Dynamics and Geographical Diffusion in the Global Metal Music Network Open Access

Abstract

Media sociology has tended to focus on production of content in corporate creative industries by examining large-scale production and consumption dynamics. Yet, previous scholarship has largely ignored industries that, in the absence of corporate actors, are organized and run by grassroots individuals. This study examines the case of one such industry, namely that of metal music, using insights from network theory, population ecology, and scenes perspectives. Data on 105,284 albums released between 1968 and 2016 are analyzed using social network analysis, blockmodeling, and regression models to map the structure of the network and identify the hierarchical relations between 130 metal-producing nations around the globe. The results indicate that metal scene activity is most vigorous in nations that score higher on political globalization and share closer cultural ties. Contrary to the findings of previous research, metal activity is more visible in countries with higher unemployment rates and lower welfare generosity. The findings from the other chapters suggest that the diffusion of metal music occurred earlier than the digital capacity hypothesis proposed in previous literature, primarily through country-level network ties in a three-tiered global production system. The study contributes to the literature on cultural globalization and social networks by shedding light on the extent to which hegemon nations dominate aesthetic production in DIY industries.

Table of Contents

CHAPTER ONE................................................................................................................................. 1

NETWORKS IN THE MUSIC WORLD..................................................................................................

CHAPTER TWO............................................................................................................................. 12

GLOBAL SCENE DYNAMICS IN EXTREME METAL

Table 2-A. Descriptive Statistics for Global Foundings, 1972-2010................................................. 28

Table 2-B. Negative Binomial Results of Socio-political, Economic, and Ecological Effects on Global Band Foundings, 1972-2010            29

Table 2-C. Descriptive Statistics for OECD Country Foundings, 2002-2010................................................ 31

Table 2-D. Negative Binomial Results of Unemployment, Welfare and Content Regulation on Band Foundings in OECD Countries, 2002-2010     32

Figure 2-A. Relative Size of Local Scenes Measured as the Number of Bands per City of Origin, 1968-2016                 33

CHAPTER THREE........................................................................................................................... 36

NETWORK STRUCTURE AND DIFFUSION IN THE GLOBAL METAL SCENE

Figure 3-A. Example of Directed Network Ties................................................................................................................. 57

Figure 3-B. Metal Market Concentration........................................................................................................................... 58

Figure 3-C. Equivalence Cluster Dendrogram for Tie Similarity........................................................................ 59

Figure 3-D. Production Ties in the Global Metal Network..................................................................................... 60

CHAPTER FOUR............................................................................................................................. 61

NETWORK DYNAMICS IN NATIONAL SOCIALIST BLACK METAL

Figure 4-A. National Socialist Band Foundings, 1988-2010................................................................................... 78

Figure 4-B. National Socialist Country Ties, 1991-1995........................................................................................... 79

Figure 4-C. National Socialist Country Ties, 1996-2000........................................................................................... 80

Figure 4-D. National Socialist Country Ties, 2001-2005........................................................................................... 81

Figure 4-E. National Socialist Country Ties, 2006-2010........................................................................................... 82

Figure 4-F. National Socialist Country Ties, 2011-2016........................................................................................... 83

Figure 4-G. Heat Map of NSBM Band Frequencies, North America..................................................................... 84

Figure 4-H. Heat Map of NSBM Band Frequencies, Europe...................................................................................85

Figure 4-I. Heat Map of NSBM Band Frequencies, South America........................................................................ 86

Figure 4-J. Heat Map of NSBM Band Frequencies, Asia..........................................................................................87

Figure 4-K. Hamming Distance Map Based on Mutual Tie Similarity................................................................. 88

Figure 4-L. Production Ties in National Socialist Black Metal........................................................................... 89

Table 4-A. Number of National Socialist Bands and Labels per Country, 1988-2016......................... 90

Table 4-B. Top Labels by Country, Type, and Status............................................................................................92

CHAPTER FIVE ...................................................................................................................................... 93

CONCLUSION

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School	Laney Graduate School
Department	Sociology
Degree	Ph.D.
Submission	Dissertation
Language	English
Research Field	Sociology, Organizational Music Sociology, Theory and Methods
Keyword	culture social network analysis
Committee Chair / Thesis Advisor	Timothy Dowd, Emory University
Committee Members	Frank Lechner, Emory University Alex van Venrooij, University of Amsterdam Weihua An, Emory University

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