Political Expressions in Popular Music and Participatory Fan Culture

By: Samantha Register

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While theorists have debated the role of popular culture in citizens’ lives, evidence indicates that consumers play an active role in their consumption of pop culture. This participatory consumption has been exacerbated by the increasing variety in entertainment outlets and rise of social media. Additionally, political discourse within popular culture has been heightened in recent years. This is particularly notable within the music industry, where different music genres are associated with different political values: country music with conservatism and hip-hop and pop music with liberalism. This study examines the way in which musicians of different genres express their political beliefs, including through lyrics, music videos, public statements, and social media posts. Furthermore, this study also examines how fans react to artists’ political expressions and how expression of political beliefs impacts artists’ subsequent careers. Results indicate that musicians who express beliefs in opposition with their genre’s fan base, like the Dixie Chicks did by criticizing George W. Bush, face intense backlash from fans and are no longer able to be as successful in their careers. Likewise, stars who make political statements in accordance to their fans’ political beliefs earn praise and admiration. Despite an increasing demand for music stars to share their political beliefs publicly, as demonstrated by the reaction to Taylor Swift not endorsing a 2016 presidential candidate, there is little evidence that celebrity endorsements impact the outcome of an election. However, there is evidence that music stars’ political statements can have an impact when stars direct their fans who already share their political views to take action, as evidenced by Lady Gaga encouraging her fans to contact their representatives to repeal Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. With social media contributing to an artificial sense of intimacy between musicians and fans, these fans will likely continue demanding their favorite stars share their political beliefs in the coming years.