Author Description

From jazz and folk to hip hop, heavy metal, and straight edge, popular music is not only a cultural artifact but an ever-expanding part of our social lives. The sixteen different genres explored in Music Sociology demonstrate that music is everywhere reflects social values, organizational processes, meanings, and individual identity. Presenting original ethnographic research, the contributors use descriptions of subcultures to explain the concepts of music sociology, including the rituals that link people to music - and the past and each other. The authors consider the intersections of race, class, and gender identity as they are learned, structured, and modified through lyrics and cultural experiences. Authenticity of music in the way it is performed, understood, and experienced is central to the book, as is the way the music industry and technology further modify these experiences. Written by sociologists also involved in music, this collection takes the reader on a very personal - yet public - journey. It introduces the sociology of music to those who may not be familiar with it and provides a basic historical perspective on popular music in America. -- from back cover.