In Theodor W Adorno's article 'On Popular Music' he demonstrates his strong Marxist view of popular music, dividing music into two spheres popular and serious music. Adorno's theory is that Classical music follows no set rules therefor we have to fully engage with it where as Popular music follows a rigid set of rules, this in turn means that the music is pre-digested for us and is easy to listen to, it takes no understanding or engagement, it is there to entertain. Adorno says 'the whole structure of popular music is standardized, even where the attempt is made to circumvent standardization' this term refers to the technical structure of the song as well as its subject matter and he explains that even when music tries to avoid these rules it will still 'lead back to the same familiar experience'.
Adorno claims that popular music produces passitivity through rythmic and emotional adjustments, these are two types of mass behaviour that are created in response to popular music. In ballads we emotionally connect with the music, 'they consume music in order to be allowed to weep' we feel a connection as it lulls us into a false state of conciousness an ideological tool to control the way we think. Where as in dance music we obediently respond to the music as it controls the way we move our body, moving to the beat of the music it effects us all in the same way.
In todays society although we have a lot of mass produced music and world known popstars covering the news and magazines i think we also have a lot of music that cannot be standardised and tries to break away from the rules, it is only when other bands create similar music that this is again standardised. This happens a lot when labels sign similar bands, bands that they know you will like and listen to as they follow the same rules therefore becoming easily listened to.
I have chosen two different artists of the modern age to represent popular music and serious music..
I have chosen a song by the 'Battles' to try to show a band that isn't Standardized and doesn't conform to any rules, also it doesn't appear to control our behaviour in a certain way. We have to actively engage with the music, it makes us think and we react in different ways.
A Battles collaboration with celebrated light artists UVA (United Visual Artists), produced by Warp Films (This Is England, Rubber Johnny, Dead Mans Shoes etc.).
Key quotes:
'The whole structure of popular music is standardized, even where the attempt is made to circumvent standardization. Standardization extends from the most general features to the most specific ones. Best known is the rule that the chorus consists of thirty two bars and that the range is limited to one octave and one note.'
'The general types of hits are also standardized: not only the dance types, the rigidity of whose pattern is understood, but also the "characters" such as mother songs, home songs, nonsense or "novelty" songs, pseudo-nursery rhymes, laments for a lost girl.'
'This inexorable device guarantees that regardless of what aberrations occur, the hit will lead back to the same familiar experience, and nothing fundamentally novel will be introduced.'
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