Are blackness and whiteness useful concepts in the study of popular music?

To a certain degree, the concepts of blackness and whiteness are useful when studying popular music. They allow music theorists to identify where music is from and how it originates, and in turn how this music influences black and white culture. It is, however, only useful as a starting point. From these starting points, we can see how music is then further divided by and influenced by class, heritage and cultural background. However, these dividing terms can sometimes lead to discrimination and unreasonable division of audiences. More often than not we are cultured into thinking that so-called ‘Black’ music is Rap, R'n'B and Hip Hop and conventional ‘White’ music is Indie, Rock and Roll and Opera. When looking at music in the 1940s though, when 'Black' music needed artists to sing their songs, it took white musicians to make the music mainstream. Hence I do not believe that these labels are definate and instead they are more guidelines which help to address underlying social issues and heritage of genres of music.