The Social History of Musicians in the West

In his book The Triumph of Music, Cambridge University historian Tim Blanning explains how less than three centuries ago, musicians and composers were like servants with relatively little social status; Mozart was seated with the valets and cooks at dinner. Today’s pop stars have climbed to the top of society’s respectability ladder. Blanning explains this shift and the changing relationship between musician and audience.

Soundcheck blog: Has the social status of composers, singers and songwriters changed?