Uploaded August 2019 | Updated September 2026, 7 hours ago
crosstowntraffic2018.wordpress.com
This presentation took place as part of the conference Crosstown Traffic: Popular Music Theory and Practice, which was hosted by The University of Huddersfield from September 3 - 5 2018. This event combined the IASPM UK&Ireland Biennial Conference, the 13th Art of Record Production Conference (ARP), an ISMMS conference, and the additional participation of Dancecult.
A recurrent theme within popular music studies has been discussion of how the field can integrate different disciplines and professions, for example exploring both music and its context; involving both practitioners and researchers; and encouraging interdisciplinary and collaborative work. Many different issues make such approaches challenging, and various different popular music focused subject organisations have developed somewhat independently of one another. This conference brought four such groups together, to exchange knowledge, collaborate, and encourage crosstalk.
/// SUPPORT
Popular Music Studies Research Group (PMSRG), University of Huddersfield research.hud.ac.uk/pmsrg/#
Centre for Music, Culture and Identity (CMCI), University of Huddersfield
research.hud.ac.uk/institutes-centres/cmci
The International Association for the Study of Popular Music UK and Ireland Branch (IASPM UK & Ireland)
iaspm.org.uk
Association for the Study of the Art of Record Production (ASARP)
artofrecordproduction.com
Dancecult Research Network (DRN) studies into electronic dance music culture
dancecult-research.net
International Society for Metal Music Studies (ISMMS)
metalstudies.org
/// ORGANIZERS
IASPM UK&I: Rupert Till
ARP: Katia Isakoff, Shara Rambarran
ISMMS: Karl Spracklen
Dancecult: Graham St. John
University of Huddersfield: Jan Herbst, Austin Moore, Lisa Colton, Toby Martin, Catherine Haworth, Mark Mynett
/// CREDITS
This online project was edited, collated, and made available online by Chris McConnell, Jack Zissell, and Colin Frank.
/// PRESENTATION DETAILS
‘Hear the world’s sounds’: A political economy approach to understand grassroots musicians’ dilemmas in SoundCloud
Andreas Rauh Ortega
/// ABSTRACT
The consumption of mediated music is in a process of shift from consumer electronics-based industry to information technologies (Hesmondhalgh and Meier, 2017), with significant impacts in the ways music and culture are experienced by audiences. Musicians have quickly adapted to these changes, and today there is large consensus that the adoption of online platforms for the circulation and promotion of music (e.g. SoundCloud) are fundamental tools in building pathways to success. However, alongside the benefits offered by online platforms, musicians must take into account potential downsides, and balancing the two aspects is challenging for not only for well-established musicians but also their grassroots counterparts, particularly those with career aspirations.
Drawing from Wittel’s (2017) political economy of digital technologies, this paper examines the political economy of SoundCloud, highlights conflicts of interest between users, the platform, and rights holders, and suggests that the entry of a new actor (i.e. financial capital) contributed to tip the balance unfavourably for grassroots electronic dance musicians (i.e. DJs and producers). Among the major problems raised by musicians are lack of control of uploaded content, the risk of losing promotional potential on the platform, and the erosion of an important outlet for creative expression. The argument is supported from qualitative data gathered from in-depth semi-structured interviews and observations of the musical experiences of 23 grassroots electronic dance musicians based in Leeds and Ljubljana.
crosstowntraffic2018.wordpress.com
This presentation took place as part of the conference Crosstown Traffic: Popular Music Theory and Practice, which was hosted by The University of Huddersfield from September 3 - 5 2018. This event combined the IASPM UK&Ireland Biennial Conference, the 13th Art of Record Production Conference (ARP), an ISMMS conference, and the additional participation of Dancecult.
A recurrent theme within popular music studies has been discussion of how the field can integrate different disciplines and professions, for example exploring both music and its context; involving both practitioners and researchers; and encouraging interdisciplinary and collaborative work. Many different issues make such approaches challenging, and various different popular music focused subject organisations have developed somewhat independently of one another. This conference brought four such groups together, to exchange knowledge, collaborate, and encourage crosstalk.
/// SUPPORT
Popular Music Studies Research Group (PMSRG), University of Huddersfield research.hud.ac.uk/pmsrg/#
Centre for Music, Culture and Identity (CMCI), University of Huddersfield
research.hud.ac.uk/institutes-centres/cmci
The International Association for the Study of Popular Music UK and Ireland Branch (IASPM UK & Ireland)
iaspm.org.uk
Association for the Study of the Art of Record Production (ASARP)
artofrecordproduction.com
Dancecult Research Network (DRN) studies into electronic dance music culture
dancecult-research.net
International Society for Metal Music Studies (ISMMS)
metalstudies.org
/// ORGANIZERS
IASPM UK&I: Rupert Till
ARP: Katia Isakoff, Shara Rambarran
ISMMS: Karl Spracklen
Dancecult: Graham St. John
University of Huddersfield: Jan Herbst, Austin Moore, Lisa Colton, Toby Martin, Catherine Haworth, Mark Mynett
/// CREDITS
This online project was edited, collated, and made available online by Chris McConnell, Jack Zissell, and Colin Frank.
/// PRESENTATION DETAILS
‘Hear the world’s sounds’: A political economy approach to understand grassroots musicians’ dilemmas in SoundCloud
Andreas Rauh Ortega
/// ABSTRACT
The consumption of mediated music is in a process of shift from consumer electronics-based industry to information technologies (Hesmondhalgh and Meier, 2017), with significant impacts in the ways music and culture are experienced by audiences. Musicians have quickly adapted to these changes, and today there is large consensus that the adoption of online platforms for the circulation and promotion of music (e.g. SoundCloud) are fundamental tools in building pathways to success. However, alongside the benefits offered by online platforms, musicians must take into account potential downsides, and balancing the two aspects is challenging for not only for well-established musicians but also their grassroots counterparts, particularly those with career aspirations.
Drawing from Wittel’s (2017) political economy of digital technologies, this paper examines the political economy of SoundCloud, highlights conflicts of interest between users, the platform, and rights holders, and suggests that the entry of a new actor (i.e. financial capital) contributed to tip the balance unfavourably for grassroots electronic dance musicians (i.e. DJs and producers). Among the major problems raised by musicians are lack of control of uploaded content, the risk of losing promotional potential on the platform, and the erosion of an important outlet for creative expression. The argument is supported from qualitative data gathered from in-depth semi-structured interviews and observations of the musical experiences of 23 grassroots electronic dance musicians based in Leeds and Ljubljana.
