Adorno's theories regarding what he dubs 'authentic' and 'popular' music concern the way music can be used to create the illusion of individuality or 'pseudo-indivisualisation' in order to reinforce capitalist ideologies. Firstly, Adorno describes what he views to be 'popular music' as a pose to authentic music. The key difference being that popular music is standardised i.e. it uses repetitive harmonies, rhythms and melodies to create a situation where 'the hit will lead back to the same familiar experience' this standard format is put in place to trigger 'standard reactions' i.e. the hooks of popular music all have a resemblance to one another that equates to automatic like-ability. This generates the opportunity for companies to make any song a hit... as long as it fills minimum requirements of what is popular and the company can put in enough money to ensure that the music is repeatedly 'plugged' through media outlets such as radio, television etc. because the standardisation of songs creates a 'multiple choice questionnaire' where the customer purchasing the music selects from 'pre-digested' genre's of music to which he builds an individual personality. The illusion being that he is actually one of many customers that conform to exactly the same 'individual' standards. Not only this but the customer then takes comfort in the fact that he is a member of one of many 'individuals' that recognises the music and accepts this music as good. This system is used to generate capitalist profit but also as a distraction for the working classes who's lives are laborious and monotonous enough to swallow a taste of the arts as a distraction whilst needing something that demands little attention to fulfill the limited hours they have to spend on distractions from their work. (Adorno, 1941, ch. 11, pg. 17-48)
Adorno's theories were written in the 1940's and the pop music he describes refers to the influx of African influenced music such as Jazz and Rhythm and Blues as a pose to the elements of classical music he viewed as authentic. However, their is an applicability to modern music, for example popular music generated form the television show 'X Factor' tends to use extremely similar pop ballads and danceable numbers with similarly typically beautiful people singing them in order to create the 'standard rections' that Adorno talks about. The show it's self is part of the 'plugging' element that creates hits through repetition (Wilson, 2007, pg. 30). Recently, in an interview with the Guardian, Damon Albarn of the band Gorillaz said of their new record: "I've tried to connect pop sensibility with trying to make people understand the essential melancholy of buying a ready made meal in loads of plastic packaging. People who watch X Factor might have some emotional connection to these things, that detritus that accompanies what seems the most essential thing in people's lives these days, the celebrity, the voyeurism." highlighting how X-factor generates the idea of individualism and escapism that Adorno describes as true of all pop music.
Bibliography
Adorno, T.W.,1941, Studies in Philosophy and Social Science, New York: institute of social research, 1941, ch. 11, pg. 17-48
Wilson, R., 2007, Theodore Adorno, pg. 30
The NME website, 2009, Damon Albarn Names New Album, Takes On 'X-Factor', [online] (updated November 30th 2009) available at: http://www.nme.com/news/gorillaz/48632 [accessed November 30th 2009]
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