What is world music

World music is simply a category of music that embodies a diverse range of music from around the world, not formally popular or familiarised in the UK and the America. World music has characteristics and features that distinguishes itself as a genre from others through its ethnic style and the rhythm. World music takes up traditional music of any culture due to the fact that the world has so much diverse taste in music and a wide culture to present from and simply means that ‘world music’ is not global. World music however allows people to express themselves in a way that they cannot do in other genres in terms of creativity.

Is Popular Music A Mass Produced Commodity Or A Genuine Art Form?

To consider popular music as an art form is very debatable and subjective to individual understanding, as different people have different interpretations of what they think and believe is art. Adorno said that “the whole structure of popular music is standardized,” that it was symptomatic of the politically and aesthetically destructive nature of the capitalist mode of production.
What can be considered, as creative skill of art by the artist is only their performances and their ability on stage to deliver the lyrics. Their songs have been created for them and are merely part of the product of the song.
Bernard Gedron says that music is 'universal' and that the C.D or vinly is 'particular'. This basically means that the format the music is on is the mass produced commodity whilst the music is the art form. However the songs can't be mass produced, but the format the music on can be.

How useful is a production of culture perspective in understanding the birth of rock and roll?

Rock and roll had a massive impact on the mass audience who were “All Shook Up” whilst other musical genres didn’t have that. Peterson's 'production of culture perspective' consists of six different key factors: law, technology, industry structure, organisation structure, occupational career and market. The production of culture perspective looks at the social factors surrounding the emergence of rock n roll and explains how the society at the time allowed it to flourish. However, he did not go on to explain why rock and roll was successful because it was not just rock and roll that exists during the 50s. Jazz and blues emerged during this time. Peterson perspective completely ignores the music itself, fails to explore what was so unique, fascinating, exciting, special and original about it. Therefore Peterson’s perspective cannot be relied on completely, when understanding the birth of rock n roll.

Is it reasonable to consider rock music is gendered male?

To certain extent, it’s reasonable enough to consider rock music as a gendered male. Musical instruments are associated with genders, for instance guitars are associated with males whilst pianos are associated with females, which are regarded as traditional 'feminine’. Frith and McRobbie introduced the term 'cock rock', in relation to heavy metal, which is an aggressive expression of male sexuality. Society insists women are not to be promiscuous or wild, but lady like which takes away some of their interest from playing or engaging in rock music.
People generally like music that they can relate to or can idolize the lead performer; therefore, rock is regularly seen as male gendered. It’s very hard for women to be taken seriously in rock music due to male dominated genre, however women now embrace rock music through ‘rock chick’ image dressing looks and social behaviour lifestyle which has proven to give them recognition and attention to become more involved.