The Great Music City: Exploring Music, Space and Identity (Pop Music, Culture and Identity)

In the 1960s, as gentrification took hold of New York City, Jane Jacobs predicted that the city would become the true player in the global system. Indeed, in the 21st century more meaningful comparisons can be made between cities than between nations and states. Based on case studies of Melbourne, Austin and Berlin, this book is the first in-depth study to combine academic and industry analysis of the music cities phenomenon. Using four distinctly defined algorithms as benchmarks, it interrogates Richard Florida’s creative cities thesis and applies a much-needed synergy of urban sociology and musicology to the concept, mediated by a journalism lens. Building on seminal work by Robert Park, Lewis Mumford and Jane Jacobs, it argues that journalists are the cultural branders and street theorists whose ethnographic approach offers critical insights into the urban sociability of music activity. Front Matter ....Pages i-xvii Front Matter ....Pages 1-1 Introduction: The Great Music City, Exploring Music, Space and Identity (Andrea Baker)....Pages 3-34 Music Cities and the Discourse of Urban Sociability (Andrea Baker)....Pages 35-49 Front Matter ....Pages 51-51 Hierarchies of Power & Influence in the Music Industry (London, New York City and Los Angeles) (Andrea Baker)....Pages 53-70 London: Music Business Capital of the World (Andrea Baker)....Pages 71-86 New York City and Los Angeles, the Music Consumption Capitals (Andrea Baker)....Pages 87-105 Front Matter ....Pages 107-107 Marvelous (Musical) Melbourne (1835 to 1980s) (Andrea Baker)....Pages 109-131 Austin: Live Music Capital of the World, Deep in the Heart of Texas (1800s to 2002) (Andrea Baker)....Pages 133-151 The War and the Wall: Berlin and the Divided Music City of Exiles (1700s to 1990s) (Andrea Baker)....Pages 153-173 Front Matter ....Pages 175-175 Battle for the Melbourne Music Capital Title (1990s to the Present) (Andrea Baker)....Pages 177-196 Keeping Austin Weird, Creative Resistance Against Homogenization of the Music Scene (1992 to Present) (Andrea Baker)....Pages 197-218 Reunified Berlin, Battle for the City’s Music Soul (1990 to the Present) (Andrea Baker)....Pages 219-238 Front Matter ....Pages 239-239 Melbourne, Live Music Capital of Australia to World Domination (Andrea Baker)....Pages 241-265 Revitalizing Austin as the Live Music Capital of the World (Andrea Baker)....Pages 267-282 Rejuvenation of Berlin, Music and Technology City (Andrea Baker)....Pages 283-297 Front Matter ....Pages 299-299 Conclusion: Emergent Music Cities Discipline (Andrea Baker)....Pages 301-313 Back Matter ....Pages 315-329