Pop Conference’s Post

Music is something we have been focused on for years in our exploration of nonlinear society, systemic social change, ending social injustice and much else. We talk about ‘dancing with monsters…’ and The Undaunted Collective and Movement have many artists and musicians as well as systemic thinkers and systems designers in our groups. There is even talk about a piece of music being composed for us now to represent a societal shift from linear to nonlinear. The old analogy between jazz improv and systems/systemic design is a good one. I'm a social strategist/systemic thinker and jazz saxophone player. I’m also neuroallovertheplace which means that patterns, contexts, conditions and the links between these are easy for me to understand. The arrangement of only 12 notes to make almost infinite music, the rules that are simple and clear and largely unchanged for centuries that allow us to roam anywhere and still find a way back to the root, the way these notes and rules enable infinite genres, styles, instruments, dances and imagination to evolve. are all amazing to me. It is fascinating when we dive into it in detail. It is no accident that I am 'Conductor in Residence' at The Undaunted! When we start to imagine from a different place - in what we call the spaces between social systems, paradigms, lived/living experience, histories, ideologies, heartfelt beliefs and much else, music gains a whole other resonance. It isn't only the notes, it is the spaces between notes that inform the music. This is the same for society and social systems. The spaces between are key.  The music shown here is part of the incredible alto sax solo in the song 'Will You?', co-written by Hazel O'Connor and Wesley Magoogan (who plays the piece in the original recording). It was not written specifically for the soundtrack to the film Breaking Glass but features in it. One day, The Undaunted hope to curate a very different kind of art and music festival. Hey Ho, Let's Go! #undauntedtogether #dancingwithmonsters

There is a growing vogue on LinkedIn and elsewhere for people to showcase their latest systems models. They are all very clever and, increasingly, demonstrate the skill and art of the graphic designer as much as the systems/systemic thinker. I love them all, absorb most of them and try to differentiate between them as I navigate the spaces between and come at systems thinking from a different place, systemically - and create our own models and explorations with The Undaunted (I'm sorry to everyone who has to sit through me presenting this stuff in zooms!). The pursuit of differentiation though is getting much harder. Competition is getting greater and style is beginning to dominate substance. I worry that vast numbers of silver bullets are being fired, at considerable cost in time, capability and treasure by people who are trying to out-compete each other rather than work together and make diminishing new thinking accessible to those who are trying to apply change state thinking for real in a world of growing 'collective unmasking'. Anyway, we shall carry on listening and learning, creating and applying. We may share a model or two every now and then but the real work resides elsewhere. In the meantime, here is a piece about one system that has fascinated us for as long as we can remember. Next time you listen to or play a piece of music, spare a thought for systemic social change. Happy Sunday everyone.

Wednesday 20 November 19:45 live music: Downtime 20:15 speakers Café Loburg, Wageningen Freedom, we all know the word and have our own perception of what freedom means to us and perhaps also to others. But did you ever wonder how the concept of freedom was perceived and how the meaning of freedom changed over the last 25 centuries in Europe and the United States? For centuries people in the West identified freedom not with being left alone by the state but with the ability to exercise control over the way in which they were governed. They had what might best be described as a democratic conception of liberty. The dominant conception of freedom today is a deliberate and enormous rupture with those ideas. Understanding the long history of thinking about freedom shows how recent our current perspective actually is. In this Science café we explore the history and current state of the concept freedom. Our speaker, Prof. Annelien De Dijn, will explain how the very nature of freedom can be interpreted in different ways by different people at different times. She will do so by providing a historic perspective and explaining the past and current (mis)usage of freedom for ideological, or individual rather than collective, purposes. https://lnkd.in/eZgnNkBy

Popular Music Books in Process Series   Monday, April 15, 5pm ET   Elijah Wald in conversation with Kimberly Mack  Jelly Roll Blues: Censored Songs and Hidden Histories   A conversation about Jelly Roll Blues, an exploration of the censored and hidden worlds of early blues and jazz inspired by Jelly Roll Morton's oral history at the Library of Congress. The book looks at the ways Black oral culture was preserved and the “silences of history”— all the things that were not preserved or were preserved in distorted forms. It explores the language and culture of the Black "sporting world," the extent to which early blues was directed at a female audience and dealt with issues of sexuality that were not being discussed in any other media. It attempts to recover language, stories, and individuals that earlier histories ignored and suppressed, and to open up new conversations about what is missing from familiar narratives—including the ways that missing material connects the Black oral culture of the early twentieth century with styles and approaches that only reached a mass market with rap and hip-hop.   The discussion will focus on lost narratives, (re)constructed histories, the process of engaging and harnessing such a rich archive, and the complications and messiness of race and authorship. Email Froyster@depaul.edu to be added to the series email list and get Zoom links. Co-organizers: Kimberly Mack, Antonia Randolph, Francesca Royster, Gustavus Stadler, Eric Weisbard and Carl Wilson for Journal of Popular Music Studies, IASPM-US, and the Pop Conference.

Not only is this fascinating, but it includes a nostalgia-inducing poster of Flying Nun singles and EPs Which then got me thinking that whenever I was attending academic conferences in the USA, once it was found out I was from NZ there were always questions and conversations about Flying Nun bands and 'the Dunedin Sound'... it was the sense that something new and different had been done 'down here', on a shoestring budget, that connected with them 'up there' and make them listen and think and feel and be in new ways... NZ was able to send northern-hemisphere music back up there, remade, rethought, reconstructed. Our originality was what we did via this, rather than thinking we had to start 'from scratch' or aim for 'something new in and of itself'. Originality is often in how we 're-do' something. My point is, cultural branding and cultural success stories tend to occur in what are seen as the most unlikely locations and via the most unlikely people. The history of Factory records out of the original rust-belt of Manchester is another example. The creative arts sector (much as that term has become a cliche) is the true entrepreneurial sector, yet we too often fail to see it as such.

The Intentions Behind a Good Heart in Music and Success In music—and in life—intentions matter more than we often realize. As Bruce Lipton said, “Your perspective is always limited by how much you know. Expand your knowledge and you will transform your mind.” For me, this wisdom serves as a reminder to ground my intentions in growth and service rather than ego. My journey in music has taught me that to create something meaningful, you have to lead with love, authenticity, and the desire to connect with others. Music isn’t just about performing; it’s about healing, inspiring, and uplifting. This industry has its challenges, but when your intentions are pure, the right people, opportunities, and energy seem to align. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar once said, “A team will always appreciate a great individual if he’s willing to sacrifice for the group.” Similarly, music isn’t just a solo endeavor. It’s about building a community—whether that's collaborating with fellow artists, creating experiences for fans, or giving back to aspiring musicians. My intention has always been to create a legacy that inspires others to find their voice. Whether you’re an artist or a leader in another field, remember that what you bring into the world starts with your intentions. How are you contributing? Who are you serving? Let’s connect and continue the conversation about how we can all elevate our craft and our purpose in this world.

I've written quite a few articles and blogs over the years (still do) but I've always fancied doing a 'column'. So it is with great pleasure I'm announcing my "new series of writings" (i.e. a column) which will be put out for all to read by the wonderful Featured Artists Coalition (FAC). I love the work they do, because I love the work music artists do (I admire the creativity, bravery, resilience, the work). It's the output though - the music itself - I appreciate the most. Mostly! So, the column (not blog) is called "Art of Listening" and explores themes along those lines i.e. time, appreciation, fandom, formats, discovery, enjoyment and well, listening. I am (ambitiously) hoping to write about some things you might not have read about before, even though you might have thought about them. And in a roundabout way, I'm hoping that...for music artists, it helps! This first piece is about music volume? Is there too much music? And, as a superfan, what you might do about it. It's published roughly twice a month on the News feed here: https://lnkd.in/e7JiUecN Enjoy it and feel free to comment and debate, there are no right answers when it comes to music taste or listening habits.

**Critics: The Missed Marks on Music's Timeless Classics** Time after time, when researching music critics through the ages, I've noticed a pattern: they've often been remarkably negative about albums that would later be celebrated as classics and enormous successes. A prime example is Neil Young. Rolling Stone magazine, once considered the "Bible of American music" in the 1970s, heavily criticized both "Harvest" and "After the Gold Rush." Despite their negativity, the public ignored the harsh reviews, making these albums hit records and proving that the critics had it wrong. Critics can make or break music careers. People rely on what they read in music journals to decide whether to attend a show or buy an album. After Rolling Stone's founder was exposed for being subtly racist in his assertion that Black musicians lacked the intelligence to be included in his book, one can only imagine how many great Black artists he may have undermined with the influence he wielded. Tina Turner, arguably one of the most iconic Black artists, was the first to grace the cover of Rolling Stone. But her appearance was only after she had "sold out," distancing herself from her Black roots. The Rolling Stones' "Exile on Main Street," now considered a classic that defined their career, was similarly panned by critics who failed to understand the band's shift to a more American sound to dominate the U.S. market and leave their pop image behind. These are just a few examples of how critics, often frustrated rock stars themselves, have wielded their influence in a way that hindered great artists. Today, their power has been largely usurped by platforms like Spotify and other streaming services, shifting the landscape of music criticism.

Why do we love or hate Taylor Swift’s music? How does she ensure the absolute domination of charts with her next single? More importantly, is popular music truly starting to sound the same? I attempt to answer these questions through the lenses of economics and political science in the culminating paper of my senior year independent study: POPONOMICS! A Game Theoretical Approach to Popular Music à la Hotelling and Downs. Here, I provide a framework built upon Hotelling’s model of spatial competition with Downsian extensions and game theory to answer these questions. I find that artists reach a point of musical-stylistic convergence to achieve commercial success, which supports the claim that popular music has begun reflecting strong similarities in recent years. I also attempt to promote the formidable importance of popular music in our daily lives. Since this paper explores a new area of interdisciplinary research, I’d be more than happy to hear comments or criticism about it. 🎙 (For those interested in an efficient—and fast—understanding of the paper, section 4 explains the main model and the Conclusion section summarizes the entire paper.) #popmusic #musicresearch #musicindustry #musicstreaming

Today, at the Linecheck Festival, I had the chance to listen to Marky Ramone during the panel “Punk, The Enduring Spirit.” Sharing the same space with one of the greatest icons of punk culture was incredibly meaningful for me as a long-time punk enthusiast. What particularly caught my attention during the interview was Marky Ramone’s perspective on today’s music industry. According to him, one of the biggest shortcomings in the current music scene is originality. He pointed out that many bands tend to replicate the formulas of past radio hits rather than creating their own unique style. He also emphasized that musicians should not only aim to entertain but should ask more questions about social issues. These critiques offered me a valuable perspective on how creative identities are shaped within the music world. When punk first emerged, it was a form of rebellion and self-expression—a way of breaking down norms. It was a way to channel strong emotions. It made me wonder: is this aspect of punk still present in today’s music industry? At this point, I believe musicians should have the courage to create not only a distinctive sound but also a message. The spirit of punk is not just a genre; it’s an attitude. And that spirit can still inspire the music industry today.