What is the History of Popular Culture? (v)

In the beginning, the words. In this case there is a lot to cut through to get at my own concerns. Popular? Dominant meaning: consumed by many people, most people (but usually not 'the best people'), often by 'the masses'. Example: 'popular music'. Culture? Dominant meanings: either an attribute or possession of 'the best people', or a whole way of life. An example which slides between these alternatives: 'Viennese culture at the turn of the century was the cradle of the modern'. If one wanted to refer to what most Viennese people were like or liked one would have to add: 'Viennese popular culture at the turn of the century was...'.