Chapter 16 Music in Today’s Society Ways that music functions in industry,
the media, and the community Chapter 16 discusses the cultural context of music in American society: how people use music (its functions) and ways they value music (its importance). The most profound and far reaching effect that music has on people’s lives is the impact of the music industry: manufacturing and selling products (instruments, printed music, audio equipment, etc.) and producing and selling live or recorded music (concerts, tours, CDs, and tapes). Topics covered in "Music Industry" include the nature of music publishing as it now relates to the recording industry, the shifting role of promotion (from song pluggers to disc jockeys to music videos), the impact of the copyright law and licensing agencies, music merchandising, colleges and universities as employers of touring musicians, and music management. The section on "Music and the Media" discusses ways in which music benefits and is benefited by radio, television, and newsprint; the impact of computer and multimedia technology: music software, the Internet, and CD-ROM; digital technology: compact disks and the now emerging DVDs (digital video disks); automation and syndication on radio programming; music in advertising, including music videos; and the professions of music journalism and music criticism. "Music in the Community" calls attention to the extent that music participation and music learning exist and are valued outside of the formal educational environment. Discussed are amateur musicmaking; music’s value to a community in civic pride, benefits to tourism and economic development, and as a cultural and artistic asset; and the role of volunteers in the musical life of any community. Other topics include the involvement of semiprofessional musicians, local and visiting professional musicians, arts councils, and the roles that business and government—national, regional, and local—play in the musical life of communities. |
2003 McGraw-Hill Higher Education