Background Music Cultures in Finnish Urban Life

This Element explores the experience, articulation, and reclaimation of music in urban commercial environments, focusing on listeners, spaces, and music co- and re-produced continuously. It is based on extensive data and a culture-sensitive approach, providing a fresh perspective on background music industries.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 84 pages
Publication date: 16 May 2024
Publisher: Cambridge University Press

The Element delves into the captivating world of how music is experienced, expressed, and reclaimed within urban commercial environments. It pays special attention to the intricate dynamics between listeners, spaces, and music, as they engage in a continuous co- and re-production influenced by a multitude of social, legal, economic, and technological factors. Through extensive data collection through interviews, surveys, and fieldwork, supported by archival research, this study explores the historical development of background music industries, the construction of contemporary sonic environments, and the individual meaning-making processes that shape this dynamic relationship.

Due to its Finnish context and ethnomusicological approach, this study possesses a culture-sensitivity that offers a fresh and unique perspective on a phenomenon often perceived as industry-driven, behavioral, and global. It provides a valuable contribution to the understanding of music in commercial spaces, offering a comprehensive exploration from the factory to the consumer.

This title is also available as Open Access on Cambridge Core, allowing scholars and researchers worldwide to access and engage with the rich insights contained within this study.

ISBN-13: 9781009374675