a musical consumption: Thematic Collection: Commodification

A commodity is defined as something of trade or commerce, especially a product or distinguished form of service; something of use advantage, or value. The way we talk about commodification in this class can be defined as to treat something (an artist) inappropriately as if it can be acquired or marketed like other commodities. The only problem is, music artists can be acquired and marketed today through the industry, their albums, their images, and their merchandise. Artists today either play the game of commodification, or they are thrown into it.

Commodification and objectification go hand in hand. When we look at stars and commodify them, we look at them as objects to be bought and sold, bodies and images to be used, not humans with minds and souls. We see evidence of this through our feeling of ownership and possession we get from consuming them. We care little for what they want or care about, just as long as they give us what we want. For this reason, when you are a commodity, you have to worry about your image. You need to make sure you are something that people want to buy or sell. Even if an artist is not willingly a commodity, that is how the consumerism culture will treat him or her. We saw a rebellion against this with Joan Baez. She wanted to avoid becoming a commodity because she didn't want to have to worry about her image and work within the labels the media gave her. She said, "If you have to label me, label me a human first." However, her main concern was not her career or music, it was secondary in her life compared to her activism. I think this is a difference to note, because I think that is what enabled her to escape commodification.

In our pop culture now, in order to be a successful commodity (and by this I mean be a successful artist because people want to buy and sell you the most) you have to engage in the spectacle. In order to capture and keep consumer's attention, you have to be intrigue them with spectacle and show them something shocking and new. Maybe because people turn to the media in order to escape the everyday so they search for the thing that will get them the farthest away. Regardless of the reason, we have seen through this course that commodification, objectification, and spectacle come together in a nice, shocking, package in pop culture.

Commodities:

album covers

products

This is a link to Britney Spears' online store: http://store.britneyspears.com/

kiss face mask

Objectification:

Don't these images say, "Buy Me"?

Spectacle:

Marilyn Manson: Tainted Love. Look at how the women change and everyone is "noticing" Marilyn Manson and his crew when they enter the party. Everyone is looking at them, wants them, and wants to be like them.