3. Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETDs) - All submissions
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Item Behavioural evolution in popular music: the transition from traditional to new media contexts in recorded music discovery(2019) Shaw, Jonathan GeorgeThis dissertation examines the construct of music discovery. Music discovery is the behavioural process consumers employ when encountering new music for the first time and what leads them to act on this new discovery. On reviewing literature around music and discovery and exploring this abstract idea, it was found that there is a gap in theory surrounding this context and situation in psychology and consumer behaviour fields. The dissertation is a qualitative examination employing the Experience Sampling Method (ESM) to observe, record and thematically analyse participant responses in or to the discovery moment. The gap identified in the literature is context of music discovery. The literature review examines the foremost construct of the dissertation, being consumption contexts. Consumption context is defined as the situation, environment, setting or disposition the consumer is placed in before or after consumption which gives clarity or meaning to their behaviour. A consumer’s contextual stance can be observed detailing their prior behaviour influencing current choices in the behavioural perspectives model (BPM). Consumption context is often measured through the pleasure-arousal-dominance (PAD) model. Critics of the PAD model believe correlation is not clear evidence of predictive behaviour and the model was internally focussed and did not capture the full scope of situational, or contextual variables, that are possible. The literature is reviewed for the background of music consumption contexts. Here, it is shown that little research looks at why consumers came to listen to certain music in the first place. Music consumption is rooted in a phenomenological hedonic consumption paradigm. Reviewing music consumption literature revealed many side-lined contextual variables which informed the thematic analysis of this dissertation. The differences between music discovery through traditional and new media highlights key conceptual differences between technological, discovery and consumption contexts. Behavioural processes within the ‘discovery moment’ include active, passive, private and social discovery as well as elements of consumer control and consumption anticipation. In the research design, the theoretical framework reasons, from applicable literature, that measuring contextual effects would be best accomplished from obtained PAD measurements from participants for the discovery context. As the PAD model is based upon the stimulusorganism- response (S-O-R) model, thus the S-O-R model of behaviour would be an applicable framework. But, in order to quantify these emotional states, an understanding of the music discovery context is needed. I concluded that the context of music discovery was firstly needed to be understood, qualitatively, before applying quantitative methods. As such, a mixed-method approach would later be employed. ESM was then identified as an applicable methodology and thematic analysis was conducted on participant responses to analyse the discovery context. Music discovery is a relatively new concept within a consumer behaviour or consumer culture theory. Music discovery, as defined as a sub-category of the broader construct of hedonic discovery, is a music metastimulus response interrelated to the discovery situation and behavioural context of the consumer. Discovery is neither simply selecting nor finding music. Findings conclude that music discovery is far easier in transitioning from traditional to new media, as consumers employ new media to identify and acquire music found in traditional media. Music on new media is highly salient, whereas traditional media only reinforces candidate music until salience is reached. Policy recommendations include wide-spread digital aggregation of new vulnerable music to improve discovery. Through examination of music discovery as one category of content and as a lens to understand the discovery process, other entertainment could be explored. Further research is suggested to confirm findings and to build a theory of an encompassing hedonic discovery.Item Between the church and the marketplace: how professional gospel musicians negotiate the tension between sacred and market contexts, with reference to the case of No Limits, a vocal music group from Soweto(2016-01-28) Moshugi, Kgomotso SamuelThe music industry as a sector of cultural industries provides an environment for musicians to engage with the business of music. Churches, as religious and social environments, provide a platform for musical activity and development for musicians. While the church has provided musical development, the music industry has been looked to for sustaining musical careers. Using the adaptation of the Landry value chain model, this research highlights difficulties and successes that No Limits, a South African music group, has encountered in pursuing a professional career in sacred and marketplace contexts. In turn, this has revealed management and general administrative issues that independent musicians commonly face in their pursuit of a professional career. The study observes how professional gospel musicians handle the tension between the sacred and market contexts based on the assumption that these contexts have varying operating systems and thus present a difficulty for professional musicians seeking to operate in both contexts. The introductory chapter and the literature review provide the background and context for the study, the relevant historical information and the Seventh-day Adventist church context. A detailed narrative of the development of No Limits is provided in the fourth chapter leading to the analysis presented in the fifth chapter, which expands on specific moments and issues discussed in the narrative within Charles Landry’s framework of a value chain. His model suggests an integration of all the activities in the value chain in order to succeed in cultural pursuits. These entail beginnings, production, circulation, delivery mechanisms and audience reception (with feedback). No Limits was, therefore, analysed in terms of this model. Key findings point to the difficulty associated with the professionalisation of the music occupation, of seeking to be altruistic and sustainable at the same time. Also, that social and cultural value of devotional content from the sacred context and the material economic demands from the marketplace characterise the fundamental tensions for musicians pursuing existence in these contexts. The Seventh-day Adventist church, in which No Limits was incubated, provided the immediate context for this study and the data was collected through an analysis of archives, discography and interviews with different individuals in the No Limits value chain. Key words: marketplace,Item Ximatsatsa: exploring genre in contemporary Tsonga popular music(2012-06-18) Madalane, Ignatia CynthiaWhile much has been written on black South African popular music (see, for example, Anderson, 1981; Coplan, 1985; Erlmann, 1991; Meintjes, 2003; Allen, 2004; Ansell, 2004; Muller, 2008), little has been written on Tsonga popular music. This dissertation interrogates ‘Tsonga music’, a category for naming Tsonga popular music used by many including the South African Music Awards (SAMAs); one of the few SAMA categories (others include Afrikaans, Venda and Pedi music categories) to be named by ethnicity. I question why the music is labeled the way it is and how these genre labels, which participate in global genre histories and local ethnic histories, interact with the Tsonga music category. In sum, this study explores what Louise Meintjes calls ‘genrefication’ (2003: 19) in popular Tsonga music and the meaning this has for its practitioners in a ‘glocalized’ music market (Robertson, cited in Steger, 2003). In chapter one I trace the origins of Tsonga music as it is known today. The chapter focuses on General MD Shirinda, considered the father of Tsonga music. I write about aspects of his life and the role he played in the development of contemporary Tsonga music. Chapter two pays close attention of one of the Tsonga music subgenres, ‘Tsonga traditional’ or neo-traditional music. The chapter interrogates the meaning of the Tsonga traditional label for its practitioners. Here I question the use of terms such as ‘Tsonga’ and ‘traditional’ for labeling Tsonga music. I end the chapter by discussing some characteristics of this subgenre. The third chapter follows the narrative of ‘Tsonga disco’ as told by my informants. Through the life stories of the musicians who have played major roles in the development of this subgenre, I explore how socio-political circumstances influenced the labeling of the subgenre. The chapter gives attention to the contribution to the subgenre by Paul Ndlovu, Peta Teanet, Joe Shirimani and Penny Penny. I end the chapter with a description of a live performance of Tsonga disco. Ethnicity is a recurring theme throughout the study. However, it is in chapter four that explicit attention is given to this identity marker. The chapter explores the role of ethnicity in shaping Tsonga music and how Tsonga musicians construct and affirm their ethnic and other identities in their music. Finally, I discuss the relationship between Tsonga music and the global music market.