Idolized: Music, Media, and Identity in American Idol

by Katherine L. Meizel

Overview

The hit television program American Idol provides a stage where the
politics of national, regional, ethnic, and religious identity are performed for
millions of viewers. Diversity is carefully highlighted and coached into a viable
commodity by judges, argues Katherine L. Meizel, with contestants packaged into
familiar portraits of American identities. Consumer choice, as expressed by audience
voting, also shapes the course of the show -- negotiating ideas of democracy and
opportunity closely associated with the American Dream. Through interviews with
audience members and participants, and careful analyses of television broadcasts,
commercial recordings, and print and online media, Meizel demonstrates that
commercial music and the music industry are not simply forces to be criticized or
resisted, but critical sites for redefining American culture.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780253005106
Publisher:	Indiana University Press
Publication date:	02/16/2011
Series:	Ethnomusicology Multimedia
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	320
File size:	1 MB

About the Author

Katherine Meizel is Visiting Assistant Professor at the Oberlin
Conservatory of Music.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments

Introduction: No Boundaries1. Facing
Reality: American Idol as Reality Television2. Facing the Music3. Win or Lose:
Success and Failure and the American Dream4. Idol Worship: Civil and Sacral Religion
in American Idol5. Going Places6. Politics as Usual7. The United Nations of Pop:
Global Franchise and GeopoliticsEpilogue: Crystallized

NotesWorks
CitedIndex

What People are Saying About This

Universityof Western Ontario - Matt Stahl

Meizel's ambitious book is a model of clarity and seriousness in its treatment of American Idol, American identity, the American mood in the early 21st century.

Chris McDonald

An engaging analysis of one of the most important developments of the past decade for popular music on television.

Editorial Reviews

Meizel writes with a clarity and intelligibility that makes her analysis of the phenomenon of the show compelling even for those who are not interested in the show itself. She takes a broad view of the show, using plenty of outside sources to put it in context. She not only brings understanding to many aspects of the show but also uses the show to bring understanding to issues of media and American culture.

Music Reference Services Quarterly

[An] engaging critical [investigation] of nationalist music politics. . . Katherine Meizel persuasively theorizes that American Idol is important because it constructs and voices narratives about American nationalism, while pop-song performances mark boundaries between Americans and Others.Dec 2012

Notes

"An engaging analysis of one of the most important developments of the past decade for popular music on television." —Chris McDonald, author of Rush, Rock Music, and the Middle Class

"Meizel’s ambitious book is a model of clarity and seriousness in its treatment of American Idol, American identity, the American mood in the early 21st century." —Matt Stahl, University of Western Ontario

"[An] engaging critical [investigation] of nationalist music politics... Katherine Meizel persuasively theorizes that American Idol is important because it constructs and voices narratives about American nationalism, while pop-song performances mark boundaries between Americans and Others." —Notes

From the Publisher

"An engaging analysis of one of the most important developments of the past decade for popular music on television." —Chris McDonald, author of Rush, Rock Music, and the Middle Class

Chris McDonald

"Meizel’s ambitious book is a model of clarity and seriousness in its treatment of American Idol, American identity, the American mood in the early 21st century." —Matt Stahl, University of Western Ontario

Matt Stahl