Description
Book SynopsisIn the mid-twentieth century, certain elements of the American popular music industry (publishers, recording companies, and broadcasters) began to redefine their product as something more than mere entertainment. This became evident in the arguments made by competing sides in a series of clashes that unfolded during that period, starting with the ASCAP-Radio dispute of 1941 and ending with the payola scandal in 1959. Although these disputes typically revolved around economic issues, in making their cases to the public the respective sides often asserted the significant role played by popular music in promoting core national values. While such rhetoric was basically self-serving, when set against the backdrop of major events like World War II, the Civil Rights Movement, and the Cold War, it resonated strongly with the public and helped convince many that popular music offered more to its audience than momentary diversion. Considering that the resolutions to these conflicts also tended t
Trade ReviewUtilizing an abundance of primary sources and writing in a style that is highly accessible, John C. Hajduk provides an intriguing approach to evaluating rock and roll. He centers on the commercial, political, and social establishment that reacted to musical and cultural forces from below that threatened the post-World War II status quo. His up-to-date focus on the ‘gatekeepers’ rather than the ‘gate crashers’ adds a fascinating lens from which to understand how the values of regional, racial, ethnic, and working-class outsiders eventually helped transform contemporary mainstream culture. -- Michael T. Bertrand
In Music Wars, John C. Hajduk revisits some of the best-known political and legal conflicts over American popular music in the 1940s and 50s, from the ASCAP broadcast ban before World War II to the Congressional payola hearings in the 1950s. With special attention to the intersection of fans, artists, and the industry’s economic and cultural gatekeepers, he cogently analyzes how the American popular music industry came to terms with diverse audiences with diverse tastes and made room, albeit often reluctantly, for previously marginalized musical voices. -- David Suisman, University of Delaware
Music Wars is an affecting account of a fascinating period—one with which most of us can identify. We live in a culture imbued not just with rock and roll, but with the history of rock and roll, and John Hajduk’s new book gives us a window into that reality. -- Aaron Weinacht, University of Montana Western, professor of history * New Books Network *
Table of ContentsChapter 1: “The Music Goes Round and Round”: The Music Industry in 1940 Chapter 2: “There’ll Be Some Changes Made”: The ASCAP/Radio Feud Chapter 3: “Federation Blues”: The American Federation of Musicians’ Battle: Against Canned Music Chapter 4: “Ballad for Americans”: The Red Scare and the Music Industry Chapter 5: “Yakety Yak, Don’t Talk Back”: The Battle Against Rock and Roll Chapter 6: “Your Cash Ain’t Nothin’ But Trash”: The Payola Scandal Conclusion: “Rock’n Roll Is Here to Stay”
