Performing class in British popular music

"Performing Class in British Popular Music examines the role that class signification plays in popular music in the United Kingdom, from its origins in folk music through to the present day. Rather than seeing class as a purely social or economic concept, Nathan Wiseman-Trowse understands it as a mythological concept that is constructed through the musical text in order to assure the listener of the authenticity of a piece of pop music. Using performativity theory, the signification of class is shown to be a means by which to incorporate audiences in an imagined or performed state, through a 'folk voice' that suffuses British popular music. Case studies on folk rock, punk and indie rock show how class signification develops over time and in relation to the popular music industry and culture at a broader level, and how performers make use of class in the music and performances that they create."--Jacket.