Description
A provocative challenge to the idea that political significance is contingent upon aesthetic novelty, and a firm riposte to the complaint that the popular music of the early 21st century has lost its impetus.
About the Author
Pete Dale is a Senior Lecturer in Popular Music at Manchester Metropolitan University, UK.
Reviews
[The book] challenges the reader and makes them think - and that's always a good thing ... Dale certainly wants to make the world a better place - and in writing this book he has made his own, distinctive, contribution to that. * Popular Music *
Dale takes a fresh approach by investigating the role of novelty in popular music and its influence on social and political agency ... This is a well-researched book that uses musical and social analyses in order to better understand music's potential role in social change and social justice. * Reinvention: An International Journal of Undergraduate Research *
Pop music has always foregrounded novelty. But how exactly should we understand this quality, in music or more generally? Today especially, the question whether anything ever really changes seems particularly pressing. To investigate these issues, I can think of nobody better qualified than Pete Dale, who, as well as possessing all the necessary skills of musical, cultural and political analysis, has himself been making and promoting cutting-edge music for years. * Richard Middleton, Emeritus Professor of Music, Newcastle University, UK *
Popular Music and the Politics of Novelty is an engaging and provocative book. It challenges conventional wisdom about the relationship between music and politics, and more particularly that between novelty and radicalism. Pete Dale is himself an entertaining guide to an array of theories, case studies and historical moments. As a result, the reader is treated to a bracing and stimulating journey. * John Street, Professor of Politics, University of East Anglia, UK *
Providing a novel reading of a contentious question and bringing together a range of thoughts and ideas in an accessible way, Popular Music and the Politics of Novelty is a timely assessment of the debate on politics and music. This volume moves from theoretical musings to analyses of popular music in a way that is both stimulating and exciting, and will be a major contribution to the way people think about and act upon the relationship between music and politics. * Matthew Worley, Professor of Modern History, University of Reading, UK *
Book Information
ISBN 9781501307034
Author Pete Dale
Format Paperback
Page Count 240
Imprint Bloomsbury Academic USA
Publisher Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
Weight(grams) 368g