Sociology of Music

Sociologyindex, Sociology Books 2012,

The sociology of music has been an area largely left to European sociologists. Fewer occupations or cultural projects are more social than making music.

Weber's Sociology of Music combines urban theory, class/labor theory, rationalization theory, and even climatic changes.

Sociology of music studies the social components of music.

Production perspectives in the sociology of music
Timothy J. Dowd, Department of Sociology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
Abstract: The emergence of the Production of Culture and Art Worlds perspectives in the 1970s was a pivotal moment in the study of musical production. In subsequent years, the musical production literature experienced a notable growth – both in the number of works and theoretical perspectives. This paper surveys these recent works and, by attending to specific examples, provides some indication of the various perspectives now employed in the literature. It proceeds by attending to six constraints that shape the creation, performance, and dissemination of music.

Max Weber and the Sociology of Music
Journal Sociological Forum, Publisher Springer Netherlands
Alan C. Turley, Department of Sociology, State University of New York, College at Brockport
Abstract The sociology of music has been an area largely left to European sociologists. In an effort to generate greater domestic interest in the field, an examination of Max Weber's methodology and an update to his study of music is proposed. Fewer occupations or cultural projects are more social than making music, and the domestic sociological community's absence from the debate is deplorable given the dominant position our country possesses regarding musical production. Weber's Sociology of Music, which combines urban theory, class/labor theory, rationalization theory, and even climatic changes, is an excellent place to begin a thorough discussion of the social components of music. Our present understanding of cultural theories, urban theories, and Habermas's Communicative Action Theory can be employed to improve on Weber's theory; toward a new approach for the study of the sociology of music.

Sounds and Society: Themes in the Sociology of Music
Notes, Dec, 1996 by Terence J. O'Grady -  - jstor.org/pss/853526
In chapter 1, Martin effectively makes the point that one of the most important things that the theoretical perspectives of authors such as Karl Marx, Emile Durkheim, and Max Weber can bring to the study of music is an understanding that an individual's way of thinking about or reacting to music cannot be separated from the larger social context in which that individual operates. A sociological perspective, Martin states, should at the very least keep us aware that those things often considered to be somehow "natural" or "innate" are, in fact, at least partly the result of socialization within a given culture.
Job Interview: What Not To Do Martin is at his best in the second chapter, "The Social Construction of Musical Meaning." He carefully analyzes both the traditional empiricist and rationalist approaches to explaining meaning in music, the former characterized by a belief that music has inherent meaning and it is the listener's task to discover that meaning, and the latter characterized by a belief that the listener imposes meaning on music by means of rational faculties. Both of these positions, he argues, are unsatisfactory primarily because they suggest that the process of discovering/imposing meaning is an individual act and fail to take into account the fact - well known to sociologists - that meaning itself is the result of "collective interaction" above and beyond the individual.
The notion that meaning is socially constructed clearly flies in the face of those who view music, and particularly Western art music, as possessed of inherent meaning, a position that the author represents by the views of British musicologist Deryck Cooke. Martin summarizes Cooke's argument effectively, but ultimately takes him to task for basing his arguments on false - or at least unprovable - assumptions about what can be considered "natural" or inherent within the music itself. Martin proceeds to analyze the "rationalist" perspective of Eduard Hanslick, an aesthetician for whom the author appears to have a surprising amount of sympathy. For Martin, Hanslick's position is at least mute "realistic" in regard to what is or is not inherent in music. But, again, he chides Hanslick for never coming directly to grips with the fact that "individual" consciousness is to some degree the by-product of social interaction.
Martin goes tin to discuss a number of other theorists in this same context, most notable among them Leonard B. Meyer. In a well-crafted analysis of Meyer's views, the author approvingly takes note of the fact that Meyer acknowledges the cultural context trader which musical meanings are defined and which ultimately influences the listening process.
The third chapter presents a useful summary of Theodor Adorno's views in their broader social and philosophical context. Although he finds Adorno "sociologically problematic" because of his insistence on the presence of "objective content" in music. Martin's discussion is insightful and informative.
Chapter 4 deals with views of the relationship between musical structure and social structure in various contexts and historical periods. Here, Martin focuses on more recent theorists such as Christopher Ballantine, John Shepherd, Alan Lomax, and Susan McClary. While Martin finds each of them flawed (to varying degrees) for their partial insistence on "inherent meaning" and, in some cases, a "potentially deterministic view of behavior" (p. 62), his treatment of them is sensitive and balanced.
In chapter 5, "Music As Social Action," Martin aligns himself with the approach of Howard Becker, with the goal of developing a "sociological understanding of music that takes it to be actively and collaboratively produced in specific social contexts, rather than assuming that it represents the values of social groups or reproduces their organizational features" (p. 180). The strength of Becker's "art worlds" approach is that it puts the focus on specific communities in which the members "develop commitments and pursue interests" (p. 187). Becker's analysis of artistic activities as "collective action" leads Martin into a consideration of the conventions associated with the musical world, including such things as the basic tonal materials for a given style, the specific musical details that define a certain style, and even the conduct and dress patterns of performers and their audiences. Among the advantages of Becker's approach, according to Martin, is that it allows for the consideration of such matters as social class while avoiding the dangers characteristic of more determinist theories. Furthermore, Becker's approach takes into account the fact that meaning in music (and most other things) is perpetually being negotiated, a position which, Martin points out, is compatible with cultural studies theorists who have taken their cue from the writings of Marxist theoretician Antonio Gramsci.
Martin's final chapter, "The Music Business in Capitalist Society," is, perhaps, less useful than the previous chapters because, in attempting to deal with complex issues in the context of a brief survey, the author's points sometimes seem facile. He occasionally falls into the same difficulty that he so insightfully points out in connection with other authors, that is, a tendency to embrace one possible explanation for changes in musical style or patterns of music consumption as the only rational explanation for those behaviors. Nevertheless, Martin once again makes some interesting points; for example, in regard to the way in which major record companies have historically responded to the uncertainties of the popular market.
This is in most respects an excellent survey of the major issues touching on the sociology of music, one that will be of significant value to scholars interested in the subject.
TERENCE J. O'GRADY University of Wisconsin-Green Bay
COPYRIGHT 1996 Music Library Association, Inc.
COPYRIGHT 2008 Gale, Cengage Learning

SOC3058 - Sociology of Music - Adorno and Beyond
huss.exeter.ac.uk/sociology/undergrad/module_description.php?code=SOC3058
Aims
This module has three key aims: (1) to consider the arts as consequential for social structure and social experience; (2) to consider some of the classic and current approaches within the sociology of music, art and literature and (3) to exemplify these approaches with reference to empirical studies in music sociology.
Intended Learning Outcomes
Module-specific skills: To examine and analyse musical phenomena in light of sociological theories and to apply key concepts from music sociology to musical data. Knowledge of key theorists in sociology, major empirical studies. Analytical skills for relating musical works to society.
Discipline-specific skills: Ability to relate a defined corpus of sociological ideas and data to a consideration of both production and the reception of art in the modern world. Ability to deploy sociological argument, developed through written assignments and classroom presentations in a critical relationship to received ways of talking about art works, and artists. Competence in the use of a specialist terminology developed through a familiarity with the principal sociological debates concerning art as a social phenomenon.
Personal and key skills: Independent study and group work, including the presentation of material for group discussion, developed through the mode of learning. Skills in sociological reasoning and the marshalling of evidence, use of data etc. developed through written assignments. Ability to digest, select and organise material to produce, to a deadline, a coherent and cogent argument, developed through the mode of assessment.

Sociology of Music and Theatre Arts
opleidingen.ugent.be
Position of the Course
The advanced course “sociology of music and performing arts” aims at giving students insight in the basic historical and conceptual issues related to the sociology of music and performing arts.

THE SOCIOLOGY OF MUSIC, ART, AND LITERATURE
New York University, Faculty of Arts and Science, Department of Sociology
Professor Juan E. Corradi
V93.9433 Fall 2008
General Course Description
This course is addressed to those who aspire to culture in the broadest sense. The aim is to understand literary and artistic products from the vantage point of modern sociology, and thus to locate the production and circulation of cultural products in contemporary society. The purpose is to discover the methods by which such works are created, the contexts in which they are produced, and the ways in which they are received.

Master of Arts in Music and Culture
A new Master of Arts in Music and Culture program has been approved by OCGS and the Carleton University Senate; this exciting new program will begin in September 2008
Dr. James Deaville, Graduate Supervisor
james_deaville@carleton.ca
Carleton University's School for Studies in Art and Culture (SSAC) is proud to offer an exciting new MA in Music and Culture designed to give students a dynamic forum where perspectives in “cultural musicology" can be explored in a uniquely flexible and integrated fashion.
Few other MA degrees of any kind in Canada highlight music as a central focus of interdisciplinary interest. Grounded in the practices of various musics but conducted from within a wide range of theoretical approaches—including sociology, linguistics, critical theory, feminism, cultural studies, and ethnomusicology—the program’s distinctiveness is grounded in critical interdisciplinarity.
We believe that good teaching is enhanced by committed research, and our faculty embodies a diverse range of specialties including Aesthetics, Musicology, Ethnomusicology, Feminism, Cultural Studies, Sociology/Anthropology, Communications, Globalization, Philosophy, and Semiotics—not to mention research interests in Canadian Aboriginal music, European art music, popular, folk, world, and children’s musics, as well as music for a variety of media (radio, film, television, and interactive media).
In addition to the offerings of the program itself, students will benefit from the rich intellectual environment that exists within the nation’s capital. With access to an unparalleled number of libraries, museums, galleries, and scores of year-round cultural activities and festivals, Carleton students get to experience the distinctive edge of enriching their learning at Canada’ Capital University.

Sociology Unit 13
web.uncg.edu
Part 1. What is the Sociology of Music?
Goal: to understand that music serves as a means of universal communication and that, though one culture might not understand and appreciate the music of different cultures, music serves the same functions for everyone.
You ride in a car—you hear music. You go to a ball game—you hear music. You go to the mall—you hear music. It’s all around you! Right? So what does this have to do with sociology?
Of course, the types of music an individual likes differs from person to person. One person might prefer R&B while another likes country music. One person might like rap and gospel while another person likes classical and jazz. These are our personal musical preferences. Nevertheless, every person has developed a sense of what music means to them because of the particular culture or society in which they live.
If you are an American, you will immediately recognize The Star Spangled Banner as a song celebrating our country. However, an African citizen living in a remote area of Malawi would not recognize or understand this song because it is not part of his culture.
Likewise, an American who hears music being played during a Malwian perekani perekani celebration (a traditional African celebration where gifts are bestowed upon a newlywed bride and groom) might not like or appreciate the music they hear.
So, why does this matter? Because music plays a role in our every day lives—whether we hear background music while shopping, hear our favorite songs when we attend a rock concert, or hear a percussive cheer as we watch a political rally on television.
Who Studies the Sociology of Music and Why?
Although sociologists have been concerned with the role that music functions in society since the 1920s, it was not until after World War II that musicologists (those who study music from a historical or scientific perspective) got interested in the sociological aspects of music. During the 1950s, a new form of musicology emerged—ethnomusicology, that is, the study of music of different world cultures (or music of the non-western world).
The ethnomusicologists who studied the music of these various world cultures quickly became fascinated with how music was completely integrated into daily lives of non-western tribes—used during debate, play, rituals, work, et cetera.
Of course, music plays important roles in the western world just as it does in non-western cultures. In our own industrialized society, music has functions. Music can function to help people articulate new ideas, create self-identity, escape from worry, and make and shape friendships. Music can also inspire change and can assist in community development.
It was an ethnomusicologist, Alan P. Merriam, who first proposed a broad theory about the functions of music in society. Merriman suggested that humans engage in musical activity for certain purposes—regardless of society, culture, or level of sophistication.

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