Alleyne, Mike. "White reggae: Cultural dilution in the record industry" Popular Music and Society 24.1 (2000): 15-30. Web. 25 Oct. 2010 http://www.informaworld.com/10.1080/03007760008591758 >
In his article, “White Reggae: Cultural Dilution in the Record Industry,” author Mike Alleyne argues that the spread and commercialization of reggae music coupled with its global adoption by various artists and audiences has essentially contributed to its ideological and creative dilution. Alleyne notes that while there is no absolute formula for reggae, there does exit several defining characteristics of general significance such as the emphasis on minor keys in compositions, the traditional African influences of spiritual vitality and emotionalism, as well as lyrical themes dealing with poverty and corrupt colonial government systems. Assuming the authenticity of reggae under these terms, this article stands to assert that when mainstream artists, especially Euro-American musicians, adopt reggae music into their style, the roots and essence of this music is lost or undermined because the music becomes merely a fragmented reproduction utilizing random elements of the genre suited to appeal to a more mainstream audience.
Alleyne provides a fairly strong argument, supporting his claims with specific examples of popular Euro-American artists that have incorporated a surface-level reggae sound into their music while simultaneously ignoring its deeper social, religious origins. Such examples include The Police, The Eagles, UB40, Paul McCartney, and Ace of Base. His argument, however, is somewhat undermined by his strained ability to define and characterize an “authentic” reggae by which he compares these Euro-American pop examples. His description of authentic reggae is very vague and he also makes note of the fact that there is no one clear definition of reggae music. Because the article’s purpose is meant to function as an examination and assessment of the cross-cultural transformation of the broader reggae soundscape, it would be useful as a future resource when researching the ways in which global consumerism and popular culture affects the nature of cultural artifacts, particularly reggae music.
In his article, “White Reggae: Cultural Dilution in the Record Industry,” author Mike Alleyne argues that the spread and commercialization of reggae music coupled with its global adoption by various artists and audiences has essentially contributed to its ideological and creative dilution. Alleyne notes that while there is no absolute formula for reggae, there does exit several defining characteristics of general significance such as the emphasis on minor keys in compositions, the traditional African influences of spiritual vitality and emotionalism, as well as lyrical themes dealing with poverty and corrupt colonial government systems. Assuming the authenticity of reggae under these terms, this article stands to assert that when mainstream artists, especially Euro-American musicians, adopt reggae music into their style, the roots and essence of this music is lost or undermined because the music becomes merely a fragmented reproduction utilizing random elements of the genre suited to appeal to a more mainstream audience.
Alleyne provides a fairly strong argument, supporting his claims with specific examples of popular Euro-American artists that have incorporated a surface-level reggae sound into their music while simultaneously ignoring its deeper social, religious origins. Such examples include The Police, The Eagles, UB40, Paul McCartney, and Ace of Base. His argument, however, is somewhat undermined by his strained ability to define and characterize an “authentic” reggae by which he compares these Euro-American pop examples. His description of authentic reggae is very vague and he also makes note of the fact that there is no one clear definition of reggae music. Because the article’s purpose is meant to function as an examination and assessment of the cross-cultural transformation of the broader reggae soundscape, it would be useful as a future resource when researching the ways in which global consumerism and popular culture affects the nature of cultural artifacts, particularly reggae music.
