Genre and the Pop Star Dr Nathan Wiseman-Trowse School of The Arts The University of Northampton

Genre and the Pop Star Genre and Style Genre and Style The Uses of Genre The Uses of Genre The Rules of Genre The Rules of Genre Similarity and Difference Similarity and Difference The Semiotics of the Pop Star The Semiotics of the Pop Star 2

What is ‘Genre’? ‘Types’ of popular music (hip hop, soul, rock, pop, country, folk etc.)? ‘Types’ of popular music (hip hop, soul, rock, pop, country, folk etc.)? A range of music that shares common features? A range of music that shares common features? Genre as a code – both categorising or ‘codifying’ music, and defining the terms under which music is produced, distributed and consumed Genre as a code – both categorising or ‘codifying’ music, and defining the terms under which music is produced, distributed and consumed Genre and sub-genre Genre and sub-genre Constantly debated and vaguely demarcated Constantly debated and vaguely demarcated 3

What do we get out of it? We know what to expect as listeners and consumers We know what to expect as listeners and consumers Pleasure is gained from seeing expectations met (or confounded) Pleasure is gained from seeing expectations met (or confounded) Formal generic patterns represent questions, values and problems encountered in society Formal generic patterns represent questions, values and problems encountered in society Maintaining capitalist orthodoxy? Maintaining capitalist orthodoxy? 4

The Uses of Genre Useful to discuss music and audiences at fan level (both listening and producing) Useful to discuss music and audiences at fan level (both listening and producing) Useful to discuss music and audiences at a scholarly level Useful to discuss music and audiences at a scholarly level Shapes strategic planning for record companies Shapes strategic planning for record companies Defines ancillary media such as radio, the music press and music television Defines ancillary media such as radio, the music press and music television 5

Genre vs. Style Genre refers to the musical form (fast dance track, slow ballad) but these might be performed in a number of styles (Moore, 1993). Genre refers to the musical form (fast dance track, slow ballad) but these might be performed in a number of styles (Moore, 1993). Therefore rock, pop and acoustic are ‘styles’ rather than ‘genres’ Therefore rock, pop and acoustic are ‘styles’ rather than ‘genres’ Ten Masked Men ‘Play That Funky Music’ ( Ten Masked Men ‘Play That Funky Music’ ( Genre – mid-paced pop/funk; Style – extreme metal Is this how most music consumers understand the term? Is this how most music consumers understand the term? 6

Genre as Orienting Strategy Genres as ‘systems of orientations, expectations and conventions that circulate between industry and subject’ (Toynbee, 2000). Genres as ‘systems of orientations, expectations and conventions that circulate between industry and subject’ (Toynbee, 2000). Genre is not inherent in the text but imposed from without Genre is not inherent in the text but imposed from without The industry, the text and the audience negotiate the idea of genre The industry, the text and the audience negotiate the idea of genre 7

The ‘Rules’ of Genre Five rules of genre (Fabbri, 1982): Formal and technical rules direct performance (playing and recording) conventions Formal and technical rules direct performance (playing and recording) conventions Semiotic rules order the way that the music (as a set of formal and technical rules) should be interpreted Semiotic rules order the way that the music (as a set of formal and technical rules) should be interpreted Behavioural rules guide the performance rituals of the audience, mediators and performers in a range of settings Behavioural rules guide the performance rituals of the audience, mediators and performers in a range of settings Social and ideological rules govern what the music stands for Social and ideological rules govern what the music stands for Commercial and judicial rules sanction the rewards and critical valuations made in the genre culture Commercial and judicial rules sanction the rewards and critical valuations made in the genre culture 8

The Pop Star If genre is about similarity then what role does the pop star play? If genre is about similarity then what role does the pop star play? Elvis Presley Elvis Presley The Milton Berle Show 1956 ( ) The Milton Berle Show 1956 ( U4i5gyFK1s ) U4i5gyFK1s After the Berle performance Presley is only filmed from the waist up on the Ed Sullivan Show After the Berle performance Presley is only filmed from the waist up on the Ed Sullivan Show Conflation of musical influences Conflation of musical influences Sexuality and rebellion Sexuality and rebellion Visual representation Visual representation Prioritisation of youth audience Prioritisation of youth audience Photo from Wikipedia 9

The Star as Commodity Capitalism – Use Value (material cost) and Exchange Value (what it will sell for) Capitalism – Use Value (material cost) and Exchange Value (what it will sell for) The difference = PROFIT The difference = PROFIT Jean Baudrillard - Enhanced Use Value (cultural values) Jean Baudrillard - Enhanced Use Value (cultural values) Commodities (records) absorb cultural value Commodities (records) absorb cultural value David Buxton - Pop star as economic necessity David Buxton - Pop star as economic necessity Ed Sheeran at Academy 1, CC BY 10

Guy DeBord - Society of the Spectacle ‘Culture turned completely into commodity must also turn into the star commodity of the spectacular society…In the second half of this century culture will hold the key role in the development of the economy, a role played by the automobile in the first half, and by railroads in the second half of the previous century’ (1967). 11

Making Meaning Paradigmatic (parole) – The sign Syntagmatic (langue) – The code Saussure’s model of structural linguistics allows us to read pop stars as sentences, creating meaning through individual signs and the ways in which they are combined. Syntagmatic Axis Paradigmatic Axis dinosaur remained chair dinosaur remained chair fridge roced carpet fridge roced carpet dog stayed train dog stayed train The cat sat on the mat 12

Structuring Signs Parole (paradigmatic) – an example of a sign (hair, make-up, particular kinds of tattoo, vintage dresses, voice, physical performance) Parole (paradigmatic) – an example of a sign (hair, make-up, particular kinds of tattoo, vintage dresses, voice, physical performance) Langue (syntagmatic) – The code that gives it context (poplar culture and popular music more specifically) Langue (syntagmatic) – The code that gives it context (poplar culture and popular music more specifically) Amy Winehouse as a sign system Amy Winehouse as a sign system What makes her different and what makes her similar? To what ends? What makes her different and what makes her similar? To what ends? The iconography of the pop star is constructed semiotically in relation to the codes of specific popular music discourses The iconography of the pop star is constructed semiotically in relation to the codes of specific popular music discourses Genre unites and defines, whilst spectacular signification marks out the individual performer as a brand Genre unites and defines, whilst spectacular signification marks out the individual performer as a brand Amy Winehouse f crop, CC BY-SA 13

References DeBord, G. (1967). The Society of the Spectacle. Black and Red. DeBord, G. (1967). The Society of the Spectacle. Black and Red. Fabbri, F. (1982). A Theory of Musical Genre: Two Applications. In P. Tagg and D. Horn (eds), Popular Music Perspectives. IASPM. Fabbri, F. (1982). A Theory of Musical Genre: Two Applications. In P. Tagg and D. Horn (eds), Popular Music Perspectives. IASPM. Moore, A. (1993). Rock: The Primary Text. Open University Press. Moore, A. (1993). Rock: The Primary Text. Open University Press. Toynbee, J. (2000). Making Popular Music. Arnold. Toynbee, J. (2000). Making Popular Music. Arnold. 14

Further Reading Brabazon, T. (2012). Popular Music: Topics, Trends and Trajectories. Sage. Brabazon, T. (2012). Popular Music: Topics, Trends and Trajectories. Sage. Buxton, D. (1983). Rock Music, the Star System and the Rise of Consumerism. In Frith and Horn (eds) On Record. Routledge. Buxton, D. (1983). Rock Music, the Star System and the Rise of Consumerism. In Frith and Horn (eds) On Record. Routledge. Fiske, J. (2000). Introduction to Communication Studies, Routledge. Fiske, J. (2000). Introduction to Communication Studies, Routledge. Machin, D. (2010). Analysing Popular Music. Sage. Machin, D. (2010). Analysing Popular Music. Sage. Wall, T. (2013). Studying Popular Music Culture. Sage. Wall, T. (2013). Studying Popular Music Culture. Sage. 15