The Ideologies of the Music Industry

The Ideologies of the Music Industry 

Adorno
- Adorno believed the industry was all owned by Capitalists, which control consumer buying patterns and trends in order to almost 'brainwash' the audience in result in the owners making more and more money.
- He believed that 'Capitalism fed people with the products of a culture industry' which was the opposite of 'true art' just to keep the audience passively satisfied and politically apathetic so they wouldn't question what is going on.
- He very much believed in the idea of 'False needs' which was an idea that capitalists in the culture industries, that they replace peoples 'true' needs, by satisfying them with needs they believe they want, which satisfies them by the capitalist system. This removes the freedom, creativity, creative happiness and the full expression of human potential.
- He strongly suggests that the industry puts out products that make the consumers believe they are consuming their true emotion, when it is really a false need.

Dick Hebdige
- He believes Adorno's theories are pessimistic and over-exaggerated as he is speaking for a mass audience.
- He also states that audiences are free and have the power to resist large companies in the industries by finding alternative products to consume, highly proved by the creation of sub-genres and sub-cultures.
- Hebdige also states that in response to this large companies will put out products with high artist recognition to make the audiences of these subcultures consume, but the audience will then have the decision whether to consume or not.
- Against the idea of capitalism, his beliefs were a strong contradiction toward Adorno's beliefs.

Negus
- Negus believed in two ideologies, that of Organic and Synthetic.
- The Organic ideology was believed that the foundation of the artists success would be of the natural talent of the artist and just been 'natured' by the record label.
- This approach is aimed at more sophisticated consumers who appreciate natural talent, the sales are emphasised by the label but the artist has time to progress and produce. The profit plan in these artists are a long term plan from the labels.
- A great example of this ideologies is that of 'Artic Monkeys' and 'Adele'.
- The Synthetic ideology was believed that the executives attempt to construct successful acts out of their artists and their songs at their disposal. The image of the artist is constructed by the label. It is a short term method with a short time to prove their success, not giving a lot of time for natural expression.
- The audience targeted is of a younger nature, and the profit plan is a lot shorter.

Dyer 
- Dyers theory is all based on 'star image'
- He believes an image is created by the label and constructed to please the audience through audio, visuals, advertisement and marketing.
-He believed in two Paradox's of how the labels constructed an image for their artists.
- Paradox 1 - The star must be simultaneously ordinary and extraordinary for the consumer.
- Paradox 2 - The star must be simultaneously present and absent for the consumer.
- These are methods constructed by the labels to keep the interest of the consumers to there for enhance music sales.