Is 'black music' a valid category of popular music?

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Bethany Dumville A224675

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Is 'black music' a valid category of popular music?

The first problem that arises in attempting to answer this question is actually defining 'black music'. Is it music made by black people, for black people, both or neither? And thus what exactly is it that sets it apart from 'white music'? On a wider scale legally classifying someone as black or white also causes some difficulties. Particularly in earlier decades, different states used different factors to define a black person, e.g., a 'visible' degree of 'Negro blood', one-eighth or one-sixteenth Negro blood etc, (Hatch and Millward, 1987:117). Simon Frith describes black music as 'performance-orientated, based on rhythm and improvisation rather than harmony and composition, essentially emotional and physical in its impact, and spontaneous rather than technical' (Frith. 1983:16-20). So an exact definition of 'black music' is not easily attainable. However several internet dictionary websites define 'black music' as 'music created by African-American musicians; early forms were songs that had a melodic line and a strong rhythmic beat with repeated choruses'. (http://www.hyperdictionary.com/dictionary/black+music). This essay will explore the history of 'black music' in the light of that definition, and discuss whether it