Ethnography and ethnographic report (ethnomusicology) - Research Paper Example

?Introduction The reflection which is created in society is one which is based on several expressions that are associated with the culture. When looking at the context of rock music, it can be seen that there are specific associations with the trends of the music, as well as how the culture relates to the ideals of the music. The rock genre becomes a reflection of the social and cultural ideologies and identity of an individual. For collective groups, it is this genre that provides a sense of social worth to specific groups and provides an understanding of where one fits in with a specific identity. This piece of field work will examine the aspects of rock music and how it creates an identity for those that fit into a segment of society. Methodology The association with rock music is one which is expressed within various groups and interactive areas. The ability to create social worth is directly linked to the expression of rock music and the applications that are within society. Currently, youth have created global structures that create the identity as an institutional structure (Kjeldgaard, 2006). This means that there are several formations of generalized areas where youth meet to show the social worth and identity while moving through structures that don’t have the boundaries of locality. The cultural dimensions then move into discovering globalization and popular music which can be discovered among youth at a broader scale. In turn, this creates the social worth of particular groups (Hudson, 2006). The general attitudes among youth of having a global platform to discover rock music and to create connections with others sociologically form the methodology for the paper. Different online portals will be looked into with the new rock and roll music that is growing globally. The fan base of 3 artists will be considered, all which will evaluate the identity of those interested in the music. The information collected will include comments, evaluations of the profiles connected to the rock music artists and the interactions of others that are based on the musical conversations online. There will also be three fans chosen for an interview to further understand and develop the social worth which is created by belonging to the fan base. The use of the online region will show how rock music isn’t about locality among youth, but instead is creating a sense of global worth that is growing within the society. Results of Data The first rock artist which was considered was Dave Matthews, an international musician that continues to perform and release CDs for the youth crowd. A fan base for the band was considered, as well as a forum which was attached to the band. The most popular topics that were on this site included Dave Matthew tickets, an autographed poster by “Dave and Leroi,” performance discussions and a download of “Crash Into Me,” one of the most popular songs of the band (MFC, 2011). There was also an interview conducted with one of the top individuals who was interacting on the site, which included questions on why they were interested in the band. The first questions were based on the ability to perform by the band as well as the easy to remember tunes. However, after asking why the tunes could easily be remembered, the individual stated that there was a personal connection made with the themes of the song that related to their life. The second site considered was not based on the popular genres of rock, but instead moved into what is considered underground rock and indie rock. This is produced by artists which don’t have a record contract and which build their fan base through grass roots efforts in their community. The focus of this particular site is to show videos, performances and the live options of the bands so others can connect to them. The network also consists of spreading the name of the indie artists so they can receive assistance in gaining a stronger reputation on a global level (Underground Rock Music, 2011). To find the most relevant indie artists, the social networking portal of My Space was looked into. The group chosen was “Cut Off Your Hands,” specifically because over 200,000 plays had been hit with their song “Happy As Can Be.” There were also 1,522,067 views on the profile and which included a fan base of 22,106 people mostly between the ages of 20-30 (Cut Off Your Hands, 2011). When asking an anonymous fan about this particular band a similar response was received. The way that the band presented themselves was also representative of the “new age which the individual was living in.” The idea of having a social and cultural connection and being able to “make a statement that was representative of the youth of today” was the main attraction for the songs and the fan base. The fan was noted to find this band after a friend of the band took them to a live concert. The third area that was used to identify the fan base was a forum from a rock and roll online radio station, known as Radio Paradise. This portal was chosen because it includes new and old artists, both which are signed and which play indie music. The evaluation of the fan base came from discovering the forums and the top interactions among those who were interested in the music. This particular forum is one which should be pointed out because of the interest of those who were rock and roll fans for a longer period of time and which were interested in not only the music and performances, but which also related to the historical relevance of the songs which were being played. It was the main interactions of the history of the artist or the song that created the strongest response from individuals. For instance, a song by an indie artist about World War II continued to have responses leading back over 2 years about the significance of the song and the theory behind the music. This was combined with responses that were emotional and intellectual in nature to describe the music. Other forum posts carried the same tone and relevance, as well as social comments that related to the current time by members, such as relationships to “this represents my current lifestyle.” (Radio Paradise, 2011). When looking at the social groups created around the rock music, it could be seen there was a direct connection with lifestyle, social movements and the way in which the rock music represented this. A fan was interviewed with relation to what she called her favorite artist, Sarah Mclaughlin. When asked about the artist, there was a statement about the unique talent that stood out from other artists of the time. The content of the music; however, was the most important aspect, specifically because it touched on issues which the fan could immediately respond to within their own lifestyle. Reflections When looking at the data, it can be seen that there are general social areas that are used online which many can relate to. The observations from this study show that the fan base looks first at the performances and the content from the songs are the most important aspect of building the fan base. Generally, the context begins with the performances, when they will take place, what the favorite songs are and why. When moving deeper into this, such as the forum study from the radio station, there is further context which moves from the performances and songs to why the songs were created and what it represents in society. This becomes an important aspect in being able to connect to the social applications that are a part of the musical elements in the different forms of music. The interviews and observations point to another context with the fan base which shows that there is a social representation among fan viewers. The rock and roll music was divided by a popular artist, indie artist and a space where several types of rock could be heard. Each of these areas didn’t differ in responses. The fans of different forms of music and the interviews also didn’t differ. Each based the responses on the relevance of the music, beginning with the performances which created a sense of social worth when one could connect to the ideas of the band. When moving deeper into this, each of the fans and individuals stated the same component. The performances and music led to a context that the individual could relate to as a part of their livelihood. This shows that the artist is able to speak to the fans to create a sense of social worth both individually and as a collective. Interpretation When looking at these different platforms, it can be seen that there are several levels of identity in culture created from rock and roll. The first is based on social worth from the actions which are taken as a community. Having signed posters, going to performances and getting access to the music are the main components used with the cultural aspects. Those who are general fans relate to this first, with the ideal of connecting to the band bringing the first level of social worth that is a part of the music. Rather than the music taking precedence at this level, there is an understanding that the connection to the band adds into someone’s social worth. The ability to connect and interact with other fans online on a global level furthers this worth, no matter what the state of the band is in. The second aspect that defines social worth is based on how knowledgeable the fan is and what the connection is. The ability to create a sense of self – worth from the artist and the ability to lead this into a deeper context was the main ideal that was represented by the fans. However, it was also noted that this response was heard in all context and from the several different types of fans. This shows that the self –worth represented is not only applicable to the individual, but also creates a connection of identity among the collective whole. Rock music then becomes a representation of the individual and how they relate to culture and society. References Cut Off Your Hands. (2011). My Space Profile. Retrieved from: http://www.myspace.com/cutoffyourhands/music/songs/happy-as-can-be-29599984. Hudson, R. (2006). “Regions and Place: Music, Identity and Place.” Progress in Human Geography 62 (5). Kjeldgaard, D. (2006). “The Globalization of Youth Culture: The Global Youth Segment as Structures of Common Differences.” Journal of Consumer Research 5 (2). MFC. (2011). Dave Matthews Band Message Forum. Retrieved from: http://www.davematthews.org/Forum.html. Radio Paradise. (2011). Radio Paradise Forums. Retrieved from: www.radioparadise.com. Underground Rock Music. (2011). All Music, All the Time. Retrieved from: http://www.todaysmusicforum.com/underground-rock-music-websites-2/. Read More