MUSI 1002 Notes
The Culture Industry
Made up of economic institutions
Adorno’s theories fundamental
Commodity Fetishism
The culture industry is successful because people fetishize cultural objects
Creates false needs, alternative ways of thinking without people realizing
People focus on consuming. To own it. We need to have it.
Ex. Purchasing a concert ticket
Standardization
Popular music standardized:
1. Number of types immediately recognizable
2. Small number of structures
3. Small number of components to each song that’s interchangeable (ex.Intro,verse,chorus etc)
Pseudo-individualization
The type of variation between standardized products
Surface changes (rhythm), not basic structure (chord progressions, verse, chorus)
If pop music is standardized, why doesn’t everything sound the same?
High vs Low culture
Serious vs. Popular music
Differences:
Degree of standardization
Level of complexity
Market context
Adorno: Could take a chorus out and still makes sense. Serious, needs to listen to entirety to understand song. Real difference is market context, how it’s consumed. Serious is NOT market oriented Popular IS market oriented. Role of the listener
Caught up in a standardized and routine set of responses
Superficial pleasure
“slave to the rhythm” people who enjoy this are corrupted and open to capitalism.
Culture industry controlled by capitalist society
Critical attack on contemporary music
“On popular music in advertising”
His premise:
Use of popular music in advertising is growing
Musicians seem more willing to have their music used for commercial purposes (being a part of a brand/commercial
Companies attempt to reach a wider audience with use of music
Music video product placements (on the floor – Swarovski, bmw)
Advertising used for new artists to gain exposure (Feist ipod commercial)
Tin Pan Alley
Area of Manhatten around 28th street. Where most of the sheet music is popular vaudeville tunes of the early 20th
Made up of economic institutions
Adorno’s theories fundamental
Commodity Fetishism
The culture industry is successful because people fetishize cultural objects
Creates false needs, alternative ways of thinking without people realizing
People focus on consuming. To own it. We need to have it.
Ex. Purchasing a concert ticket
Standardization
Popular music standardized:
1. Number of types immediately recognizable
2. Small number of structures
3. Small number of components to each song that’s interchangeable (ex.Intro,verse,chorus etc)
Pseudo-individualization
The type of variation between standardized products
Surface changes (rhythm), not basic structure (chord progressions, verse, chorus)
If pop music is standardized, why doesn’t everything sound the same?
High vs Low culture
Serious vs. Popular music
Differences:
Degree of standardization
Level of complexity
Market context
Adorno: Could take a chorus out and still makes sense. Serious, needs to listen to entirety to understand song. Real difference is market context, how it’s consumed. Serious is NOT market oriented Popular IS market oriented. Role of the listener
Caught up in a standardized and routine set of responses
Superficial pleasure
“slave to the rhythm” people who enjoy this are corrupted and open to capitalism.
Culture industry controlled by capitalist society
Critical attack on contemporary music
“On popular music in advertising”
His premise:
Use of popular music in advertising is growing
Musicians seem more willing to have their music used for commercial purposes (being a part of a brand/commercial
Companies attempt to reach a wider audience with use of music
Music video product placements (on the floor – Swarovski, bmw)
Advertising used for new artists to gain exposure (Feist ipod commercial)
Tin Pan Alley
Area of Manhatten around 28th street. Where most of the sheet music is popular vaudeville tunes of the early 20th