Is popular music a mass produced commodity or a genuine art form?

Art is a product of a humans creativity. Art provokes emotion, it is emmersive and open to critique. Art is based on opinion and expression, it is raw, self reflective and self aware.

Theodor Adorno believed that Art was the opposite to mass production, he saw no Art in popular music. To him the Popular Music Industry was just an all consuming production line, churning out mass produced inferior commoditys. Adornos idea's can be reflected in society today with shows like The X Factor but it is narrow to suggest that all popular music is purely just a mass produced commodity. The Smiths showed how their music can be seen as an art form when they were able to be self reflective in their song Paint a vulgar picture (1987)

Even though it can be said that Popular Music sometimes involves commercial hits, cover songs and has singers singing someone elses written material. Art is open, it is different to everybody. One mans trash is another mans treasure. Live Aid which featured popular artists and popular song had the ability to effect the world. Live Aid was art in its own way.  I believe that popular music can be a genuine art form, because to somebody out there popular music is their treasure.