“The music consumes me” | students tackle Identity in Music
The way in which subcultures achieve authenticity is through what theorist Pierre Bourdieu calls cultural capital. Every object has economic capital, which is its monetary value, and a utility value defined by its purpose. However, more importantly for identity construction is the social associations made with the object. He writes, “Taste classifies, and it classifies the classifier”, meaning that everything you buy, where you are from, what you look like, and who you interact with carry different implications, outside of their commodity value (Bourdieu, 1979).
From Bourdieu, Sarah Thornton wrote about subcultural capital, which derives from the combination of cultural capital and symbolic capital (ie, a person’s social status and the advantages they may gain from it). This subcultural capital is defined by “cultural knowledge” and bought commodities that are used to differentiate the subculture from both the parent culture, as well as other subcultural groups (Thornton, 1996). Once again, it is important to note that these ideas are all constructs used to reproduce cultural hierarchies, such as authenticity and a notion of belonging, taking their basis from learned cultural behaviours. (Thornton, 1996).
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Depending on where you grow up, who you are surrounded by, what your parents listen to and if you are a boy or a girl, your identity in music will be formed. Local scenes, festivals and networks will help define your identity.
Music serves as a public forum in which gender organization is created, adopted and ridiculed. Counter culture and progressive rock were always dominated by men (McClary, 2002). Women were expected to look and act a certain way, with feminine qualities. Women performers were not encouraged to experiment with instruments. Being conventionally attractive seemed to be the only way to achieve success in the industry. In rock culture, women were valued for their looks.
Smith Street Band – I Don’t Want To Die Anymore
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0tPEqiIMKZc
“I’m all about this song. This song is important. This music is therapy. Hearing this for the first time lonely at 3 AM, I felt like I had made a friend. Seeing Will scream these words in person I knew he meant it and so did I and the few hundred other sweaty drunk people shouting along with him. So defiantly OK. We might be all fuck ups but we made it here.”
LCD Soundsystem – Dance Yrself Clean
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OoA0cTC228M
“This song is what popped into my brain when Everett described the song-related-euphoria (something I am all too familiar with) – this is one of those songs that really affects you, especially with the volume turned way up. Don’t be put off by the 9 minute duration of the track, it’s truly worth it. Be patient and you’ll fall blissfully from a ledge of quaint repetitive percussion and distant vocals into a pool of aggressive, bouncy synth-punk. I just threw up a little at my own description. Anyway, I’d recommend listening to this song with headphones in and nothing in front of you for fear of breakages when you inevitably begin to violently fist-pump.”
The Kite String Tangle – Given The Chance
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMP-X1USOFE
“I could listen to the Kite String Tangle all day and for me this is one of those songs that Everett was talking about today – the type that you play 40 times in a row, turn the volume up and get this euphoric sensation.”
Babymetal – HeadBanger
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2Tu-g-_rEE
“I have some music that I like that I feel has very strong connections with Identity. Some of the bands are leaders in their own subcultural genres, and are important members in the associated subculture’s communities, helping members of those communities express themselves or their identity. ‘Identity is a person’s conception and expression of their own (self-identity) and others’ individuality or group affiliations (such as national identity and cultural identity).’ (from Wikipedia) Hope you enjoy! Let’s have a bit of fun!”
Steam punk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMGbIwDBjdI
EGL, EGA, Visual Kei, Harajuku fashions
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZqdZOlZVeGE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLy4cvRx7Vc (Kyary Pamyu Pamyu)
Goth
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9otg_Cm50RE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8n6k8QcU3k
Pirate metal for those Pirate and nautically minded/obsessed folk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ta-Z_psXODw
And lastly for those who can’t get through the day without expressing their adorable brutality
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2Tu-g-_rEE (Babymetal)
HAIM – Forever
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEwM6ERq0gc
“This is the first Haim song I ever heard and it had an immediate impact on me. It made me feel a connection to pop music that I had not experienced with new music in a long time. I love that these sisters write and record their own music and after doing a bit more research on the band I felt I could identify with them as musicians and songwriters. Plus I think they write a damn good pop song! “
Pulp – Common People
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yuTMWgOduFM
“Identity? Yeah?”
The Neighbourhood – Sweater Weather
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCdwKhTtNNw
“This is one of those songs that I HAD to listen to on a daily basis for months and no other song could affect me in the same way. I think it was a combination of really liking the song and having a great experience with it. I went on a weekend surf trip with my home uni’s surf club. There ended up being no surf and it rained the whole weekend which was a bummer at first, but we ended up partying in the house the entire weekend and it turned out to be a blast. I remember singing this song on the beach with everyone really late at night and it’s just one of those memories that stuck with me and attached itself to this song.”
“Oh! and also I feel like this song is a major piece of who I am because it’s the first song I ever played in front of a crowd and to this day is my favorite and “go-to” song to play and sing. I have a link if you want to hear my cover! https://soundcloud.com/bre…/sweater-weather-acoustic-cover”
Lena Horne – Stormy Weather (1943)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCG3kJtQBKo
Amy Winehouse – Back To Black
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJAfLE39ZZ8
Sucré – Crazy
https://soundcloud.com/sucresucre/4-crazy
“On the topic of songs you want to listen to over and over and over again, this is definitely one of them. Sucre is just the most amazing thing to have ever hit my ear drums, and not only their lyrics but their orchestral parts throughout the music is enough to make me feel like I want this as the soundtrack to my life (is that a thing? Can we get on that, science please?)”
Manchester Orchestra – Where You Been
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BF_F5974B7I
“Manchester Orchestra are one of my favourite bands ever. I saw them live in November last year and man in terms of performance as a band, they just have their shit together. That entire set was one of those euphoric moments for me. Seeing how impassioned each band member was with their music – their talent, their performance and their connection with the crowd. Andy Hull’s vocals leave me hanging at every damn word and the music itself just completely consumes me. Feeeeeeels!”
Bon Jovi – Superman Tonight
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9k-k8609go
“From a young age, my music identity has been heavily skewed to the rock genre. I vividly remember driving to preschool in Florida, USA, and having mum and dad’s favourite songs from the 70s, 80s and 90s playing in the car. One band that has always stuck with me through life is Bon Jovi. One of their more recent songs, Superman Tonight, appeals to me in my passion for helping others and believing that everyone should have someone (a superman) to go to when times are tough. I like being that person to those close to me.”
Real Estate – Had To Hear
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTxGOyqKe30
“I had the absolute pleasure of hanging out with the gents from Real Estate when they played The Zoo on Friday night. Their live set was so impressive, I didn’t even mind marinating in my own sweat for 2 hours waiting for them to come on stage. Every time I try to explain how this song makes me feel, I do it a huge injustice. The ethereal vocals and sprawling instrumental outros keep me coming back to this diamond every day. Skip to 3:37 for a real treat:”
John Denver – Take Me Home, Country Roads
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vrEljMfXYo
“Almost every weekend for 10 years, my Dad would drive my brother and I from Brisbane to our farm in Dayboro and back. Much to my dismay at the time, he only owned one CD – The Very Best of John Denver. However, all these years later I find myself identifying with these songs more than any others. Every time I hear John Denver I am taken back to 8-year-old me singing these songs, looking solemnly out the window, pretending I was in a music video. He’s also given me a wider appreciation and acceptance of types of music that I wouldn’t necessarily prefer as well as holding the most significant memories for me.”
Don McLean – American Pie
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WqukWXviyew
“My family listened to this on repeat while driving through Death Valley, Nevada.”
Crystal Castles – Alice Practice
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2FOnrFlEJY
“I thought this song was so bad hearing it on repeat coming out of my brother’s room as a 13-year-old boy. Since then I’ve played it hundreds of times since and it’s remained a constant force on my iPod all these years.”
MACINTOSH PLUS – リサフランク420 / 現代のコンピュ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cU8HrO7XuiE&feature=youtu.be
“Thought this song would be interesting to discuss considering it in terms of A) authenticity as it is part of a genre that plays on its own inauthenticity (“vaporwave”) and in terms of syncretism, because as a sample-based musical genre it appropriates parts of different genres and cultures (vaporwave draws from old school RnB, Muzak, soul and elevator music to create a nostalgic / sometimes even irony-laden soundscape by chopping and screwing / slowing / stretching the samples).”
The Psychedelic Furs – The Ghost In You
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T87u5yuUVi8
“This is definitely a song that I can personally identify with in terms of the music that I was brought up with. The Furs always got a bit of a spin by dad! On the surface, it’s a story about love lost, yet the memory never fading (or the competition for unreciprocated love?? I dunno, I’m not going to act like I’ve figured the damn thing out, plus it’s open to interpretation… regardless, great song).”
GoldLink – When I Die
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FeJ5bhvvuoM
“Thought we needed one for the rap faction, makes you think.”
Sticky Fingers – Australia Street
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TETVNH3k8Ag&app=desktop
“I think it’s a no brainer. This is an absolute anthem.”
The Brian Jonestown Massacre – Straight Up And Down
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45HPaTF0u7U
Alicia Keys – Fallin’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Urdlvw0SSEc
Kings Of Leon – Milk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tH9-9IC7qyY&app=desktop
Frightened Rabbit – The Woodpile
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KY4j8Ow-CTs&app=desktop
McBusted – Sensitive Guy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxnWHDf3FzY
