How Does Music Function As A Social Commentary Research Paper

How Does Music Function As A Social Commentary - Research Paper Example American cultural history, ethnic studies, folklore, and even musicology have increasingly placed music in American social and cultural context. American culture describes how race and ethnicity, gender, and class have influenced the performance and production of music. It has illuminated issues as diverse as ethnic and regional identity, the degree of agency among artists, and Cold War politics. Despite some shortcomings in its application, such music continues to offer Americans much material regarding the many connections between music and American culture. On the one hand, the ruling elites use music to communicate their political values to the general population and to legitimize their rule. In this sense, music is used to encourage politically acceptable behavior. At the same time, music is also a medium for encouraging certain modes of socially acceptable behavior. On the other hand, music is used by people in structurally subordinate positions to comment on social problems; t o express their dissatisfaction with the state of society and resistance to hegemony and the ruling order. Music as a cultural form is thus appropriated for different ends by two different groups in society (Ibid, 283-285).