This Companion maps the world of pop and rock, pinpointing the most significant moments in its history and presenting the key issues involved in understanding popular culture's most vital art form. Expert writers chart the changing patterns in the production and consumption of popular music, the emergence of a vast industry with a turnover of billions and the rise of global stars from Elvis to Public Enemy, Nirvana to the Spice Girls. They trace the way new technologies - from the amplifier to the internet - have changed the sounds and practices of pop and they analyse the way maverick entrepreneurs have given way to multimedia corporations. In particular they focus on the controversial issues concerning race and ethnicity, politics, gender and globalisation. Contains full profiles of a selection of figures from the pop and rock world.
Notes on contributors; Acknowledgements; Introduction and chronology of pop and rock; Part I. Context: 1. 'Plugged in': technology and popular music Paul Théberge; 2. The popular music industry Simon Frith; 3. Consumption Will Straw; Star profiles I: Elvis Presley, The Beatles, Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, The Rolling Stones, James Brown, Marvin Gaye; Part II. Texts, Genres, Styles: 4. Pop music Simon Frith; 5. Reconsidering rock Keir Keightley; 6. Soul into hip-hop Russell A. Potter; 7. Dance music Will Straw; 8. World music Jocelyne Guilbault; Star profiles II: Bob Marley, David Bowie, Abba, Madonna, Nirvana, Public Enemy, Derrick May, The Spice Girls; Part III. Debates: 9. Pop, rock and interpretation Richard Middleton; 10. Popular music, gender and sexuality Sara Cohen; 11. Rock, pop and politics John Street; 12. From rice to ice: the face of race in rock and pop Barry Shank; 13. The 'local' and 'global' in popular music Jan Fairley; References; Index.
