This paper aims to demonstrate two theses: 1) the conditions that bring to the application of the concept of plagiarism to some musical practices are to be found in the social and cultural context of the accusation of plagiarism itself, more than in real musical structures; 2) the celebration of the individual author of music doesn’t necessarily help in a real promotion of personal freedom, and a musical practice in which the individual author has small importance is not necessarily intended for some kind of repression. These two theses are illustrated by some reflections about Orwell’s 1984, about Afro-American musical traditions and about present-day pop music.

KEYWORDS: Philosophy of Music, Plagiarism, George Orwell, Pop Music, Social Philosophy.