MUS 3308 Topic 6

Genres, Covers, and Authenticity

Genres

A category or type

An organizing element

Musical characteristics

Time periods

Uses

Types of listeners

Defined in part by distinctions made by the music industry

Genres

Genres standardize codes and conventions

Musical, lyric, visual, ideological

These codes are fluid

Dimensions of popular music genres

Placed in the context of historical roots and social context

Stylistic traits in the music

Non-musical stylistic traits

Primary audience

The styles durability

Genres

Metagenres

Genres

Subgenres

Sampling

Copyright

Creativity

Musical borrowing and appropriation

Appropriation

The artistic use of anothers work in the creation of a new

piece (Dettmar 2011, 289)

Appropriation in art

Andy Warhol, Campbells Soup Cans (1962)

Da Vinci, The Last Supper

Warhol, The Last Supper (1986)

Warhol, The Last Supper (1986)

Appropriation Remaking pop standards

The colored folks been singing it and playing it just like Im doing now, man, for

more years than I know. --Elvis

Authenticity

Authors intent

Style and genre manipulation

Musical originality

Authenticity

Pop and rock polarized

Pop = artifice

Rock = authentic

Authenticity

Allan Moore (2002) Authenticity of expression

Authenticity of experience

Authenticity of execution

Authenticity is ascribed to the performance rather than inscribed within it

Covers

Originating moment

Spectrum of copies

Original

Direct copy

Minor interpretation

Major interpretation

Parody

Interpreting Cover Songs

Considerations include:

Appropriation

Authenticity

Intertextuality

Context Genre

Time period

Gender

Race

Location

Interpreting Covers

Examples:

All American Rejects cover of Brittany Spears Womanizer

Mandy Moores cover of Rihannas Umbrella

Beyonces version of B.C. Jeans If I Were a Boy

Ann is Okays cover of Miley Cyrus Wrecking Ball

A Day to Remembers cover of Kelly Clarksons Since Youve

Been Gone

How do the meanings change in these versions?