Chapter 5 questions

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1. How did music genres evolve from earlier music traditions?
Genres build on regional music to cater to a specific audience, such as Southern gospel, blues, and bluegrass. Genres can also evolve when two different types of music blend. Country music formed from a combination of bluegrass, gospel, western, and western swing.

2. What are the major genres and traditions that fed into rock and roll?
blues, country, western swing, and rockabilly

3. How did record/CD sales and radio affect each other over time?
The 45 rpm record provided a way for radio stations to play a hit song without needing the entire album. In return, not only did radio play move people to buy the 45 single, but they also bought the 33 1/3 full albums, and later, CDs.

4.What has led the segmentation of rock into sub-genres since the 1960s?
Segmented radio stations allow for new artists to create new genres within rock, such as punk.

5. What has been the impact of MP3s and Internet music downloads on the recording industry?
New artists continue to emerge. In the days of Napster, record companies suffered financial losses as people opted not to pay for downloads. In the days of iTunes, record companies are seeing healthy profits as people are willing to pay a small amount to buy a song.


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1. How has the digitization of recording formats affected the industry?
New artists and genres continue to emerge. Another revenue stream opened for record companies with digital downloads.

2. What is the relationship between recordings, labels, and major music companies?
Music companies own the labels, who own the recordings along with artists.

3. What is the impact of record clubs and major retailers like Wal-Mart on the music industry? What about online retailers like iTunes?
Back when physical media was the undisputed format, Wal-Mart only carried CDs that had no offensive language as a result of a court case. This caused artists to change lyrics in their songs in order to have their albums sold at Wal-Mart. Clubs, such as BMG, sold CDs either through mail or Internet catalogs. That format is dying. Now iTunes is overtaking Wal-Mart as the top dog with its digital download system.

4. What copyright challenges are raised by Internet music technologies?
The struggle by record companies and some artists to limit piracy in order to keep being compensated for their labor.