Uploaded August 2019 | Updated September 2026, 21 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
How does age affect the creative outputs of female popular musicians?
Kirsty Folan - Bath Spa University
Email: krfolan@gmail.com
/// ABSTRACT
“Those numbers beside the names of our ageing pop stars say much more than their legendary status, or critical achievement.” – Richard Elliott (2014)
As the UK’s population is ageing, and the government projects that one in seven people will be aged over 75 by 2040 (Government Office for Science, 2016), it is more important than ever that artists feel freedom to age within the youth dominated music industry. It is notable that the age of female artists is often brought to the forefront of conversations while men of the same age, although sometimes victims of ageism too, are more widely discussed in terms of their music and achievements. None of us are immune to ageing, and for female artists in particular, the pressure to remain aesthetically youthful can be overwhelming. My paper will discuss how age affects the creativity of artists, Joni Mitchell and Kate Bush. I will focus on memory, retrospection and experience and whether life events such as loss affect creative outputs, whilst also considering gender specific experiences such as childbirth and motherhood. I will also study the effect of physical changes to the body and voice that come with age such as the menopause, illness and deafness on artists’ performances and songwriting.
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
How does age affect the creative outputs of female popular musicians?
Kirsty Folan - Bath Spa University
Email: krfolan@gmail.com
/// ABSTRACT
“Those numbers beside the names of our ageing pop stars say much more than their legendary status, or critical achievement.” – Richard Elliott (2014)
As the UK’s population is ageing, and the government projects that one in seven people will be aged over 75 by 2040 (Government Office for Science, 2016), it is more important than ever that artists feel freedom to age within the youth dominated music industry. It is notable that the age of female artists is often brought to the forefront of conversations while men of the same age, although sometimes victims of ageism too, are more widely discussed in terms of their music and achievements. None of us are immune to ageing, and for female artists in particular, the pressure to remain aesthetically youthful can be overwhelming. My paper will discuss how age affects the creativity of artists, Joni Mitchell and Kate Bush. I will focus on memory, retrospection and experience and whether life events such as loss affect creative outputs, whilst also considering gender specific experiences such as childbirth and motherhood. I will also study the effect of physical changes to the body and voice that come with age such as the menopause, illness and deafness on artists’ performances and songwriting.
