Popular Music and Art Music

I've been studying music theory through a couple different books. One of them classifies music into two groups "Popular Music" and "Art Music".

Popular music, being inherently "familiar", is based around very common patterns that have existed for many years in western music. Artists who create popular music tend to find ways of being creative using traditional chord progressions and conservative harmonies. They look for ways of combining familiar element in new ways. Alternative rock, country, and R&B are all examples of popular music.

Art music is created by stepping outside the boundaries of what's familiar. These artists tend to seek ways to substitute common chords within progressions. Harmonies are typically more complex as well as rhythm's. Examples of art music are jazz and classical. Generally the sounds created are acquired tastes.

Close to my heart is the style of the blues. I find it interesting because blues music defies the boundaries of popular music by creating progressions that are dissonate as well as the melodies. The may place it in the category of "Art Music" ... However, the arrangements are typically "familiar" which yield the music to become more easily popular.

I've spent time with musicians who like and dislike the different types of music. The general complaint I hear is: "that particular style of music is too limiting to be creative with". Trying to look at it from a creative perspective I would say it isn't the music that's limiting....It's our minds.