| The 'concept album' exemplifies the dichotomy between compositional practice and social function like no other recorded music. Despite the relevance of the genre to a decade characterized by its withering idealism, few scholars have broached this tangled subject of 1970s popular culture; fewer still have been able to write objectively about the significance of this period of recent music history. This dissertation traces the notion of the concept album from the development of the long-playing record in 1948 to the creation of the first rock concept albums in 1967.; Whether a pinnacle of popular music---or as some suggest, a misdirected foray into the realm of 'serious' or 'art' music---the concept album represents an ignored but significant challenge to our understanding of what came before and after the era of its cultivation. The notion that the 'concept album' represents a desire on the part of rock performers to legitimize their efforts through the Western art music tradition is common to much rock and popular music literature. This approach, however, fails to realize the significance of marketing and technological developments within the recording industry, as well as, overlooking the impact of twentieth century popular music where the concept album is concerned. The analysis of the evolution and decline of the concept album as a compositional practice, particularly as an aspect of 'progressive rock' least adaptable to 'punk' and 'new wave' aesthetics, relates directly to our post-McLuhan and post-Adorno awareness of the machinations of the popular-culture industry. Moreover, while academia has absorbed discussions concerning popular culture and media in debates concerning postmodern aesthetics, music is often dealt with in an indeterminate manner despite its prevalence and cultural resonance. To examine the complex of cultural tropes involved in the aesthetic comprehension of popular music, I have attempted to create an informative model with which to address the tensions between commercial purpose, social function and artistic intent the concept LP exemplifies. Two case studies serve as examples of the historical analysis suggested. |
