Hello everybody! It’s Taylor. Today I am going to be discussing the one and only Lady Gaga and why I believe she will be included in future textbooks about the pop music industry. Lady Gaga is one of the most recognizable artists of the 2010’s.[1] With every song, video, performance, and red carpet appearance she makes a bold statement that is impossible to forget. Her outrageous outfits, catchy, yet impactful songs, and wild performances have pushed the boundaries of pop in ways never seen before.

Lady Gaga was born Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta. As Germanotta dove into the music industry, Lady Gaga was created. Her new reputation was similar to David Bowie’s musical identity, Ziggy Stardust . Her costumes were a fusion of glam rock and insane fashion statements. Gaga pushed the limits in every way. For example, at the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards, Lady Gaga wore a dress made out of meat. Audiences excitingly anticipated her performances and appearances, never knowing what was coming next. As more and more people liked her music, all of her crazy ideas began to seem more normal in the pop world. [2]

In 2008 Gaga released her first album “The Fame” which included her No. 1 Billboard chart singles “Just Dance”, “Poker Face”, “LoveGame”, and “Paparazzi”. As she became more popular in the music world, nothing was too weird for Lady Gaga. Her career exploded into the music industry with new and inventive songs and ideas. Her provocative dance music went mainstream instantly and made a huge imprint on the music world. Lady Gaga also took advantage of music videos and created outrageous videos that people talked about and remembered.[3] 

Her daring work’s extensive time on the charts is one of the reasons why I believe Lady Gaga belongs in a pop music textbook. Her success was huge and took over the number one spot many times with bold songs. Gaga took pop to a whole new level. The music videos that followed along are also a reason to be recognized. She proved that pop music can be as crazy and bold as you want, and still be successful.

Lady Gaga’s talent and imagination went on to influence other major stars as well. Soon after her first two albums released, artists such as Beyonce, Rihanna and Kanye West were quick to follow the wild path and collaborate with her. In 2009 Beyonce and Lady Gaga collaborated in “Telephone”, and made a bold-faced music video for the song that was over nine minutes long. This later inspired Kanye West to produce extremely long music videos, or short films, for his music.[4] This is another reason for Gaga to appear in future pop music textbooks. She made almost anything acceptable in pop music, impacting the work of upcoming artists and already made stars. Artists were inspired to take a leap of faith into the new world of Gaga’s pop music.

Not only did she influence artists, but the music itself had deep meaning that affected her fans. Lady Gaga’s lyrics were personal and powerful, set to up tempo dance music.[5] This way Gaga could grab the attention of her listeners with the catchy music and then present her important message to them. This is shown in her song “Born This Way” from her 2011 album, also called “Born This Way”. The song is an anthem of acceptance, no matter your sexual orientation, ethnicity, disabilities, or anything else.[6] The lyrics of the course,

“I’m beautiful in my way

‘Cause God makes no mistakes

I’m on the right track, baby

I was born this way

Don’t hide yourself in regret

Just love yourself and you’re set

I’m on the right track, baby

I was born this way”[7],

show that it is important to love yourself and be who you are. People are not mistakes that need to be fixed. Lady Gaga’s song of self –love soon became a signature tune for the queer community and for girls. The unapologetic and “you’re not alone” theme makes this song so easily accepted. Gaga’s “Born This Way” attitude even brought her to speaking out on gay rights and same-sex marriage at 2009 National Equality March in Washington, D.C.[8] Lady Gaga not only influenced the music industry, but she also used her music to connect with society. This is another reason why I believe Lady Gaga should be included in future pop music textbooks. She showed that it is perfectly normal and beautiful to be yourself completely. Her message has resonated with many people and effected society, therefore giving her music meaning and importance.

Throughout the years Lady Gaga has focused more on the music itself. She has gone in multiple directions with her sound.[9] Gaga’s albums have had ranges of sounds from the songs “Million Reasons” and “Joanne” that have softer piano and guitar with powerful vocals, compared to “Applause” with an electronic and more dramatic sound. She even ventures to jazz with Tony Bennett on their album “Cheek to Cheek”. Her versatility has expanded her audience and brought many new looks to her reputation. In this music she is becoming less mainstream pop and toning down her outrageous Gaga look, while maintaining success.[10]

Gaga deserves to be in upcoming textbooks about the pop music industry. She has taken her music in new and inventive directions and inspired other artists and fans to take risks and be yourself without shame. Her attitude and creativity has taken her to the top of the charts showing that being different can be successful too. Not only is she outrageous and wildly imaginative, but she has given her music importance as well. Lady Gaga is a pop icon that will be remembered forever for her music videos, fashion choices, performances, influence and great music.

[1]“The Defining Artists of the 2010s (So Far),” Billboard, Google, last modified January 15,2015, https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop-shop/6443462/best-artists-of-2010s-so-far

[2] Michael Levy, “Lady Gaga,” Encyclopaedia Britannica, Google, last modified June 14, 2018, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Lady-Gaga

[3] Andrew Unterberger, “How Lady Gaga Raised the Standards for Ambition in Pop,” Billboard, Google, last modified October 18, 2016, https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/7548935/lady-gaga-pop-ambition-kanye-beyonce

[4] Ibid.

[5]Michael Levy, “Lady Gaga,” Encyclopaedia Britannica, Google, last modified June 14, 2018, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Lady-Gaga

[6] Meghan Casserly, “Lady Gaga’s Born This Way: Gay Anthems and Girl Power,” Forbes, Google, last modified February 11, 2011, https://www.forbes.com/sites/meghancasserly/2011/02/11/lady-gagas-born-this-way-gay-anthems-and-girl-power/#4d95bce32fe5

[7] “Lady Gaga Lyrics ‘Born This Way’,” AZLyrics, Google, accessed August 8, 2018, https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/ladygaga/bornthisway.html   

[8]  Michael Levy, “Lady Gaga,” Encyclopaedia Britannica, Google, last modified June 14, 2018, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Lady-Gaga

[9] Andrew Unterberger, “How Lady Gaga Raised the Standards for Ambition in Pop,” Billboard, Google, last modified October 18, 2016, https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/7548935/lady-gaga-pop-ambition-kanye-beyonce

[10]Josh Duboff, “How Lady Gaga’s Joanne Marks the End of the ‘Zaney Pop Star’ Era,” Vanity Fair, Google, last modified October18, 2016, https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2016/10/lady-gaga-joanne-end-of-zany-pop-star

Source List

Casserly, Meghan, “Lady Gaga’s Born This Way: Gay Anthems and Girl Power,” Forbes, Google, last modified February 11, 2011, https://www.forbes.com/sites/meghancasserly/2011/02/11/lady-gagas-born-this-way-gay-anthems-and-girl-power/#4d95bce32fe5

Duboff, Josh, “How Lady Gaga’s Joanne Marks the End of the ‘Zaney Pop Star’ Era,” Vanity Fair, Google, last modified October18, 2016, https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2016/10/lady-gaga-joanne-end-of-zany-pop-star

“Lady Gaga Lyrics ‘Born This Way’,” AZLyrics, Google, accessed August 8, 2018, https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/ladygaga/bornthisway.html

Levy, Michael, “Lady Gaga,” Encyclopaedia Britannica, Google, last modified June 14, 2018, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Lady-Gaga

“The Defining Artists of the 2010s (So Far),” Billboard, Google, last modified January 15,2015, https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop-shop/6443462/best-artists-of-2010s-so-far

Unterberger, Andrew, “How Lady Gaga Raised the Standards for Ambition in Pop,” Billboard, Google, last modified October 18, 2016, https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/7548935/lady-gaga-pop-ambition-kanye-beyonce

 

 

Hello again! Taylor here. In today’s blog I am going to be discussing an aspect of history that has helped shape popular music, along with blues and jazz. These genres have been influenced by many things over time, but for now I am going to focus on minstrel shows. 

As described by Joseph Byrd in his article “Whitewashing Blackface Minstrelsy in American College Textbooks”, the minstrel shows were performances of song and dance, along with mockeries of lectures, opera and concert music. They were originally created in England by Charles Dibdin. In his shows, black people were made fun of in comical performances. Eventually this theme moved its way to the United States: a place where African-American slaves were a part of regular life. Slavery soon became a popular theme in minstrelsy.

Here is a clip of a minstrel show.

Another composer Byrd talks about is Dan Emmett, who created a quartet called the Virginia Minstrels. This was where “true blackface minstrelsy began”.[1] In Emmett and the Virginia Minstrels’ shows, they used the banjo and the Americanized fiddle.

 

He goes on to explain two very important composers of the minstrel shows. They were Thomas Dartmouth “Big Daddy” Rice and George Washington Dixon. Together, in the 1830s, they created the most popular characters of minstrelsy:  Jim Crow and Zip Coon. These characters’ songs and dances became extremely popular. Other shows were quick to follow their lead, causing minstrelsy to become mainstream music.

Another composer Byrd talks about is Dan Emmett, who created a quartet called the Virginia Minstrels. This was where “true blackface minstrelsy began”.[1] In Emmett and the Virginia Minstrels’ shows, they used the banjo and the Americanized fiddle.

Alongside Emmett, Byrd brings up Stephen Foster, an additional important figure of the minstrel shows.  He composed songs that were based on extremely exaggerated stereotypes of the African- American slaves, idolizing and enforced the ideas of slavery. His lyrics focused on spreading horrible lies that said African-Americans had freedom to stop work whenever they wanted and that they were happier as slaves. One of Foster’s most popular songs was his 1848 hit ‘‘Oh! Susanna.”  In the song, the language of the African-American characters contains poor speech skills, portraying them as dumb. This became very popular in minstrelsy lyrics. By 1864, Foster became “America’s minstrel”.[2] As a result, the misconceptions, created by Foster and the other composers of the show, worked their way into the white audience’s daily life.

Stephen Foster: “Oh Susanna!” *Notice the spelling and grammar of the lyrics*

Byrd explains that these racist themes and ideas of the minstrel shows had a major impact on society. Not only could people attend the show, they could buy the sheet music to take home and play as well.

Constant exposure to misconceptions caused the racial conflict to stand strong. People truly believed African-Americans were better off as slaves and they had no worth to society. Because the show was comical for the white, working class audience, it caused minstrel songs to quickly become mainstream.

The racism from the minstrelsy was pushed on and continued past the performances. It even contributed to the racism that continued on into the 20th century. However, Byrd points out that it is usually avoided in textbooks. Authors tend to skip over the racism and only cover a very small portion of minstrel history. Even in college level textbooks, authors avoid the uncomfortable topics of minstrelsy.[3]

In this article I was interested to learn that the minstrel shows did not originate in the United States. The U.S. was a place where slavery was common and racial conflict was high, and where I would assume minstrelsy would come from.

I was also shocked to see inserts of the actual lyrics of the songs. The racism and portrayal of African-Americans is outrageous and hard to believe as actually true.

In Byrd’s article he states that “male youth culture was evolving into a lumpenproletariat”.[4] Byrd is using the term “lumpenproletariat” to refer to the working, low class group of white males that made up the audience at minstrel shows who are laughing at the African-American characters.[5] Therefore, African-Americans are being viewed as even lower than the already low class audience. This displays how little African-Americans meant to white people in this time in history. They were categorized as lower than the already low working class, explaining why the lyrics and portrayals of African-Americans in minstrel songs were so crude and reprehensible.

We now approach the genre of minstrelsy at a harsher angle. After learning the truth behind the comical shows, they lose their happy and comical mask they have been hiding behind. By no means were the minstrel shows innocent, harmless comedies. We now approach the genre knowing the cruel lyrics and portrayals were intentionally created to amuse the white working class.

 

This extreme extent of racism is what also helped create the Jim Crow laws. The Jim Crow laws were “a collection of state and local statutes that legalized racial segregation.”^[6] The name is derived from one of the key characters in minstrelsy: Jim Crow. These laws separated the white people from the black in almost every public place. For example, public facilities like restaurants, waiting rooms, hospitals, parks and theaters were segregated. Both races could never use the same facilities at the same time, even though they were for the public. Signs were posted everywhere warning black people to stay out. Danger and violence had become a normal part of their lives up until after WWII when the civil rights movement began.[7]

 

Today, textbooks avoid the harsh racist reality of the minstrel shows, ignoring the fact that white people truly enjoyed them. I believe the reasoning is because it is hard to face such a dark past. No one wants to admit that such crude entertainment was loved by people and brought into their homes in the form of sheet music.  It is embarrassing to admit that people of your country took part in such a racist show. Therefore, it is important to face the reality of Minstrel shows and take accountability. We need to create a better understanding how racism impacts the world, even today. This way, we can make up for any wrong done and prevent it in the future.

---

[1] Joseph Byrd “Whitewashing Blackface Minstrelsy in American College Textbooks,” Popular Music and Society, 32:1, (2009): 78, DOI: 10.1080/03007760802207882

[2] Ibid. 82

[3] Joseph Byrd “Whitewashing Blackface Minstrelsy in American College Textbooks,” Popular Music and Society, 32:1, (2009): 77-86, DOI: 10.1080/03007760802207882

[4] Ibid. 78

[5] “Lumpenproletariat,” The Free Dictionary, accessed July 14, 2018, https://www.thefreedictionary.com/lumpenproletariat

[6] “Jim Crow Laws,” History.com, July 15, 2018, http://www.history.com/topics/jim-crow-laws

[7]Ibid.  

Works Cited

Byrd, Joseph. “Whitewashing Blackface Minstrelsy in American College Textbooks,” Popular Music and Society, 32:1, (2009): , DOI: 10.1080/03007760802207882

“Jim Crow Laws,” History.com, July 15, 2018, http://www.history.com/topics/jim-crow-laws

“Lumpenproletariat,” The Free Dictionary, accessed July 14, 2018, https://www.thefreedictionary.com/lumpenproletariat

 

Hello! My name is Taylor and I am a second year student in the College of Education. Today I am here to talk about the payola scandal of 1959. Before we begin, let’s point out what exactly payola is. Payola, in the music world of 1959, was the act of a disk jockey accepting bribery to insure that an artist’s music would play on the air.[1] The term payola came from the combination of the words “payment” and “Victrola” (which is a phonograph).[2] Payola is illegal if you accept the form of payment and do not disclose that you have received a payment and the purpose behind it to the audience. To some artists or record companies, payola may seem like an easy way to secure the success of their work. There are a lot of pressures in the music industry and this may be an easy relief. However, it is illegal. [3]

The payola scandal all began when a few TV quiz-shows revealed to be rigged. A contestant had been given the answers earlier on, in order to win. Shortly after, in 1959, the payola scandal of the music business was discovered. Rock and roll music was emerging and payola, or “pay-to-play”, was becoming more popular.[1] Because of this, disk jockeys held a lot of power in deciding what music people heard on the radio, therefore, impacting artists’ success.[2] 

(Need a little more background before you keep reading? Watch from 1:00-4:25)

As payola grew in the music business, a government investigation broke out. Congressman Oren Harris and the Subcommittee on Legislative Oversight announced that they would begin to examine the payola scandal.  Multiple disk jockeys, including Alan Freed and Dick Clark were investigated.[6] Both Freed and Clark had exceptionally successful careers that were being threatened.

 

 

 

 

 

During the investigation, Freed and Clark were asked by ABC, who they were working for at the time, to sign affidavits stating that they had not received payola to promote records. Alan Freed refused to sign the document and claimed that any money he had received was for “consultation”. On September 21st, 1959, he was fired from ABC. Dick Clark, on the other hand, did agree to sign the affidavit and was required to “divest some of his financial holdings in the music industry.”[7] Clark was given a pass and continued on with his career with almost no damage done.[8]

Freed’s trials continued into the 60s where he eventually, in 1962, was charged with numerous counts of commercial bribery. Later that year, he pleaded guilty to only two of the charges and was fined three hundred dollars. Freed’s career had taken a severe hit. With this damage, he turned to alcohol and soon died in 1965.[9] As a result of the payola scandal, disk jockeys were no longer allowed to choose the music that got airtime. It also contributed to the decline of “rock and roll”.[10]

Payola still occurs today, but in a different manner. Today, artists and record labels are paying streaming companies like Spotify, Apple music, and Deezer, for example, to display their music on their popular playlists, therefore, giving their music more exposure to the world.[11] Payola also occurs discreetly in the advertisement industry. Many artists and record companies pay social media platforms to have advertisements and sponsored posts for their music show up on social media pages such as Instagram and Facebook. However, sponsorship and advertisements are legal because we are being told that the artist or record company paid to have these advertisements here.[12]

Both of these forms of payola are more subtle because we do not solely rely on radio for music anymore. There are numerous new ways for people today to access and discover music, including streaming companies and advertisements online.

Although the methods of payola have changed, the underlying purpose and effects of it has stayed the same. Artists and record companies want their music to be heard all over the world. As a result, the companies and artists who have the extra money for advertisements and spots on popular playlists are more likely to be explored by people and have their music heard by the public.

For example, I went on to my personal Instagram account and found a post that was sponsored. I follow a lot of country music artists already on my account, so this post of Chis Lane’s new album popped up on my feed. The post played a clip of the artist’s music and had a link with various ways of listening to the new album.

Even though this form of payola is legal, it is still seems a bit unfair for any new artists who are just starting out and don’t have the extra money. Unfortunately, that is just a part of the competitive business now.

It is hard to say whether these new forms of payola are right or wrong. It is still highly debatable. There are many loopholes and ways to make payola legal. For example, a company can still pay a radio station for airplay, as long as the DJ says on air that it was paid for. However, the effects of legal payola remain the same as the effects of illegal payola. The charts are still being altered by those who have the money to do it.[13]

[1] Michael Campbell, “Chapter 43 Buddy Holly and the Viral Evolution of Rock and Roll,” chap. 43 in Popular Music in America: The Beat Goes On, Fourth Edition. (Boston: Schirmer Cengage Learning, 2013).

[2] “Moondog Alan Freed: Payola,” The Pop History Dig, Google, accessed July 12, 2018, http://www.pophistorydig.com/topics/tag/alan-freed-payola/

[3] Charles Fairchild, “Alan Freed still casts a long shadow: the persistence of payola and the ambiguous value of music”, Culture & Society, Vol 34, Issue 3 (May 2012): 328-330, https://doi-org.cyber.usask.ca/10.1177/0163443711433667

[4] “Moondog Alan Freed: Payola,” The Pop History Dig, Google, accessed July 12, 2018, http://www.pophistorydig.com/topics/tag/alan-freed-payola/

[5] Michael Campbell, “Chapter 43 Buddy Holly and the Viral Evolution of Rock and Roll,” chap. 43 in Popular Music in America: The Beat Goes On, Fourth Edition. (Boston: Schirmer Cengage Learning, 2013).

[6]“The Payola scandal heats up,” History.com, Google, accessed July 15, 2018, http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/the-payola-scandal-heats-up

[7]“Moondog Alan Freed: Payola,” The Pop History Dig, Google, accessed July 12, 2018, http://www.pophistorydig.com/topics/tag/alan-freed-payola/

[8] “Dick Clark Survives the Payola Scandal,” History.com, Google, accessed July 15, 2018, https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/dick-clark-survives-the-payola-scandal

[9] “Moondog Alan Freed: Payola,” The Pop History Dig, Google, accessed July 12, 2018, http://www.pophistorydig.com/topics/tag/alan-freed-payola/

[10] Michael Campbell, “Chapter 43 Buddy Holly and the Viral Evolution of Rock and Roll,” chap. 43 in Popular Music in America: The Beat Goes On, Fourth Edition. (Boston: Schirmer Cengage Learning, 2013).

[11]“Payola: One of music's oldest arrangements back with a bang on streaming playlists,” Independent, Google accessed July 12,2018, https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/payola-one-of-musics-oldest-arrangements-back-with-a-bang-on-streaming-playlists-10464513.html

[12]Charles Fairchild, “Alan Freed still casts a long shadow: the persistence of payola and the ambiguous value of music”, Culture & Society, Vol 34, Issue 3 (May 2012): 328 – 331, https://doi-org.cyber.usask.ca/10.1177/0163443711433667

[13] Ibid.328-331

Works Cited 

Charles Fairchild, “Alan Freed still casts a long shadow: the persistence of payola and the ambiguous value of music”, Culture & Society, Vol 34, Issue 3 (May 2012): 328 – 342, https://doi-org.cyber.usask.ca/10.1177/0163443711433667

“Dick Clark Survives the Payola Scandal,” History.com, Google, accessed July 15, 2018, https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/dick-clark-survives-the-payola-scandal

Campbell, Michael “Chapter 43 Buddy Holly and the Viral Evolution of Rock and Roll,” chap. 43 in Popular Music in America: The Beat Goes On, Fourth Edition. (Boston: Schirmer Cengage Learning, 2013).

“Moondog Alan Freed: Payola,” The Pop History Dig, Google, accessed July 12, 2018, http://www.pophistorydig.com/topics/tag/alan-freed-payola/

“Payola: One of music's oldest arrangements back with a bang on streaming playlists,” Independent, Google accessed July 12,2018, https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/payola-one-of-musics-oldest-arrangements-back-with-a-bang-on-streaming-playlists-10464513.html

“The Payola scandal heats up,” History.com, Google, accessed July 15, 2018, http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/the-payola-scandal-heats-up