Music and consumerism; the aesthetics of an urban capitalistic society

Abstract

In the following pages, we propose an analysis of the urban capitalistic society we live in; it is an environment where the real value is often subdued to the dictatorship of commercial principles; consequently, these true values receive an expiry date and a convenient price established according to negotiable criteria. With echoes in politics and media culture, consumerism implies several – often contradictory – meanings. Rooted in America (hence the terminological connection), consumerism has its own effects on the art product, extending its echoes to music as well. Following the American example, smaller societies expressing capitalistic views and finding themselves in a so-called economic ascension will pervert their integrity and spiritual values one by one, yielding in front of materialism and discontinuity. By analyzing the specific language elements, the historical and social contexts, and their effects, we choose to discuss the moment when music tends to transcend the border of an artistic act in order to become an act of consummation.