Can popular music ever really be 'unplugged'?

Technology plays a key role in our experience and enjoyment of music, and without it popular music in the 21^st century would not exist. This is a fair concept as many musical genres and techniques owe their presence to modern technology. Take for instance the electric guitar; it is almost impossible to place any other universal symbol for pop music above this one. The electric guitar teamed with amplification technology allowed pop music to be loud, raucous, push the boundaries of contemporary music and further perpetuate the traditional rebellious reputation connected with the genre. The advent of the microphone and its ability to hone in on specific sounds rather than flatly picking up everything, paved the way for more subtle, intimate styles of singing, from crooning with Bing Crosby to today’s ‘breathy’ Nu-Folk artists like Laura Marling. Completely ‘unplugging’ pop music would limit and constrain its wild and unpredictable growth.

What is pop music?

The word popular comes from the Latin, 'popularis' a legal term meaning 'belonging to the people'. Gradually over time the word’s meaning has changed from one of low, base level vulgarity to its modern day meaning; of which the exact definition has been widely argued over by contemporary theorists, but is usually recognised as being something that is widely favoured by the people. Popular music is neither a genre nor a synonym for good but a reflection of the contemporary climate in which it is being produced. Some argue that contemporary music is commercially orientated and profit is the primary endeavour rather than artistic integrity, however it is also said that although this is ultimately the desired result no artist begins to learn their trade in the belief they will be commercially successful, and that their style of music is actually influenced by cultural and personal taste. Pop music is both a commercial and cultural product of the society it was produced in.