Submit a pitch: “Freedom and Exploration Across Music Genres”

Music has historically been segregated by genres. Every so often, musicians, particularly women, and people of color, choose to experiment and create art outside of traditional genres. Many of these artists utilize music as a form of resistance and expression to counter racial and gender oppression. However, artists who cross the arbitrary lines of musical segregation are often challenged to appease the commercial music industry. Although record labels usually have a “don’t fix what isn’t broken” approach to music creation, today more artists appear to be committed to reclaiming their artistic freedom to benefit music listeners. 

Most recently, Beyonce’s Cowboy Carter album challenges us as music listeners to be open-minded and critical when listening to music. Critical analysis of this album has led to public discourse on what defines country music as a genre. There are conversations about the genre's origin and whether country music was a Black art form historically. Discussions which followed the release of this album have sparked a conversation about our current social and political climates. Does the response to such a celebrated and decorated pop star crossing into a genre that white artists have dominated ignite some of the same emotions that are fueling dialogues about race, gender, and who belongs in American culture? 

While Cowboy Carter offers country songs, Beyonce also presents songs in several other genres. One of the highlights of this album is Beyonce’s decision not to label this album as country. She encourages us to remove the labels of genres and just experience the music for what it is. 

This leaves us to consider the cost of genres and how music labels may hinder the broader access to this art form. There is a current momentum towards change in the music industry to understand the history of music and acknowledge the innovation of women musicians and musicians of color across genres.

We invite scholars from various disciplinary backgrounds who can offer insights to inform and inspire the next generation of musicians and invite our readers to be critical music consumers. Potential essays may consider the following prompts but are not limited to: