Are blackness and whiteness useful concepts in the study of popular music?

In other to understand where music originates from, it is very useful to study its background. It is difficult to consider some music as ‘black’ or ‘white’ because there are many factors to take into account before making a conclusive assumption. Concepts of blackness and whiteness are useful with understanding development of popular music. For example, blues music developed through slave trade; so understanding its background is very important to appreciate the musical sounds.

Music has evolved to a certain level where labels of white or black has to be disregard. E.g. Eminem is white but rap is categorised as black music and also, Phil Lynott is black but rock is seen as white. “Pop music has always depended upon the interaction between white and black traditions” (Hatch 1987)

Since music consumers are not always of the same race as the music performers. Concepts are put in place as guidelines to help address underlying issues within types of music and looking at its past.