should or is seen to be mass or mainstream culture. The idea of mass or mainstream culture as said by Scott, is “Mass audiences passively consuming the mass produced commodoties of a culture” This sparked the idea in me that, is “mainstream” or “Top 40″ just that, what is mass produced and directed at an audience to passively consume? Another quote I found interesting by composer Schoenberg “If it is art, it is not for all, if it is not for all it is not art” a confusing quote, yet made me think about country music, and as good as it is and what we have found out about it how diverse it is, but as well as what makes it great, it isnt for all, that then to an extent makes it an art form, what music was orginonaly!!! a performing art as I know it is defined as to an extent.
It was interesting to read the connections of art and society. Music I feel is an art form, one in which country may not be understood by all, but it should be appriciated by all, for what it is and what it does.
Sophie Adams
