In order to see the effects combination music, we will interview people who identify solely with one genre or another; diving into how the music makes them feel, and cultural ramifications of listening to it. Questions we hope to address include: Will listeners who at one time associated with only one genre embrace the culture of the other if they like the music? Will enjoying combination music make listeners feel less a part of their original cultural niche? Are there certain qualities to a song of a genre (like lyrics to rap) that are more influential to songs of that genre than other qualities (like the beat)? Is combination music targeted at one group rather than both?
Monday, February 9, 2009
Web Ethnography Project: Initial Topic Post
Sean Kane and I will collaborate on this web ethnography project with the hope of understanding the social underpinnings of music combining two genres, which we will call "combination music." We define combination music as crossover songs (like Run DMC and Aerosmith's "Walk This Way,") and mashups combining two styles (like Jay-Z and Linkin Park's "Numb/Encore"). Combining genres blurs the lines between them, forcing listeners to choose what components of the genre they prefer are valued most. To cover a realistic territory, we will focus on rap/rock combinations.
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This sounds like a really interesting topic! Do you think that there is even a subculture of listeners who enjoy the "combination music", but don't identify with either of the genres? If so, does this "combination music" have a culture of its own?
ReplyDeleteI like those kinds of combinations, it will be interesting to follow your project. Your research questions are also really good. I think this “combination music” is a peaceful way of bringing together two different musical cultures. I wonder whether the musical preference of the listener would correlate with his/her perception of cultural dominance. Would rap/rock fans perceive their favored genre as the man component of this combination?
ReplyDeleteHey Chris and Sean. I like your choice of topic, particularly since we have a T.A. who is very involved in mash-up research. It would be cool to see how your fieldwork coincides and differs from Liam's, and what other perspectives the two of you can offer.
ReplyDeleteI guess I would only wonder where you plan to gather your field notes. I am from the city and haven't seen too many ads for shows like this. If your focus is going to be an online community, which one, and how do you plan to gather information?
This project will be really great; maybe ask Liam about where he does most of his fieldwork to get a leg up.
This is an interesting idea -- I'm looking forward to seeing you two work through "combination music" as a genre heading that might include some kinds of mash-ups and remixes as well as crossover tracks like "Walk This Way." Since Liam is writing his dissertation on mash-ups at the moment, you should really set up a meeting with him to discuss this topic and some strategies for approaching your ethnographic fieldwork. (I originally posted this comment on Sean's blog, and now I see that Chris N-L has made the same suggestion -- so email Liam!)
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