Playing to the Crowd
Musicians, Audiences, and the Intimate Work of Connection
By Nancy K. Baym | Publisher: NYU Press
About the book
Explains what happened to music—for both artists and fans—when music went online.
Playing to the Crowd explores and explains how the rise of digital communication platforms has transformed artist-fan relationships into something closer to friendship or family. Through in-depth interviews with musicians such as Billy Bragg and Richie Hawtin, as well as members of the Cure, UB40, and Throwing Muses, Baym reveals how new media has facilitated these connections through the active, and often required, participation of the artists and their devoted, digital fan base.
Before the rise of social sharing and user-generated content, fans were mostly seen as an undifferentiated and unidentifiable mass, often mediated through record labels and the press. However, in today’s networked era, musicians and fans have built more active relationships through social media, fan sites, and artist sites, giving fans a new sense of intimacy and offering artists unparalleled information about their audiences. However, this comes at a price. For audiences, meeting their heroes can kill the mystique. And for artists, maintaining active relationships with so many people can be both personally and financially draining, as well as extremely labor intensive.
Drawing on her own rich history as an active and deeply connected music fan, Baym offers an entirely new approach to media culture, arguing that the work musicians put in to create and maintain these intimate relationships reflect the demands of the gig economy, one which requires resources and strategies that we must all come to recognize and appreciate.
Editions of Playing to the Crowd
- Paperback
- ISBN 9781479821587
- AltFormat
- ISBN 9781479896165
Read an Excerpt
Explains what happened to music—for both artists and fans—when music went online.
Playing to the Crowd explores and explains how the rise of digital communication platforms has transformed artist-fan relationships into something closer to friendship or family. Through in-depth interviews with musicians such as Billy Bragg and Richie Hawtin, as well as members of the Cure, UB40, and Throwing Muses, Baym reveals how new media has facilitated these connections through the active, and often required, participation of the artists and their devoted, digital fan base.
Before the rise of social sharing and user-generated content, fans were mostly seen as an undifferentiated and unidentifiable mass, often mediated through record labels and the press. However, in today’s networked era, musicians and fans have built more active relationships through social media, fan sites, and artist sites, giving fans a new sense of intimacy and offering artists unparalleled information about their audiences. However, this comes at a price. For audiences, meeting their heroes can kill the mystique. And for artists, maintaining active relationships with so many people can be both personally and financially draining, as well as extremely labor intensive.
Drawing on her own rich history as an active and deeply connected music fan, Baym offers an entirely new approach to media culture, arguing that the work musicians put in to create and maintain these intimate relationships reflect the demands of the gig economy, one which requires resources and strategies that we must all come to recognize and appreciate.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Playing to the Crowd about?
Explains what happened to music—for both artists and fans—when music went online.
Playing to the Crowd explores and explains how the rise of digital communication platforms has transformed artist-fan relationships into something closer to friendship or family. Through in-depth interviews with musicians such as Billy Bragg and Richie Hawtin, as well as members of the Cure, UB40, and Throwing Muses, Baym reveals how new media has facilitated these connections through the active, and often required, participation of the artists and their devoted, digital fan base.
Before the rise of social sharing and user-generated content, fans were mostly seen as an undifferentiated and unidentifiable mass, often mediated through record labels and the press. However, in today’s networked era, musicians and fans have built more active relationships through social media, fan sites, and artist sites, giving fans a new sense of intimacy and offering artists unparalleled information about their audiences. However, this comes at a price. For audiences, meeting their heroes can kill the mystique. And for artists, maintaining active relationships with so many people can be both personally and financially draining, as well as extremely labor intensive.
Drawing on her own rich history as an active and deeply connected music fan, Baym offers an entirely new approach to media culture, arguing that the work musicians put in to create and maintain these intimate relationships reflect the demands of the gig economy, one which requires resources and strategies that we must all come to recognize and appreciate.
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in Playing to the Crowd?
Economics, Finance, Business and Management > Industry and industrial studies > Media, entertainment, information and communication industries
Where can I read a sample of Playing to the Crowd?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9781479821587
How long is Playing to the Crowd and how many pages does it have?
Playing to the Crowd has 280 page(s)
Is Playing to the Crowd part of a series, and can it be read as a standalone?
Yes it is a part of series Postmillennial Pop
Who is/are the Author/s of the book Playing to the Crowd?
Nancy K. Baym
Who is the Publisher of the book Playing to the Crowd?
NYU Press
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
Playing to the Crowd is available as paperback(ISBN 9781479821587) and altformat(ISBN 9781479896165)
Where can I buy Playing to the Crowd online or support local independent bookshops?
You can buy Playing to the Crowd from below
Where can I buy Playing to the Crowd?