Hatch discusses the idea that “popular music has always depended upon the interaction between white and black traditions”. Popular music is a frequently a fusion of many different cultural and racial backgrounds and no style of music is exclusive to a race of people. Looking to an example such as rap, a genre where the artist is typically considered to be black, but the best selling rap artist of all time is white (Eminem).
Hatch also discusses that the idea of 'black' and 'white' music is curious, as musicologically there is “no satisfactory definition” and ideologically it turns what is often issue of class into a race issue; this can be the case as music often comes from struggle and frequently from the deprived areas of society. The concept of black and white music is quite flawed and it communicates an air of exclusion which isn't truly there.
This is pretty good post and covers some useful ground.
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