Music & Politics – Eastminster: a global politics & policy blog

Understanding musical copyright in the digital age

January 28, 2018February 15, 2018 by Editor

Editor

We need a more nuanced view of the practices and values associated with copying in popular music culture, write Adam Behr, Keith Negus and John Street Copyright appears in one of two guises. It is either the backdrop to arguments about plagiarism – about how ‘Blurred Lines’ was stolen from…

Hugo Chávez, Alí Primera, and the politics of popular music in Venezuela

March 7, 2017 by Editor

Editor

Primera's tomb // lubrio/flickr, CC BY-SA Hazel Marsh, University of East Anglia on Hugo Chávez, Alí Primera, and the politics of popular music in Venezuela. In February 1992, a Venezuelan colonel called Hugo Chávez, together with other officers from a movement that had formed within the military, led an unsuccessful…

Long before Trump rolled in the deep, music and politics were entwined

September 13, 2016September 14, 2016 by Editor

Editor

Take three apparently trivial events: Ukraine wins the 2016 Eurovision Song Contest, a rock star cancels a concert and a political rally features the song Rolling in the Deep by Adele. None of these moments might strike anyone as significant, and certainly not worthy of the attention of those interested…

‘Everybody’s talkin’ at me’: Popular music, politics and the general election

April 30, 2015May 15, 2015 by Editor

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Adam Behr considers the history of politicians' attempts to fraternise with the pop glitterati for electoral gain. The Last Party, John Harris’s book about Britpop, opens with an account of Damon Albarn and Alex James of Blur visiting Tony Blair in 1995, as he was gearing up for his 1997…

This year’s election soundtracks won’t win many votes

April 27, 2015March 1, 2016 by Editor

Editor

Bill Clinton had Fleetwood Mac. New Labour had Britpop. Professor John Street considers what the campaign soundtrack for Ed Miliband, David Cameron or any of the other parties vying for victory on May 7 might be. As with shopping malls, so it is with election campaigns. Somewhere in the background,…

Blurred lines: The politics of copyright

March 11, 2015March 11, 2015 by Editor

Editor

Professor John Street considers the politics of copyright in the light of the Marvin Gaye/'Blurred Lines' judgement. A cursory glance at the news coverage of the Marvin Gaye/’Blurred Lines’ case would seem to suggest one thing, and one thing only: that Pharrell Williams, Robin Thicke and Charles Harris jr/T.I. had…

Marginal Notes: Music and the Scottish Independence Referendum

September 29, 2014January 9, 2015 by Editor

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Professor John Street reflects on the importance of music in the Scottish independence debate. Last week, in the last days of the Scottish referendum campaign, I got a call from Radio Scotland. Would I take part in a discussion of the role of music in the campaign? This was two…

The song remains the same? Pop, plagiarism and professional pride

August 21, 2014January 9, 2015 by Editor

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Copyright infringement in the music industry is frequently in the news. Dr Adam Behr shed light on the topic with the latest academic research. Copyright infringement is back in the mainstream news with high-profile stars Katy Perry and Led Zeppelin both facing accusations of theft. I don’t propose to enter…

Politics and popular and culture (again)

May 29, 2014January 9, 2015 by Editor

Editor

Professor John Street notes how popular culture and politics have merged in recent weeks in Britain. For those who follow the oddities of encounters between politics and popular culture, the last couple of weeks have delivered a happy coincidence of events. First came the announcement that the Department for UK…

Mandela and ‘that song’

December 10, 2013February 11, 2015 by Editor

Editor

Professor John Street considers the importance of music to the anti-apartheid struggle. The day after Nelson Mandela died, Channel 4 News ended their evening broadcast with a song. Not any song, of course, but that song: 'Free Nelson Mandela'. And not the 1984 recording by The Special AKA, but an instrumental…