A Melody of Messages: An Analysis of Political Content in Modern Music

1. A Melody of Messages: An Analysis of Political Content in Modern Music Krista Durski

2. Research Questions • Have the messages in popular music changed from a year before President Obama to a year after? • Have the messages become more political? • How have the messages addressing the President changed from President Bush to President Obama?

3. Literature Review • Music as an Organizing Community • Scott-Heron (1979), Denisoff (1970), Baum (2002) • The Politics of Music • Rose (1991), Fox and Williams (1974) • The ‘Documentary’ • Stewart (2005) • Music as a Form of Expression • Brader (2005), Maher (2005), Sullivan (2003)

4. Theory of Social Construction • Donileen Loseke (2003) • Social Problems • Claims-making and Claims-makers • Best (2005), Sullivan (2003)

5. Methodology • Content Analysis • Definition of a Political Message • Data Collection • Population = 516 Songs; Sample = 32 songs • Five Genres: Modern Rock, Pop, Rap/Hip-Hop, R&B, Country • Billboard.com • Coding Sheet

6. Strengths and Weaknesses • Strengths • Amount of Previous Literature • Convenience of Locating and Listening to Songs • Weaknesses • Coding • Limitation of Billboard.com charts • Time frame

7. Findings

11. Discussion • Music artists express themselves and their views through their music as a way to communicate with the rest of the world. • Country artists use their whole song to voice these messages where as most rap/hip-hop artist use a line or a word to reference the issue.

12. Questions? Thank you for listening!