Designing the Music Business: Design Culture, Music Video and Virtual Reality

This book explores the neglect of visual creativities and content in the music industries and how they are commercialized. It argues that popular music is a multimedia, discursive, fluid, and expansive cultural form that includes album covers, gig and tour posters, music videos, set, stage, and lighting designs, live concert footage, websites, virtual reality/augmented reality technologies, merchandise designs, and other forms of visual content. It is a valuable study aid for undergraduate and postgraduate students of subjects including the music business, design, arts management, creative and cultural industries studies, business and management studies, and media and communications.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 201 pages
Publication date: 11 June 2021
Publisher: Springer Nature Switzerland AG

This book delves into the overlooked realm of visual creativity and content in the music industry, shedding light on how these elements are commercialized. While musical and visual creativity play pivotal roles in driving growth, there exists a significant gap in literature regarding the visual aspects of the music business. This gap is particularly noteworthy, as the production of meaning and value within this industry transpires across various textual sites.

Popular music, as a multifaceted and dynamic cultural form, encompasses a wide range of visual elements. These include album covers, gig and tour posters, music videos, set, stage, and lighting designs, live concert footage, websites, virtual reality/augmented reality technologies, merchandise designs, and numerous other forms of visual content. Consequently, it has become impossible to fully comprehend the meaning and value of music without taking into account its relationship with these visual components and the intricate interconnections between them.

To address this gap, this research-based book employs design culture theory, participant observation, interviews, case studies, and a visual methodology to explore the topic. By doing so, it serves as a valuable study aid for undergraduate and postgraduate students pursuing courses in the music business, design, arts management, creative and cultural industries studies, business and management studies, and media and communications.

Through its comprehensive analysis, this book offers insights into the ways in which visual creativity and content are shaped, produced, and consumed within the music industry. It explores the commercialization processes, the role of visual aesthetics in branding and marketing, and the impact of these elements on the perception and enjoyment of music by audiences. Moreover, it examines the challenges and opportunities faced by artists, designers, and industry professionals in navigating the complex landscape of visual creativity and content in the modern music industry.

By providing a comprehensive and interdisciplinary perspective, this book contributes to the growing body of literature on the intersection of music, visual culture, and business. It offers valuable insights for students, researchers, and practitioners alike, as they seek to understand the evolving dynamics of the music industry and the role of visual creativity and content in shaping its future.

Weight: 338g
Dimension: 156 x 233 x 17 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9783030481162
Edition number: 1st ed. 2020