RESEARCH: HISTORY OF MUSIC VIDEOS

RESEARCH: HISTORY OF MUSIC

The Evolution of Music Videos

Over the time music videos underwent a massive development and overtime drastically evolved together with the technology and audiences. Modern videos have become a way of polysemy and help the artist to sell their work to global audiences. They are visually more appealing and technically advanced in contrast to traditional, basic videos. This allows artists to experiment with different editing techniques to enhance their image or narrative of the video.  Today’s music videos can have a variety in terms of location. Many music videos will constantly jump from one setting to another in order to keep the viewer interested and alert. This is also done through costumes and other aspects of mise en scene. In addition, music videos now use many cinematography techniques to add variations to their music videos. In the past the artist could only afford few similar shots using basic equipment. However today artists utilize cranes, dolly shots, hand held cameras etc to get the best angles/ shots of themselves. Furthermore, today there is more variation in the types of music videos, which helps to appeal to broader audiences. There are different genres and types (concept, performance or narrative videos) to fulfill even the most refined tastes. For example, now the viewer has a choice between approx. 1, 264 genres whereas before only the popular artist got to create music videos that got aired and consumed by audiences. In terms of consumption, modern music videos are accessible on different platforms whereas before TV was the only way to see a music video. This allows even the niche audiences to see videos of their favorite artist. Simultaneously, today’s music videos have different purpose then before. Today a video can be used as a way of film promotion, advertisement or product sell. In contrast the music videos in the past were commonly just to entertain. These are just some of the key examples of the development in the music video industry over time and simultaneously shows how they are under constant development.

Music Video Timeline

1929: Bessie Smith, Saint Louis Blues – The song remains a fundamental part of jazz music to this date. It is considered to be one of the first music videos ever and was. The video includes Bessie who sings by the bar, thus inventing the primary idea of a music video and lip sync. The video was shot with simple cuts and shots due to the lack of equipment and knowledge about videos. The video is actually a part of a film with Bessie. The video applies Goodwin's Theory through the performance and lip sync which could classify 'Saint Louis Blues' as a music video. 

 

1940: Walt Disney, Fantasia. Disney created an animated film which is accompanied by classical music. The soundtrack was recorded with multiple audio channels. It was the first film to be shown in stereophonic sound. Fantasia was partly classified as a music video due to the visuals accompanied by sound which are conventions of a music video. In addition, it was breakthrough for its time to have visuals and audio together. Fantasia has a narrative and there is a relationship between the music and the visuals, as proposed by Goodwin. However, Walt Disney didn't create Fantasia to serve the purpose of a music video but a movie. 

1950-60: Tony Bennett, Strangers in Paradise. Tony filmed ‘Stranger in Paradise’ in Hyde Park, London and was distributed across both UK and US television. Despite Bessie Smith performance and her video, he claimed that it was him who created the first ever video because he intended on using his song specifically for a video rather than a film like Bessie and his work got distributed on television. There is a clear star image, performance and genre characteristics which supports Goodwin's theory and classifies Tony's work as a music video.

1964: The Beatles. This was a crucial moment in the development of music videos. ‘A Hard Days Night’ by Beatles was released and is argued to be the basic set out and beginning of contemporary music videos. It had included a narrative with fast paced cuts and a variety of cinematography. It has set a new era of videos and artist tried to come up with narratives and attract audiences. 

1966- 1968: The Monkees. It was a TV show aired for two years from 1966-68. Every episode had a short film which was created to accompany songs by Monkees. This helped to develop the fundamentals of today’s music videos and allowed practice for artist who made videos.

 

1966: The Birth of ‘The Top of the Pops’. Top of the Pops was a TV program created by the BBC. Its purpose was to promote singles. Due to the limit the show had, artists had to compete in order to be aired which meant that only famous or popular musicians were shown to the audiences.

1967: Videos utilize Cinematic Techniques. Yet again The Beatles took initiative and drastically changed the look of music videos. In their video ‘Penny Lane’ they utilized effects similar to cinema and film making. Elements like dramatic lighting, camera angles or rhythmic editing. This started the era of edited music videos and professional film making to accompany songs which is still continued today. These new features also support Goodwin's Theory of popular music videos. 

1975: Queen, Bohemian Rhapsody.  Bohemian Rhapsody was the first ever video specifically made to replace live performances on TV. Despite previous videos made by Beatles, it was Queen who made a video for the purpose to be aired on TV to their song. It was the very first video to be made on a video format and set an example for other artists who started to create music videos more frequently causing a large supply. The visuals matched the song and there was a clear star image and genre characteristics. 

1981: MTV Launch and development of music videos. to match the large supply of music videos a full music channel was launched. The introduction of MTV caused more artist to air their music video and people were able to see more of them.  The Buggles released their video called ‘Video Killed the Radio Star’ and it was aired as the first ever on MTV. It was a high budget production and used ‘over-lay’ which was deemed as complex editing.  

1984: Micheal Jackson, Thriller.  Thriller has developed the concept of music videos. It had a beginning, middle and end and simulated a short film. It is still considered one of the best music videos ever made. The ‘Top of the Pops’ began to censor video that had controversial content, which is where censorship began and is still continued today. Duran Duran’s ‘Girls on Film’ was censored due to explicit clothing and promiscuity.

1980’s: MTV and Music Success. 80’s was the time of rise in music videos supply. Most for the artists made videos for their songs and debuted on MTV. Madonna began to sell her music through politically and socially controversial content which gained her global recognition and success. Many directors started working on music videos in order to breakthrough in the film industry.

How have Music Videos Developed Over Time?

Over the decades, music videos went through a drastic change and underwent various stimulus. These are some of the causes for such radical evolution:

• ·         Technology/ Equipment Advancement: Over time the technology has developed and there were new inventions which helped to improve the quality of music videos. today you can view videos in HD quality because the filming equipment has improved and artist are able to purchase them. However, before there was only one type of camera and the quality was less effective. Furthermore, today artists are able to edit their videos professionally and have special effects through the use of green screens. They can create surreal imagery or experiment with the variety of effects or corrections. Whereas back in the day the technology was not advanced enough and people didn’t have the knowledge to create such effects. For example, bands like Coldplay utilized a series of green screens and special effects for their concept video Up and Up. The video is visually spectacular and appealing due to the excellent use of technology. Lastly the audio has also improved. Artist work in professional studios with high quality audio equipment and are allowed to edit their sound too.
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• ·         The Distribution and Consumption: The distribution and consumption has also developed over time. there are various polysemy and synergy techniques which can help to promote a video but there are also many ways to distribute/air the video. Modern music videos are can be distributed across different social medias, including sites like Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, which also promotes the video/ artist. This is an example of synergy. In addition, a music video can be aired on various music channels like MTV or VIVA but also viewed on YouTube, Vevo or Vimeo where the audience can see the video for free.
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• ·         Star Image and Representation: Over the time artists, especially in popular culture, have underwent changes and generations of performers have changed the way they portray themselves in the music videos. This also depends on genre. For example, today most him hop artists will try to sell the rich lifestyle through their music videos. ‘Candy Shop’ by 50 Cent portrays expensive cars and jewelry in order to attract a particular audience and show off his lavish lifestyle, whereas in the beginning, artist did not have certain representations as the audience didn’t have formed their expectations of each genre.
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• ·         Purpose of Music Videos: There are many purposes to a music video. At the beginning many artists created music videos to simply entertain the audience and breakthrough, however today there are many more ways a video can enhance one’s career. It can be a way of maintaining a bond with the audience or establishing yourself as a solo artist. On the other hand, it can also be an excellent tool to sell the artist’s music. Many modern videos use controversy to gain publicity through their videos, like Robin Thicke in ‘Blurred Lines’. This is a way if polysemy and have gained Robin global media attention and cheap publicity. Lastly a video can also be used as a promotion for another media, like a film. Alicia Keys created a soundtrack for Amazing Spiderman 2 (2014) ‘It’s on Again’ with snapshots of the film.

Conclusion

After researching into the history of music videos I have a good understanding of the developments the industry underwent throughout the years. I gained essential knowledge which will help me with the general context and understanding of the industry. Overall it is obvious that there are still debates on who created the first video and people have different views. I believe that Tony Bennett was the first one to create an official music video. This is because his ‘Stranger in Paradise’ video had elements that classify as a music video. The clip also follows some of Goodwin’s characteristics like star image. It was also distributed to UK and US which what today’s artist do when distributing their works. The history of music videos also allowed me to see how the those influenced modern artist and how it continues to evolve. 

RESEARCH: CENSORSHIP

RESEARCH: CENSORSHIP

What is Censorship? Why is it Important?

Censorship is the process of examining a product and making a conscious decision whether it is appropriate for public display. It aims to create a safe industry and environment for anyone, regardless of age, cultural/ethnic background or gender. Censorship can be done in many ways, either by removing offensive or upsetting content or trying to alter it with something else or through re-editing. This is done to ensure that the product is not offensive or upsetting. Censorship can often cost the artist a lot of money as many of them will have to change the lyrics or re-edit such video, which means they need to invest extra funds and time into the process. This is especially evident within certain genres that are commonly censored due to the regular offences or controversial content. For example Rap, Hip Hop or R&B are known for swearing, nudity or controversy in their music videos which often is censored. However, many manufacturers and artists find a way around censorship, especially with the modern technology advancements.  Many artists will release their music videos on social network websites such as YouTube or other sites in order to avoid censorship. Therefore they are less likely to be caught on their content as not everything gets checked online. Censorship is important in the music industry, and film, as it helps to ensure that music content is safe to view by most audiences and the public is not upset. It also serves to protect people from content that they shouldn’t be displayed to and people won’t copycat wrong behaviors.

Today many artists utilize the Parental Advisory logo to warn sensitive audience as well as parents about explicit content or lyrics. This is evident on front covers and helps to protect audiences. This gives people a choice to buy the product or decide to abstain. It also makes them an active consumer who makes a conscious choice in their music selection.

Explicit Content VS Explicit Lyrics

Explicit content refers to the imagery displayed in the video that is unsuitable for anyone under the age of 18. This can be either a performance, concept or a narrative. Many modern music videos will be censored because of explicit nudity and erotic references, controversial references to real life events, graphic violence or explicit drug abuse/ unlawful behavior. Over the years many music videos have been banned for various reasons from any websites or for general viewing. MTV is one of the platforms that takes censorship very seriously and often bans crude music videos. For example ‘Killed by Death’ by Motorhead was banned by MTV due to its excessive and senseless violence including a scene depicting the lead singer death in an electric chair. It was too obscene to air and could upset vulnerable viewers or draw a negative response. In addition, Eminem was also called out for controversial depiction of real life affairs in relation to Michael Jackson who at the time struggled with court and was accused of child molestation. His video ‘Just Lose It’ was banned by Black Entertainment Television due to the depiction of noseless Jackson on a bed full of children. Michael himself commented it was ‘inappropriate and disrespectful’. This could upset Jackson’s fans and was simply mocking towards the serious case.

Explicit lyrics refer to words or phrases that are too controversial or inappropriate for public disposal. This can include references to sex, explicit sexual language or frequent curse words which would be unsuitable for people under 18 or sensitive listeners. Over the years, however, more listeners have become inert to explicit language and today it is hard to exactly establish what is deemed appropriate or not. However, in general few bad language references are acceptable, however must be in the ‘right’ context and shouldn’t be repeated for no purpose. Genres like Rap or Hip-Hop are more famous for using explicit lyrics and many of these are edited out or censored through various methods. However, genre is not always the case. For example George’s Michael ‘I Want Your Sex’ was banned by the BBC for various reasons. First off it was the first of the few songs that included the word ‘sex’ in the title, therefore it was restricted for being overly sexually suggestive. In addition, some people argued that it was promoting casual sex, at the time when AIDS was a great concern, which was also controversial. Another major explicit lyrics case was Robin’s Thicke ‘Blurred Lines’, banned on different radio stations and deemed overly controversial due to its promotion of rape and women objectification. Blurred Lines upset a lot of women and set the wrong example for young males and females who are exposed to similar music in their everyday life.

What Gets Censored?

There is a criteria which points out what gets censored or banned. These help others establish whether the content is too explicit and should be amended. The lists includes:

• ·         Sexual Content
•             Language
• ·         Nudity
• ·         Religion
• ·         Violence
• ·         Graphic Representation & Realism
• ·         Culture
• ·         Class
• ·         Sexual Violence
• ·         Race
• ·         Shock
• ·         True Events
• ·         Corrupt the Young
• ·         Controversy and Press (Politics)

These are some of the songs examples that have been censored for one or more of the above factors.

• 1.       M.I.A ‘Born Free’ (2010) - Censored for explicit violence and making references to bloody rebellions like the Irish Republican Army.  The video was temporarily removed by You Tube but then reposted with an age requirement.
• 2.       The Prodigy ‘Smack My B**ch Up’ (1997) – Censored for explicit nudity, shocking imagery of crude content and general corruption of the young. It was later moved to after-midnight viewings on MTV, with a disclaimer.
• 3.       Garth Brooks ‘The Thunder Rolls’ (1991)- Censored for explicit violence and graphic representation and realism of domestic violence. It was deemed too graphic for CMT viewers and the network pulled it one day after its premiere.
• 4.       Madonna ‘Like A Prayer’ (1989)- Censored for religious and racial reasons and an explicit representation of racism. It was deemed as a mockery of the Catholic religion and was generally censored around the world.

Lyrics and Radio Censorship

Radio is an open music platform that has a wide global audience and therefore takes censorship very seriously in order to maintain its popularity and air suitable music for all audiences. There are various ways in which the radio can censor inappropriate lyrics. These include:

• ·         Blanking- The explicit language is blanked out but the music continues to play. For example the Suicide Squad soundtrack ‘Sucker for Pain’ has explicit language sang by Lil Wayne. The words are blanked out when aired on radio or TV.  
• ·         Repeating – The repetition of the last word instead of the censored word.
• ·         Bleeping- Inserting a ‘Bleep’ sound instead of the word.
• ·         Disc Scratching- Inserting a DJ scratching sound instead of the word.

Cut VS Banned

CUT: The process of cutting or editing the content to a point where the explicit material is deemed more appropriate for public disposal. It can also mean to remove a sequence of footage completely until the material is suitable for the audience. This can cost a lot of money for the manufacturer or artist due to the re-editing process, which is expensive and time consuming.

BAN: This refers to legal prohibition of a product that is unsuitable for public distribution. Lyrics or music video content can be forbidden for public viewing and disposal and anyone who decides to go against that law will have to face consequences, including fines or court.

Censorship: Advantages and Disadvantages

Advantages

• ·         Helps to protect the public
• ·         Sets boundaries for the artists
• ·         Prevents upset audiences
• ·         Tries to prevent younger audiences from corruption
• ·         Gets rid of crude content in general
• ·         Helps to guide audiences in their choices
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Disadvantages

• ·         It’s a way of controlling people and their choices
• ·         It restricts freedom of speech
• ·         It is not always accurate and effective
• ·         It shows that audiences are fed with what others decide to show
• ·         Ideas are restricted
• ·         Creativity is restricted
• ·         Promotes dictatorship

In my opinion censorship is still important, despite the various arguments against it. Although it can restrict artists and take away public’s freedom, it is crucial in order to set certain boundaries and prevent the public from harm. It plays a significant part in the industry and is a useful filter to today’s music industry, especially with the way audiences have become much more inert to violence, nudity or explicit language. By censoring inappropriate content, the audience can be guided through the industry but still have a free choice amongst the varied genres and types of artists.

Conclusion

Overall, music censorship in extremely important factor I need to consider when planning my music campaign. By knowing the different elements that are likely to be upsetting or censored, I will be able to avoid hurtful content. However, the indie genre is rarely censored due to its mild content which is unlikely to upset anyone, therefore I have a smaller chance of getting restricted. Yet to be sure, I will make sure that my music video is all ages friendly and the lyrics are suitable for the majority of the audiences and if not I will use blanking to get rid of the upsetting content.

RESEARCH: AUDIENCES

RESEARCH: AUDIENCES

What is an Audience? Why is it so Important?

Every product ever created has to have an audience in order to succeed. An audience is a group of people who consume the released product and take an active part in the post production stage. They also determine whether the product was a success and should be manufactured or not. They are crucial in measuring the achievement. A target audience is the group of people who you aim to sell your product to. They have to have certain characteristics in order to enjoy the product and allow profit. For example a rock album will appeal to older target audience who enjoy heavy music. It’s important to establish your target audience at the pre-production stage in order to know exactly what conventions to use and fit the audience expectations. Otherwise it is possible for the product to fail and make a loss due to the lack of audience consumption and profit.

Audience Categories

There are certain audience categories which help to label certain audiences and make it easier to target such category. The categories are made depending on people’s social class, occupation, age, gender or racial/cultural background. This is because certain demographics allow people to share common interest and therefore these people are grouped together and have products aimed specifically at them.  For example, young girls who have no occupation and are from lower class tend to listen to similar music or show interest in similar products. Therefore many pop albums/ products are aimed at these girls and artists make profit as it’s a safe investment.

Audience categories have been sorted into a system which describes different audiences from ‘Category A’ being the most sophisticated people, all the way down to ‘Category E’ where unemployed and students are placed. Anyone can move up or down the audience categories depending on their income or career.

This is the table of Audience Categories:

Category	Who are They?
A	Top Management, Bankers, Lawyers, Doctors and Other Professionals
B	Middle Management, Teacher, Many ‘Creatives’ e.g.: Graphic Designers and etc.
C1	Office Supervisors, Junior Managers, Nurses, Specialist Clerical Staff
C2	Skilled Workers, Tradespersons (White Collar)
D	Semi-Skilled and Unskilled Manual Workers (Blue Collar)
E	Unemployed, Students, Casual Workers and Pensioners

However, it is worth keeping in mind that not all of the categories will be accurate and they don’t restrict people to enjoy products they would usually enjoy. For example, someone from the top category doesn’t have to listen to only sophisticated classical music, they can enjoy pop or rock. Manufacturers will also base their prices around the audience categories in order to fit the audience’s budget. For example a rap music album will be cheaper than a classical music album due to the category and their salary, as the lower categories will have less disposable income.

Audience Categories: Advantages and Disadvantages

Advantages:

• ·         Easy to target an audience successfully
• ·         Audiences are categorised with similar people, with similar interests
• ·         Helps to establish common conventions and characteristics, which will appeal to audiences
• ·         Easier to contact your audience/ ask them for feedback (e.g. focus groups or questionnaires)
• ·         Helps to establish your price and make your product affordable, according to your target audience

Disadvantages

• ·         It is not clear what happens when someone moves up or down the category
• ·         It leaves out people who subvert the categories. For example people from category A who enjoy popular music
• ·         It assumes people’s income or tastes based on their demographics and psychographics which can be deemed unfair

In my opinion audience categories are still useful for manufacturers, despite the disadvantages. However, when considering the different categories and your target audience, it is important to utilize other methods and avoid to base your target audience heavily on the categories due to audience diversity.

Genres and Common Audience Categories

Despite different tastes, some genres have the common audience and stereotypical listeners who are likely to enjoy the specific genre. Therefore artists aim their music towards these categories. These are some of the examples:

• ·         Rock- Males, aged 30+, predominantly white ethnic background, semi-skilled or unskilled workers and underplayed (Category D, E)
• ·         Punk/ Emo- Males and Females, aged 13- 19, predominately white ethnic background, unemployed, students or casual workers (Category E)
• ·         Classical- Females and Males, aged 40+, predominantly white ethnic background, top management, bankers, lawyers, doctors (Category A)
• ·         Pop- Females, aged 11- 20, mixed ethnic background, unemployed, students, semi-skilled manual workers or tradespersons (Categories E, D and C2)
• ·         Reggae- Females and Males, aged 35- 60, black ethnic background, unemployed, semi-skilled workers, skilled workers and tradespersons (Categories E, D and C2)
• ·         Hip-Hop/ Rap- Males, aged 15-22, mixed ethnic background, unemployed, students, unskilled manual workers, pensioners (Categories E, D)

Audience Reactions

Audiences play a large part in the post-production of a product. They determine whether it was successful or if it wasn’t appealing. They also determine if the artist will gain profit, since they are the ones who buy the product. Their consumption is crucial. With the consumption comes the reaction to a product and the way the public reacts to the media. These are the different reactions and responses:

Audience Engagement	This is the way in which the consumer interacts with the media whether they are an active or a passive consumer and decide to take part in engaging with the media in some way.
Audience Expectations	Audience comes with their own ideas and expectations in terms of the product. This allows the producers to play with their products in order to fit the expectation or surprise the audience and further intrigue them.
Audience Foreknowledge	The credible information which the audience has in terms of the product, instead of vague expectations.
Audience Identification	This refers to the way the audience reacts to the product, considering their own experiences or memories. They can identify and connect to the piece of media or reject it and feel detached.
Audience Placement	Producers can utilize different polysemy techniques in order to sell their product in a way that makes the audience feel special and significant; as if the product is made just for them.
Audience Research	Research is significant in order to measure the success or find the appropriate target audience. Once the product has been distributed, the audience will be monitored.

Audience and Hebdige, Dyer and Goodwin

Some of these reactions can be linked to the common media theorists including Hebdige, Dyer and Goodwin.

• ·         Audience Engagement- Engagement is linked to Hebdige theory. He stated that different people can react in different ways to the same stimuli, or a media product in this particular case. This can be linked to his subculture theory and how different groups of people react similarly within their group but differently to other groups, if exposed to the same media text. This means that audience has the power to engage in different media in their own individualistic way, based on their own memories or traits. This makes them an active consumer who can make their own choices and decisions.
• ·         Audience Identification- This fits some of the Dyer’s Star Theory. Dyer stated how an artist is a construction yet should have a personality and be ordinary in order to allow audience identification and inspire the viewer. Therefore this reaction fits audience identification because a viewer is able to relate to a particular media product and if they do, they are likely to buy it.
• ·         Audience Expectations- When waiting for a product, the audience is likely to have their individual expectations and hope to have them fulfilled, due to the different needs and associations each product holds. Goodwin identified that, in popular culture, everything has its common conventions that are used by artist to navigate and make their products. They will use certain characteristics in order to appeal and fit the appropriate audience and their expectations.

Conclusion

Overall, I think it is important to know exactly who your target audience is and who you are trying to appeal to, therefore research into audiences is crucial in the process of making a campaign and in the pre-production stage of a music campaign. This is because audiences play such a large part in the music industry. I hope to target people of mixed gender, aged 15-40, of any ethnic background and of category E, D, C2 and C1. This is because indie music is a flexible genre that can target a wide range of people despite being niche and often underrepresented. I think that this wide range of audiences is highly beneficial as it gives me a broader number of conventions to experiment with and choose from, yet at the same time gives me a chance to make a larger profit. I think that this is a good base to start from as now I can begin to decide my fundamental conventions and generics.

RESEARCH: SUBCULTURES

RESEARCH: SUBCULTURES

What does the term ‘Subculture’ refer to?

A subculture is a group of people that stands out from the mainstream or challenges the dominant ideology. They generally choose to personally reject it and live by own standards but sometimes it comes naturally for them and they live the way they want to live. There are many subcultures that characterize through different behaviors, psycho-graphics and self-images. People of similar traits will be grouped together to create one sub-culture which allows people meet like minded individuals and feel accepted in a society where people are so used to living up to the label of mainstream and ‘normal’. Some of the different subcultures include:

• ·         Hipsters: A fairly modern subculture composed of middle class young adults who are broadly associated with indie/ alternative music, a varied non-mainstream fashion sense, vintage clothing, progressive political views and organic foods. Typically consists of white millennials form urban locations.
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• ·         Emo and Goths- A subculture composed of generally lower class teens who are associated with punk/ screamo music genre, leather clothing, dark attires, heavy make-up, rebellious views and troubled state of mind. Many argue that it is the ‘teenage rebellious phase’. The subculture typically consists of white youths from generally suburb locations.
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• ·         Gamers- A contemporary subculture composed of mostly lower and middle class youth who are associated with video games and general technology (including phones, PC, consoles or apps), a comfortable fashion sense and relaxed clothing, often politically and culturally apathetic and unhealthy. Generally males of different ethnic backgrounds, however girls became much more involved in the gamers sub-culture.
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• ·         Hippies- A sub-culture consisting of mostly lower to middle class adults who are associated with peace and protests against war, live in harmony with nature, and lead an organic way of life, vegetarianism, animal protection, natural state of being, comfortable clothing and politically and socially involved. Generally involves people of mixed gender and white ethnicity.

 

Hipster      Gamers

Emos       Hippies

Subcultures and Music Industry

Subcultures are widely prominent across the industry as different music may appeal to different subcultures that the group of people identify with. Therefore genres have assigned sub-cultures that they’re able to target and sell to. In the 50’s bikers and greasers culture emerged as rebellious and ‘cool’ and heavily associated their image with Rock and Roll. Modern music and genres like Rap, Pop or Rock also have their own sub-cultures. For example Rap is associated with the ‘gangsta’ subculture of young men who seek money and success but are often troubled and involved with crime and unlawful behaviors. On the other hand, Rock genre and bands like AC/DC have their own cult groups and loyal fan base which can be a subculture on its own. Rock listeners can be associated with rebellious behavior.

These are examples of subculture artists in music:

• ·         My Chemical Romance
• ·         Lady Gaga
• ·         Green Day
• ·         Red Hot Chili Peppers
• ·         The Sex Pistols
• ·         Black Veil Brides

These are subculture artist/ bands as each one holds specific characteristics that are passed on to the audience and the listeners can identify with. On top of that audiences will generally have similar characteristics and values amongst each other and the artist, which makes them enjoy such music.

Subcultures: McCracken

Postmodernism refers to the blur between reality and fiction and the mix of different styles. This is commonly evident in today’s film and music industry where audiences have a harder time distinguishing what fiction is and what isn’t. McCracken said that today the postmodern world has a lot of diversity and creativity and everyone is able to express themselves under less stigma and judgment. It is clear that the different values from varied subcultures originate from one culture. This can be linked to the Birmingham school theory which assumes that subcultures were built upon the rejection of one large mainstream culture. Individuals were able to suppress pressure of the dominant ideologies and form their own groups and culture.

Subcultures: Hebdige

Many people argue that all the subcultures are different and vary. However, looking at it from a raw point of view, they are all pretty similar, if not the same. All of these subcultures have the same thing in common- to repel and reject the dominant mainstream culture, which is a big factor for all of these subcultures. Hebdige stated that audience consumption is an individual process where some will passively accept the media text or actively reject it. This can be applied to subcultures. Some people will follow the mass values, which makes them the mainstream, whereas some will actively reject it, which is a beginning of a subculture.

Music subcultures began in the 50’s where there was a social movement and cohesion, as everyone began to be more selective and active in their choices and lifestyles. This resulted in different groups of people who enjoyed different music, known as subcultures.

This is a timeline of different subcultures and their evolution over the years:

• 1950’s- Teddy Boys and Rock ‘n’ Rollers
• 1960’s- Hippies, Bikers and Surfers
• 1970’s- Rastas, Punks, Skinheads
• 1980’s- Goths, Heavy metal Culture and Ravers
• 1990’s and Modern- Hipsters (indie and alterative), blend of fashion and music styles, ever changing image of what’s considered ‘cool’

Industry: Targeting Modern Audiences

The music industry has many ways in order to target their audiences. This is especially done through various media platforms, which is easily accessible for youths and adults, and can be fed with information etc. therefore one of the ways to target audiences are TV shows like X Factor. Such competitions show the development and construction of stars who fit the music industry and have adaptable image in order to make success and inspire young people. Another way to attract audiences is by identifying gaps in the marker and what will currently sell. This varies across different genres and the audience demand to certain products. This allows industry to supply the viewers and keep them entertained. 

Current Day: Hebdige

Today, music consumption varies among different people. Peoples’ background, lifestyle or memories can lead to differences in tastes and consumption of a media product. Individuals are no longer as afraid to stand out and be different in a world where so many people reject the mainstream and live by their own ideologies.

Current Day: Dyer

Dyer’s star theory is likely to be rejected by subcultures and artist who identify as a subculture. His theory states that stars are created by the industry in order to make money, they play as commodities and compete with other artist. Therefore they will try to appeal to the mainstream audience. However it is clear that subcultures and certain artists reject this theory. Artists that appeal to subcultures are original and unique in the way they represent themselves to their fans. On the other hand such artists have strong ‘ideologies and values’ and as stated by Dyer stars do have their own values which they live by, which compliments his theory. Such artists are not afraid to stand out from the mainstream and pass on their own ideologies and share own values with their fans despite rejecting the mainstream. This gives them a sense of realism and ‘self’ as they are presented as real people who have minds of their own rather than an industry construction. For example, Green Day is a very political band. In their album American Idiot there was a clear message and their own opinion about the American politics and culture which shows that they’re not afraid to share their own left wing ideas and stand up to the dominant figures.

Conclusion:

Overall, it is clear that music can target different subcultures and that different groups of people can identify with certain genres and artists if they feel that these represent them accurately. Subcultures identify with different music and use that as a way to express themselves. I think Hebdige is right in his theory and subcultures fit his hypothesis of audience consumption and the ways in which viewers can reject or agree with a media product. It’s interesting how groups of people can pick certain music to represent them, which can put artists under a lot of responsibility but at the same give them pride and find true loyal fan base. Therefore, I think I want to target a subculture as I think these individual group of people are a reliable target audience because of their loyalty to the artist and credibility. In addition, many indie bands and songs do target subcultures because of their alternative style. I also think that the connection between an artist and a particular subculture can benefit both sides in terms of popularity and profit which is another good reason why targeting a subculture is beneficial.