Understanding Popular Music Culture
Roy Shuker author Marion Leonard author Robert Strachan author
Format:Paperback
Publisher:Taylor & Francis Ltd
Publishing:2nd Nov '26
£41.99
This title is due to be published on 2nd November, and will be despatched as soon as possible.
This paperback is available in another edition too:
- Hardback£155.00(9780367543907)
This completely revised and updated sixth edition of Understanding Popular Music Culture provides an accessible and comprehensive introduction to the production, distribution, consumption and meanings of popular music in the post-digital age.
Reflecting the breadth of scholarship within popular music studies and charting key elements of popular music culture in the post-digital age, this new edition has been expanded and comprehensively updated to offer an essential guide to the field. This new edition includes:
• Examination of platformisation, music streaming, and AI’s evolving implications on music production and consumption.
• Insights into contemporary musical texts and genres including EDM, drill, metal and reggaeton, with case studies on major artists including Adele, Chance the Rapper, Max Martin, Ed Sheeran and Taylor Swift.
• Discussion of artist branding, viral videos, ‘cancel culture’, digital production technologies and pop songwriting.
• Brand new chapter on gender and sexuality, with focussed discussion of hip hop, hyperpop and work within the music industries.
• Extended coverage of contemporary fandoms, with a spotlight on BTS, plus consideration of music’s role in social justice movements from Black Lives Matter to climate change.
This book is written for undergraduate and graduate students studying popular music, cultural studies, media studies and sociology. It is ideal for instructors teaching courses on popular music culture, music industry studies or contemporary cultural analysis, as well as researchers seeking a comprehensive understanding of how popular music functions in today’s digital landscape.
"This sixth edition of Roy Shuker's vital text, now in collaboration with Marion Leonard and Robert Strachan, offers a thorough, thoughtful, and authoritative reflection on the workings of contemporary popular music expression. From technological and industry contexts to the cultural and societal issues to the musical and thematic content, the team of authors has shaped a far-reaching framework for readers to build greater understanding and appreciation of this impactful cultural form."
- Lori Burns, Professor, University of Ottawa
"Understanding Popular Music Culture (6th edition) is a comprehensive and accessible introduction to the vast, interdisciplinary field of popular music studies. It skillfully balances key theoretical ideas with engaging discussion and relatable examples. Substantially updated, it expertly explores the historical and contemporary developments shaping popular music today. This edition meets a real need in the field and stands out as an engaging and genuinely student-friendly text."
- Rebekah Farrugia, Professor Communication and Media Studies, Oakland University
"This classic text has been fully revised and updated. It retains its rich and comprehensive coverage of established topics such as music-making, genre, politics and gender while also incorporating new material on more recent developments including platformisation and AI. Crucial reading for everyone engaged in the study of popular music from undergraduate and postgraduate students to established academics and general readers."
- Andy Bennett, Professor of Cultural Sociology, Griffith University
ISBN: 9780367557577
Dimensions: unknown
Weight: 453g
374 pages
6th edition