Adorno argues that the musical material within popular music is standardized. He refers to its rhythmic structure, as ‘an inexorable device’ which he reasons is unalterable and results in a systematic, ‘ pre-digested’ response of the listener. Adorno claims, ‘the chorus consists of thirty two bars and the range is limited to one octave and one note’ meaning all popular music is uniform because the songs consist of the same basic rhythmic pattern and the same predictable lyrical content such as, ‘mother songs, home songs and pseudo-nursery rhymes’.
Adorno claims how as a result of standardisation, poplar music producers have created, ‘pseudo- individualization’, which Adorno naively argues that the masses fall victim of this apparent ‘free choice’ when it come to choosing music which in fact is already chosen for us. Adorno fails to realise that just because some music have similar rhythmic structures (this is apparent in most strands of art and culture, may it be the similarity between two painters or two authors’ poems) similarity and structures within for example an acrostic poem are just learned rules that are followed for consistency and tools that are used to create a successful piece.
Adorno generalises the listener in this argument claiming how people only listen to popular music, as it requires minimal effort, ‘entertainment which does not demand attention’. He also argues how the masses want cheap commercial entertainment to ‘give them easy relief, from boredom and effort simultaneously’. This may be true with somewhat substandard, 15 minutes of fame television programmes such as Xfactor, however he fails to realise to acknowledge the people who don’t fall into this category and whom want music to be thought provoking and to require concentration.
Currently popular music or ‘pop’ music is targeted at young teens. Girls Allowed are a UK girl group that were created on the ITV1 talent show Popstars: The Rivals in 2002. Their song ‘something kind of ooh’ supports Adornos' basis for his argument because the song has a limited range with ceaseless chorus repetition.
Adorno summarises three key ways in which popular music is transcribed to its audience. Firstly, via the music matter in itself secondly how the material is presented to the consumer and lastly by analysing the listener himself. Although Adorno does address some valid ways in which the music industry generates successful manufactured band to sing ‘standardized music’ he fails to acknowledge any sort of counterargument and ignores any other reasoning as to why people listen to certain musical genres.
Bibliography
Adorno, T.W. 1941, Studies in Philosophy and Social Science, New York: Institute of Social Research, Pages 17-48