21st conference of the International Association for the Study of Popoular Music (IASPM)

Abstract

Luxurious goods, such as cars and jewels, are believed to be the main indicators of status in popular music (Primack et al., 2011). Knowing how music portrays status is crucial to understand the cultural references readily available to individuals to define their social position (Shevy, 2008). Previous literature on this topic has focused on rap and US charts (e.g., Burkhalter & Thornton, 2014). However, such choices limit our understanding of how representations of status might vary across genres and national audiences. To address this issue, a content analysis of the 200 most streamed songs on Spotify between 2016 and 2019 in six countries (US, UK, Netherlands, New Zealand, Australia, and Canada; N = 4117) was conducted. Results showed that status was prevalently defined by luxurious goods in rap, but also in pop and rock. Yet, status was not only a matter of luxury. The objectification of women’s bodies and the showing of connections with famous people were other important ways to mark one’s high status. Finally, US, Canada, and UK were the countries with the strongest presence of such representations. Differences in theme prevalence were further noticed across countries. Reflections about the multifaceted representations of status in music are discussed.