Adornos criticisms of popular music
According to Adorno the basic trait, which distinguishes popular music from classic music is standardization (Adorno, 17). Such standardization, being a product of a popular musics function in social control over feelings, emotions, allowed patterns of behavior and reflection, is reflected both in formal structure of composition and in harmony and melodic development.
Based on experience of so-called Broadway music, Adorno rightly claims that formal structure generally has the rule that the chorus consists of thirty two bars and that the range is limited to one octave and one note (Adorno, 18). However, this rule may have certain exceptions in modern popular music, including its cross-fertilization with such earlier independent styles as blues, jazz and rock it basically characterized the linear and standardized structure of popular music production.
It should be mentioned that such standardization is explained by commercial technique of music production, where financial result is more important than the quality. The practice of sampling music through the use of electronic equipment shows that popular music, notwithstanding style divisions becomes more and more standardized in terms of rhythmic figures, formal structure and arrangement.
Harmonic component of popular music according to Adorno is also increasingly standardized. As he argues, Most important of all, the harmonic cornerstones of each hit the beginning and the end of each part must beat out the standard scheme. This scheme emphasizes the most primitive harmonic facts no matter what has harmonically intervened (Adorno, 19). Adorno does not mention that such square technique is borrowed from early blues music such as swing and boogie-woogie, however, he is right in saying that such harmonic simplification is designed to ease the experience of listening, which should be relaxing and meaningless, corresponding to the passive type of listening, welcomed by modern civilization.
All this results in the changing of listening patterns. Popular music produced for the modern listener focuses on effects, embellishments and details, without due attention to the understanding of the whole. In a possibility, all popular musics parts are interchangeable without loosing integrity, because such integrity is merely mechanical, according to Adorno. No catastrophe would happen if one chorus would be changed for another due to the predictability of harmonic and melodic development.
Moreover, it should be noted that under such conditions reflexive listening is subsumed my fan culture, which focuses on musicians image, popularity, lyrics, but not the music itself. The patterns used by popular music does not allow it to move forward towards development of formal, melodic and harmonic structures its development is paralyzed in the stasis of stone-like forms, melodies and harmonies.
The diversity is only guaranteed by improvisation and listeners lack of professionalism, which is quite natural. According to Adorno, the process of standardization is accompanied by pseudo-individualization, by which one should understand the creation of market diversity of music products, songs, groups from which an ordinary, listener may choose what he likes (Adorno, 19). However, Adorno contends that such choice is only a chimera, because all music production is generally standardized.
To sum it up, according to Adornos analysis, standardization, reflected in form, melody and harmony is the basic feature of modern popular music, distinguishing it from serious music. In what follows we will try to apply Adornos concepts to the analysis of popular music product. We have chosen girl group Atomic Kitten song called Its OK
Standardization in the popular music example of Atomic Kitten song.
All basic traits of standardization and pseudo-individualization discussed by Adorno may be found in Atomic Kittens song called Its Ok. The introduction of the song, which is a melody made in old church mode presumable Dorian or Lydian is quite functional, because it is not linked with the rest of the song neither harmonically nor thematically. Such types of introduction are used, because it is problematic from the structural point of view to start a song with a direct rhythmic beat and lyrics.
The introduction is interrupted by a rhythmic beat, which continues through the song and plays overt functional role. Its role is to create the rhythmic background of the song which in the other way would be lost because of song melodic fluidity and the lack of structure. Unnecessary and intrusive rhythmical beat, thus, enforces the integrity of the song and is designed to energize listener.
It should be noted that rhythmical beat used is a mere sample, chosen on synthesizer and then layered on the basic text. So, its role is quite mechanical. Moreover, it is utilization is directly caused by songs marketing priorities to become a hit on dance floors. It could be difficult to achieve it without articulating rhythm.
The melody used in song is based on rhythm and blues pattern, however not in its radical reflection. The melody is rather sterile, no harmonic modulations are made. The flow of music has no breakthroughs realized by the change of tonalities and cadences. The distinction between chorus and basic melody is difficult to discern, because they are not formally linked. The chorus could be easily changed for another without losing songs integrity, which is mechanical.
It should be noted that lyrical and dramatic aspects are not used at all, notwithstanding the fact that the song is about broken love, loneliness etc. All these possible elements of musical language are subsumed by functional rhythmic dominance.
The lack of harmonic counter-balance between chorus and other parts is achieved by placing the first note of chorus on the strong beat so it looks like as it is a mere continuation of the song. This results in the abandoning of the sense of development in music. The instruments used in the song also play quite functional role. It is basically electric guitar which is used. However, it is difficult to hear it because of intrusive digital beat at the background, guitars function may be described as repeating certain melodic figures (no lengthy than 3 notes) after they were sang by the soloists.
No diversification of guitar use, such as possible guitar solos is applied, because it would break the integrity of rhythmic beat, which dominates the song. If compared to classic rock or heavy metal, such utilization of guitar is quite retrograde and banal. We have basically chosen such example of standardization, because it goes without saying that classic rock music, however, has many flaws can not be even compared with modern examples of popular music total deterioration. Moreover, we think that Adornos concept is not always applicable to such styles of rock as art rock, where standardization is avoided. To return to the described song, one should mention that standardization is reinforced by rather simple lyrics used in the song.
The use of lyrics is motivated by primitive rhythmic structure of the song, which precludes from dividing long sentences in different melodic lines, while maintaining integrity. That is why short phrases are used mechanically linked with other merely on the ground of rhyme, not integral meaning I believed in you i remember how you used to say have no fear ull be ok when ya told me everything ya want is possible and we could have it all I believed in you must have been a fool all my dreams were with you....
The chorus is even more simplified with using OK and its synonyms as a basic sense component of lyrics. Standardization of text reaches incredible limits here, bordering with absurdity i said its ok i can promise you its alright you aint keeping me up all night no more but ur not here but its ok i can promise you its alright you aint keeping me up all night no more but ur not here but its ok.
To sum it up, the analysis of popular song called Its OK showed that Adornos concept of standardization and pseudo-individualization are quite applicable to the analysis of modern popular music. Its basic characteristic today is that it mixes different styles such as Rhythm and Blues, Reggie, Rock to create standardized patterns, where mechanical electronic samples and banal lyrics are used.
From the formal point of view, such music as we have analyzed, lacks integral meaning, dramatics, logical coherences and meaning, which traditionally characterized art. The latter implies that such music is the result of commercialized production and has nothing to do with genuine art, focusing on making sense of divided reality. Genuine art is individual and coherent in all aspects form, harmony, melody, lyrics. Each part is inextricably linked to the whole delinked from the whole it would lose its meaning and the whole construction would be broken.
However, such problems do not concern modern popular music, which is built on mechanical juxtaposition of parts, each of which may be easily changed. Our analysis of Atomic Kitten song showed that it lack harmonic diversity, literary meaning, development and thematic aspects. Functional arrangements comprised of rhythmic beat and guitar accompaniment dominate the song with far-ranging consequences for its musical quality.
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