Paper
Session 10 (Saturday 3:00-4:00) Salon B
Moderator: Storm Gloor
Coping With Narcissism: Causes, Effect, and Solutions for the Artist Manager
Paul Linden
Associate Professor & Sequence Head, Recording Industry Program
The University of Southern Mississippi
Narcissism is a threat to longevity in the music business because it aggravates a loss of self that is already at work in the cultivation of celebrity personalities and the staging of performances. The artist is particularly susceptible because of an increasing dependence on touring which is noteworthy due to prolonged absences from the anchoring effect of friends and family. Erving Goffman and Jacques Lacan theorize the situation in terms of an objectification of one commodified version of the self, subject to the gaze of a consuming public at the expense of another, innate sense of self secluded in the privatized, backstage space. Prolonged participation in this psychologically charged environment leads to a theoretical loss of self in which an idealized version is taken for the authentic one. The jeopardy of multiple selves and compartmentalization informs crisis scenarios in which professional and personal relationships are evaluated based on which identity is being affirmed. Artist managers recognizing signs and processes – including the role of substance abuse – invest in their client’s health and career by supporting high self-complexity, frequent communication and dissuading contingent self esteem.
From Little Gerhard to Spotify – the history of popular music in Sweden and its impact on the music industry
Jonas Bjälesjö
Head of Music & Event Management Programme
Linnaeus University, School of Business & Economics/Campus Hultsfred
The presentation will focus on parts of the history and development of popular music in Sweden from a cultural and social perspective, and how this development has informed the structure and working methods among different players in the Swedish music industry. Some of the important artists, genres and aspects of popular culture in general that have shaped Swedish music and music industry will be discussed. Furthermore the presentation will deal with questions around why and how Swedish music have been successful internationally and what kind of social and cultural structures, values, attitudes, knowledge and habits that have informed that development.
For example I will present and discuss the infrastructure and network of different music organizations, NGO’s and governmental organizations and their role in the shaping of Swedish music life and Swedish music industry. Furthermore their function as conditions and tools for artists and music industry in Sweden to build knowledge and competence important for the artist development and live music skills.
I will discuss the mix of influences (such as the concept of “Americanization”) and Swedish tradition in shaping the music life and music industry. And how the interaction between national and international culture are used in definition and image of Swedish music. I will also discuss concepts as continuity and change, creativity, “Swedishness”, imitation, borrowing and copying etc., etc.
Moderator: Storm Gloor
Coping With Narcissism: Causes, Effect, and Solutions for the Artist Manager
Paul Linden
Associate Professor & Sequence Head, Recording Industry Program
The University of Southern Mississippi
Narcissism is a threat to longevity in the music business because it aggravates a loss of self that is already at work in the cultivation of celebrity personalities and the staging of performances. The artist is particularly susceptible because of an increasing dependence on touring which is noteworthy due to prolonged absences from the anchoring effect of friends and family. Erving Goffman and Jacques Lacan theorize the situation in terms of an objectification of one commodified version of the self, subject to the gaze of a consuming public at the expense of another, innate sense of self secluded in the privatized, backstage space. Prolonged participation in this psychologically charged environment leads to a theoretical loss of self in which an idealized version is taken for the authentic one. The jeopardy of multiple selves and compartmentalization informs crisis scenarios in which professional and personal relationships are evaluated based on which identity is being affirmed. Artist managers recognizing signs and processes – including the role of substance abuse – invest in their client’s health and career by supporting high self-complexity, frequent communication and dissuading contingent self esteem.
From Little Gerhard to Spotify – the history of popular music in Sweden and its impact on the music industry
Jonas Bjälesjö
Head of Music & Event Management Programme
Linnaeus University, School of Business & Economics/Campus Hultsfred
The presentation will focus on parts of the history and development of popular music in Sweden from a cultural and social perspective, and how this development has informed the structure and working methods among different players in the Swedish music industry. Some of the important artists, genres and aspects of popular culture in general that have shaped Swedish music and music industry will be discussed. Furthermore the presentation will deal with questions around why and how Swedish music have been successful internationally and what kind of social and cultural structures, values, attitudes, knowledge and habits that have informed that development.
For example I will present and discuss the infrastructure and network of different music organizations, NGO’s and governmental organizations and their role in the shaping of Swedish music life and Swedish music industry. Furthermore their function as conditions and tools for artists and music industry in Sweden to build knowledge and competence important for the artist development and live music skills.
I will discuss the mix of influences (such as the concept of “Americanization”) and Swedish tradition in shaping the music life and music industry. And how the interaction between national and international culture are used in definition and image of Swedish music. I will also discuss concepts as continuity and change, creativity, “Swedishness”, imitation, borrowing and copying etc., etc.