Dark Side of the Tune: Popular Music and Violence

While not denying William Congreve's 1697 observations that "Music has charms to soothe a savage beast," Johnson (contemporary music studies, Macquaries U., Australia) and Cloonan (music, U. of Glasgow) argue that popular music also can have a negative side in its ability to be used as an instrument of power and a mobilizer of violence. They survey the role of music in inciting and arousing violence, both by the state and in everyday life. They also discuss the use of music as a weapon, such as in interrogations and torture In Iraq. Overall, however, they find the most pervasive function of music in generating social violence to be in everyday life and consider the implications for such issues as regulation, censorship, social policy, and the field of popular music studies. Annotation c2009 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Bruce Johnson is Docent and Visiting Professor, Cultural History, University of Turku (Finland); Adjunct Professor, Contemporary Music Studies, Macquarie University (Sydney, Australia); Honorary Professor, Department of Music, University of Glasgow (Scotland, UK). Martin Cloonan is Convener of Postgraduate Studies, Department of Music, University of Glasgow (Scotland, UK).