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

Blackness and whiteness could arguably be seen as a way for the industry to catagorise music.

Although when you look deeper into the subject we can see that it is also about class rather than just black and white. All forms of pop music have different influences. Elivis made 'Black music'. This was due to the way he was bought up, attending Gospel churches and living in relatively poor multicultural areas. Sam Phillips stated " If I could find a white man who had the Negro sound and the Negro feel, I could make a billion dollars.” He found this in Elvis.

'Pop music has always deepened upon the interaction between white and black tradition” (Hatch) This would suggest that pop music is from black and white. Rock n Roll which may be considered white derived from the Blues. This can also be supported by the fact that black and white artists have covered each others music, again suggesting that whiteness and blackness are not useful concepts.