Application of Functionalist Perspectives in Religion to Sociological Issues in Contemporary Nigerian Popular Music

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Date

2011

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilization, Lagos, Nigeria (CBAAC)

Abstract

The interaction between music and social dynamics defines itself in multiple perspectives which include rapport between musical traditions and such other cultural elements as education, politics, value systems and behavioral patterns, historical development and religion. Music being a very important aspect of the Nigerian culture has sociological implications. While music can be examined through the society, the society within which music is performed can also be studied through its music. Music is a product of the behavior of human groups whether formal or informal. Because music is humanly organized sound, there ought to be a relationship between patterns of human organizations and the patterns of sounds produced as a result of human interaction. The paper adopting the contextual hermeneutical approach relies on the functionalist perspective to the study of religion to look at contemporary Nigerian Popular music with a view to identify sociological issues in the composition, performance and practice of contemporary popular music in Nigeria and the impact on the Nigerian Society. The paper reveals that music being a social product is highly functional and has in it attendant sociological issues as reflected in the themes of the songs, performance practice and general impact on the society. Issues of religion, ethnicity, social control, cohesion, mass mobilization, revolt, gender, moral decadence and identity have thus been identified as sociological themes that are generated by the contemporary Nigerian popular music.

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Keywords

Nigerian Popular Music; Functionalist Perspectives; Sociology; Religion;

Citation

JBAAC Journal of Black and African Arts and Civilization. 5 (1); 19 – 32

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