Music Culture and Marketing Principles - Essay Example

MUSIC CULTURES AND MARKITING PRINCIPLES When one thinks about different kinds of art, there are plenty of ideas, appearing in his head: painting, dance, music ... All of them are the reflections of life, using an arsenal of graphic means. This work is dedicated to music. Among its different styles, there is one, which is very interesting for the analysis - rock style. The aim of this paper is to analyze rock music and the influence of mass media on its development. Music is a kind of art, which helps everyone to find the meaning of life. It brings people together, unites them into groups, and helps to create an understanding of social ideals. Every art speaks its own language. Music uses more emotional and intense language for the listener to learn all its depth, as the music affects only hearing, unlike other forms of art. Music greatly influences the human imagination. For example, when hearing the "Moonlight Sonata" by Beethoven, the man imagines landscapes, paints beautiful pictures and faces wonderful emotions. In ancient times the role of music was determined by its ability to entertain the audience and bring people together for the common interest. At that time, people did not have discs, plates and everything depended on the musician, who sometimes had to cross long distances in order to play music at some important event. Since that time the world had changed as well as music. Music is a great support to the development of all mankind. If this support is weak, the humanity is weak. Without an understanding of the world of music, the life of the person becomes poorer than it should be. Plato did not accidentally called music mainly academic subject, which go ahead all others. Jean Ferries wrote: “Listening to art music is an art itself, and good listening is an active, creative experience. The listener must possess a fair measure of knowledge and experience in order for the cycle of creation, interpretation (performance), and appreciation of art music to be successfully completed” (1985). Rock music has become one of the greatest streams, created by the community. It touched people of different ages and social strata. The songs of famous rock singers were learnt by heart. Rock music is a generalization of the name of number of areas of popular music. “In studying the history of music it is of course necessary to learn certain facts about musical forms and styles in the different historical periods; but it is even more necessary to get to know the music itself. The facts are but dry bones: the music alone gives them life and meaning” (Donald Jay Grout, 1973). The word «rock» indicates the characteristics of these areas, rhythmic sensations, associated with a particular form of motion, similar to «roll», «twist», «swing», «shake» and so forth. Such features of rock music, as the use of instrument, creative self-sufficiency (for rock musicians characterized by the execution of their own compositions) are often confusing for those, who is not familiar with this style. For this reason, the belonging of some musical styles to rock is contested. Rock is also a special subcultural phenomenon; fashion, hippie, punk, metal, emo and so forth are inextricably linked with certain genres of rock music. Rock music has a large number of areas, from "light" genres such as dance rock and roll, pop rock, Brit-pop, to brutal and aggressive ones, such as death metal and grind core. The content of the songs varies from strong to light, relaxed, deep and philosophical. Rock music is often contrasted with pop music. Its main difference from pop music lies in the predominance of rhythmic and harmonic melody of the first. More specific definition can be given to the so-called "musical expression", which, in comparison with other kinds of music, dynamics (volume) of performance, is a special kind of many rock styles directions. ”As all with musical styles, there are some “good” examples, some “bad” examples, and a lot in between. It is inaccurate to say that all rock is bad as to say that all classical music is good. Such musical value judgments should rest not upon a total style per se, but upon how creatively and skilfully the musical creator uses the musical resources appropriate to the specific style” (Stuessy, J., 1990, 1). Sometimes rock is considered as a musical stream of freaks, or people, who have some life problems. But the experience of the previous years showed the injury of this statement. Rock is a method of revealing the inner emotions, but it does not mean that the person faces any problems, if he listens it. The origins of rock music lie in the blues, which predetermined the appearance of its first rock genres - rock and roll and rockabilly. First subgenres of rock music emerged in close connection with folk and pop music of the time - initially this was folk, country, music hall. During its existence, there have been attempts to combine rock music with almost all its possible kinds - from academic ones (the end of the 60s), jazz (appears at the end of 60 -x - early the 70's), Latin music (the end of the 60s), Indian music (the middle of the 60s). In the 60-70s there existed virtually all of the major subgenres of rock music, the most important of which, in addition to the above, were hard rock and punk rock. In the late 70's and early 80's there were such genres of rock music as post-punk, new wave, alternative rock (although it was in the late 60s), hardcore (large subgenre of punk rock ), and later the extreme metal subgenres - death metal, black metal. In the 90s the popularity was achieved by the widespread development genres of grunge (appeared in the middle of the 80s), Britpop (the middle of the 60s), alternative metal (the end of the 80s). The main centers of origin and development of rock music were the United States and Western Europe (especially the UK). However, the national rock music with some delay, appeared in almost all countries. The Russian-speaking rock music appeared in the Soviet Union in the 1960-1970s and reached its peak of development in the 1980s, continuing to develop in the 1990s. Rock music is usually performed by a rock band consisting of a vocalist, a guitarist (usually playing electric guitar), a bass player, a drummer, and a keyboardist sometimes. However, there are some examples, when in rock compositions were used all existing musical instruments. A distinctive feature of rock music is the constant rhythm. The solo instrument is considered to be the electric guitar. Most rock bands contain a vocalist. At the beginning of its development rock music was mostly concentrated on the blues harmony. There is a view shared by a large number of experts, that rock music is not just a genre, but also a special social and cultural phenomenon of the second half of the XX century, which spawned its own different subcultures. Rock - is, on the one hand, the mouthpiece of the youth, the musical embodiment of their conflicting feelings, contradicting with the generally accepted norms. On the other hand, rock is one of the tools of public business, aimed at commercial profit in the entertainment industry. “Rock and roll has always been a business” (Szatmery, D., 1996, 14). This dual nature causes the controversy, of the genre. In fact, the entire history of rock consists of similar cycles, which are headed by rebellions, protests and predetermined the emergence of new styles and new values​​, the appearance of bands and artists and then - a gradual process of "taming", commercialization, sometimes - simplification of secondary rock bands. Rock music as a cultural phenomenon has created a so-called "rock 'n' roll lifestyle," a certain style of behavior and the system of values ​​in life, a kind of philosophy. Nevertheless, subcultures emerged on the basis of various currents of rock music have little in common. Rock music has a relatively high addictive energy (drive). It may give the individual freedom from the established social principles and stereotypes of reality. Donald Jay Grout wrote: “The history of music is primarily the history of musical style, and cannot be grasped except by first-hand knowledge of the music itself” (1973). The beginning of rock music genre was based on the emergence of rock 'n' roll, which incorporated the features of blues, boogie, country, gospel music and so forth. The significant impact on rock 'n' roll music had blues. The name "rock and roll" comes from the gospel song of singers of the 40s and, represented a sexual euphemism. Its first expression appeared in the song «Good Rockin Tonight» by Roy Brown in 1947. In 1949 he published the song «Rock And Roll» by Wild Bill Moore. The development of early rock 'n' roll is mainly connected with the American artists, but it is impossible to determine what song or plate was the first in the genre. One of the suggestible compositions is the single «Fat Man» by Fats Domino, released in 1950. According to the other versions, the first rock and roll record is a «Rocket 88," recorded in 1951 by Jackie Brenston and his Delta Cats. Among those who laid the foundation of rock 'n' roll as a full-fledged genre, the most important performers are Fats Domino, Bo Diddley and Chuck Berry. Chuck Berry began seriously studying music in 1953, and in 1955 had already recorded his first single. The rock style by Chuck Berry was formed with the help of the lyrics, images, and playing the guitar. Among other influential African-American musicians in the genre of rock 'n' roll was Little Richard, who influenced the subsequent formation of garage rock because his style of singing and playing the piano was much more aggressive and assertive than the style of competitors. Fats Domino, 1953. At first, rock 'n' roll music was considered as specific and unique to the African-American audience. However, there were the first white artists who performed rock-and-roll. The breakthrough of rock 'n' roll into the mainstream was the song by Bill Haley «Rock Around The Clock». However, the title of "King of Rock and Roll" was won by another white artist - Elvis Presley. He was the first who made the rock style on the same level as African-American artists. Another famous performer of white rock 'n' roll was Jerry Lee Lewis, nicknamed «Killer» for a violent manner of performance and playing the piano. A bit later, appeared more mild form of "white" rock 'n' roll, which associated with the names of Buddy Holly and the Everly Brothers. On the basis of the synthesis of rock and roll and country music (especially its southern subgenre - hillbilly) appeared a new special sub-genre - rockabilly. Best known for its representatives - Eddie Cochran, Carl Perkins and Gene Vincent. Among the first examples of rockabilly there are some early recordings of the famous country singer Johnny Cash. The considerable influence on the genre had the first singles of Chuck Berry («Maybellene») and Elvis Presley («That's All Right (Mama)»). Rockabilly music became popular again in the 80s. Among the representatives of the neo-rockabilly there are Stray Cats, The Cramps, and Heavy Trash. “All human beings are musical, capable of both appreciating and making music” (Bayton, M., 1998, 1). The author states that music enables a person to create masterpieces, which enter the world history. The number of talented singers and composers made rock music one of the most required genres of the world. The first British rock record appeared in the middle of the 1950s. If in the United States rock 'n' roll was developed in close contact with the root genres - blues and country, the British rock was greatly influenced by skiffle. In particular, one of the most popular performers of skiffle was Lonnie Donegan. Among the number of emerging skiffle groups of that time, there was one, created by the founder of “The Beatles”, John Lennon - The Quarrymen. The first British rockers were Tommy Steele, Cliff Richard, Billy Fury and Willie Harris. The performers-competitors to the American rockers in the British charts, became Cliff Richard and “The Shadows”, who recorded the first British rock 'n' roll hit - «Move It». In 1957, was recorded the song of Ray Link «Rumble», the first song, which contained fuzz effect on guitar. This predetermined the development of all "heavy" genres of rock music, in particular, heavy metal and punk rock. “Link Rey” along with “Dick Dale” and “The Surfaris” initiated a new genre of instrumental dance rock 'n' roll based on the sound of Hawaiian guitar, usually with a vibrato effect. “The Shadows”, 1957 The first surf record is considered «Bulldog» of The Fireballs, and the key representatives – “The Ventures” and “The Chantays” as well as “The Shadows” in England. A little later, an instrumental surf predetermined the emergence of surf-pop vocal, the well-known representatives of which were Jan, Dean and “The Beach Boys”. The influence of the sound surf spawned the surf rock, combining the traditional rock music and the sound of the surf. "Heavy" music traditionally originates from the single group “The Kinks” - «You Really Got Me», 1964. In this music have been used, for the first time "heavy" guitar riff and solo guitar. The first albums of “The Kinks” were different, containing the weighted-bit sound, and sharp social texts. Ideologically, they became one of the founders of the mod subculture (which was popular in the middle of the 1960s, replacing teddy-boys). The main ideologists of the movement became a mod group “The Who”. Their first two albums are the toughest records of that time, and the group was the first who began to smash their guitars on the stage. “The Who” is also considered as one of the pioneers in the use of noise and feedback of rock, and some of their lyrics were pretty witting for that time. Due to the later music of “The Two” term power pop was first applied in the history of music culture. Among the ideologists of mob movement there were another groups, worth mentioning, such as “The Pretty Things” and “The Small Faces”. These teams played hard version of rhythm and blues, often with sharp social texts. The early pop-rock formed on the basis of the folk-rock sound in America in the 1965-1966, the most important members of which were “The Lovin 'Spoonful”, “The Grass Roots”, “The Turtles”, “The Mamas And The Papas” (the latter is considered as one of the most influential vocal pop groups of the 60s). Pop-rock was harmonically and musically focused on folk-rock, but not without the influence of surf-pop (mostly “The Beach Boys”). At the end of the 1965-1966s in the United States began to form a new musical genre - psychedelic rock. It became the basis for the formation of garage bands, on the one hand, and the development of folk-rock on the other. The term was first used in relation to the folk band “Holy Modal Rounders”; one of the first psychedelic garage bands became “The 13th Floor Elevators” (and they were the first who used the word «psychedelic» in the name of the album). Fundamentals of growth and development of psychedelic culture was predetermined by the utilization and expanding of drugs (especially psychedelics) - in particular, LSD, mescaline, and even marijuana. The main characteristics of the genre were the "mystical" sound and lyrics, and often the hippie philosophy (in particular the ideals of love and pacifism). One of the prerequisites for the formation of psychedelic culture in Britain was the spread of elements of Indian (raga) music and other ethnic groups from the British Invasion. First Indian motifs were used by “Yardbirds” and later developed by “The Kinks”. The first, who used the Indian sitar instrument in their records were “The Beatles”, whose songs became the most famous case of the use of Indian motifs in psychedelic rock. Although there is no clear separation of the music of the 1960s on different layers, the period from 1966 to 1969 is considered to be the time of the greatest prosperity of so-called "classic rock". This conditional term includes all major areas of music of the 60s, starting with "British Invasion" (in the broad sense, it also includes the heavy metal and art-rock of 70s). 1967 is traditionally considered to be the best year in the history of rock music - the year in which appeared the greatest works in the genre of pop-rock, psychedelic rock, blues-rock and so forth. The development of music of the late 1960s, revealed the tendency to increase its role in the society: from one more mean of entertainment, rock music has become a phenomenon of the counterculture. It is also related to the hippie movement in America and Youth revolution in Europe. Music has become inextricably linked with the public opposition to the Vietnam War. The investigation of new cultural theories predetermined the appearance of the modern theoretical grounds. Early anthropologists studied culture as the collection of different characteristics and their spreading from one society to another. The cultural theory states that the traits take their own place in the evolutionary system, and seek the connection between the material culture and social institutions. The theorists classify these cultures in accordance with the degree of their social complexness. The symbolic anthropology studies the influence of cultural theories on human’s mind. In this case, the content of music can perfectly explain the emergence of number of fans and public interest around it. Many theoretical cultures were strongly criticized for the suggestion, that all people in any society study their culture by the same methods. Nowadays a lot of anthropologists rejected the content of the “illusive” laws provided by culture. Different cultural theories greatly influenced the development of music and its styles. For example, the cultural deficit theory, which studies the influence of the society on the person’s lifestyle. In terms of music this theory can be applied to the artists and peculiarities of their work. First of all, the behavior of the artists and fans is interconnected. In terms of Art, they function as one organism, learning from each other and share the same musical stylistic peculiarities, which are appropriate for both of them. It is important to mention that the development of mass media played a significant role in the life of the society and particularly, the world of music. They perform multiple functions: to inform, educate, advertise, entertain and so forth. It is clear that mass media influence the formation, functioning and evolution of social consciousness as a whole. Moreover, the perception and interpretation of the most important phenomena and events in the country and the world in general, carried out through the mass media. These circumstances apply a particular relevance and importance with the increasingly growing penetration of the media into the musical sphere, transforming them into one of the most important tools for the implementation of life processes. “Disk jockeys and promotional campaigns have swayed the musical tastes of millions of listeners, while fan magazines have created cults” (Voelker, F. H., 1975, 4). Consequently, the emergence of different musical streams and singers was predetermined by the influence of mass media. The belief in the omnipotence of television is great. Indeed, the current music is impossible to imagine without the press and radio. There is no doubt, that mass media play the important role in the grandiose changes in music industry. The capabilities of media are so large and multifaceted, that they just cannot help but call the interest of the auditory. The technologies of the campaigns of mass media became more sophisticated, and play perhaps the most leading role in the presenting and developing the public events. “By the early 1920s the radio industry – indeed, the entire communications industry – had been carefully divided through patent agreements among the large firms” (McChesney, R.W., 1994) Today it is difficult to imagine the existence of a society without the media. Sometimes they are called the "fourth power". Mass media and society constantly influence each other. The independent media is no more than just a myth or an illusion. However, the number of dependent from mass media, can provide more than an objective picture of the public events. In contemporary American society, the media are concentrated on the fields that highlight the problematized facet of the dominant version of the American Dream. One of such facades is rock style. Rock offers an alternative interpretation of the organization of power and domination in America today. Critical pathos of its creators and performers largely aimed at denying the social institutions (such as the police, the judicial system, education), which play a fundamental role in the maintenance of the present order. Of course, this criticism is not always open, but rock lyrics are often radically critical and even shocking. Rock is a criticism of the ruling pictures of reality from the standpoint of the life experience of youth. In general, rock can be considered as a form of ideological struggle between the youth and the surrounding law to interpret social reality. Rock culture expresses the desire to be heard. The popularity of rock among youth and the opportunity to public expression (including through the media), as well as their vision of social relations makes this style a phenomenon of socio-political life or hidden policy. But the media have helped to tame the establishment of rock, as at one time they allowed it to digest the counterculture of the 1960s and 1970s punk. The spirit of commerce, which reigns in the world of media, made ​​it just in a well marketed product. In short, today's rock is not so much ideological rival of mainstream culture, but more a product of cultural industry. “The codified character of generic music is associated with the regulation of the relation between the levels of expression and of content” (Fabbri, F.). Today it is difficult to imagine a newspaper, radio or TV program, which is free of advertising in one form or another. The thing, which is advertised is usually not a specific product or service, but a way of life associated with the consumption of this product. Advertising, of certain type of music try to convince people to buy the albums and attend concerts of popular rock singers. Consequently, the main ideology of the hidden discourse of advertising is consumerism, the main points of which can be reduced to the following provisions: (a) social problems can be solved through the style of consumption and from the same social identity depending on what you buy; (b) modern society allows people to purchase everything they need from health and beauty to the social prestige and happiness for every taste; (c) market is the only possible and natural form of social relationships outside the family. Advertising promotes a culture of consumption, inherent primarily upper-middle-class Western society, and at the same time implicitly suggests that the opportunity to purchase the advertised product is the criterion of integrity and freedom of the individual. Consumption is a combined system of media, showing and advertising business in an almost religious cult and reproducing the world, accenting the values ​​of individualism and privacy. No matter how economically successful the advertising campaign is, it is always beneficiary in one thing: in the spread of the values ​​of consumerism. The historical roots of consumerism are analyzed in detail in different literature. In the early twentieth century the captains of American industry spotted the potential of advertising as an instrument of influence on the mass consciousness of the industrial society. The key to the formation of the desired type of consciousness was selected by the promotion of new style of life based on the joys of consumption. As a result, the means of moving goods to market advertising has become the means of spreading the values ​​of the American way of life, into a tool of identity formation. Consumption was intended to mitigate social conflicts and remove social differences between groups of immigrants as well as to facilitate their integration into American society. The solution for personal and family problems were based on the space of consumption (especially in the form of shopping). The ideology of consumerism offered the surest way to become a true American, namely consume certain products and spend a lot of time in the musical shops. The ideological nature of consumerism is manifested in the fact that it usually serves as a stimulant to consumption not only for those who have enough money for this, but for those who do. Implementation of life goals within consumerism is inextricably linked to the acquisition of incensement of new products in accordance with the advertisement. Social success has become identified with the level of consumption, and the media played not the last role in this process. Largely the consumerism turned into an integral part of most Western politicized ideologies. Specialized magazines for women is the most obvious example of the role of the media in the dissemination of the values ​​of consumerism. These magazines try to convince its readers that beauty, sexuality, career success, culinary excellence and social status can be purchased, it is only necessary to know where and when. Most social problems are interpreted there as a private, which are easy to solve by acquiring the desired product or commodity. The studies have shown that even non-promotional texts in publications for women contain hidden advertising and work on the reproduction of the ideology of consumerism. The contents of the journal should help the reader to become as closer to the desired image as possible. Unlike many programs of social reconstruction, they are very specific and look relatively easy to achieve. There is a self-sustaining system: production of goods is the production of the desired lifestyle. Expansion of transnational global Economics and Westernized mass culture occurs via commercials and slogans. American brands, broadcast almost everywhere, became, on the one hand, a characteristic feature of the coming age, and on the other forms of propaganda of the American lifestyle as well as music. The image of the United States served as subjects in advertising combination of consumer paradise and political freedom. Their semantic promise associate globalization and consumption patterns. Social progress and a breakthrough into a new global civilization are linked primarily with the ability to get closer to the North Atlantic countries, if not in the issue of income, but at least in the types and brands of goods on the shelves. Creation of global consumer for the global economy means playing the ideology of consumerism on a global scale. The influence of global marketing in terms of mass media on the musical styles is a mean of their promotion to the global area. The development of such celebrities as Britney Spears or Christina Aguilera can become the source of achievement of constant income. That is why, the marketing approaches in relation to the life and art of these celebrities is beneficial. It predetermines the publication of different “dirty facts” about the celebrities. There is no need to watch the life of other people, except the case, when one can achieve millions. In conclusion it is necessary to say that the sphere of music and marketing are closely interconnected by means of mutual interests and purposes. The sphere of music is a completely public art, while mass media work with those, who struggle to be publicly open. It tells us that the connection of music and marketing is a gainful process for both sides. Cultural theories provide the frames in which the music exists and functions. The style of music accepts a great influence from cultural stereotypes, which further assimilate it to the standard social norms. 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