In the 1960s, as gentrification took hold of New York City, Jane Jacobs predicted that the city would become the true player in the global system. Indeed, in the 21st century more meaningful comparisons can be made between cities than between nations and states. Based on case studies of Melbourne, Austin and Berlin, this book is the first in-depth study to combine academic and industry analysis of the music cities phenomenon. Using four distinctly defined algorithms as benchmarks, it interrogates Richard Florida's creative cities thesis and applies a much-needed synergy of urban sociology and musicology to the concept, mediated by a journalism lens. Building on seminal work by Robert Park, Lewis Mumford and Jane Jacobs, it argues that journalists are the cultural branders and street theorists whose ethnographic approach offers critical insights into the urban sociability of music activity.

Autorentext

Dr Andrea Jean Baker is the Undergraduate Coordinator and Senior Lecturer in Journalism within the School of Media, Film and Journalism at Monash University, Australia.

Inhalt
Chapter 1: Introduction: The Great Music City, Exploring Music, Space and Identity.Chapter 2: Music cities and the discourse of urban sociability.Chapter 3: Hierarchies of power & influence in the music industry, (London, New York City and Los Angeles).Chapter 4: London: music business capital of the world.Chapter 5: New York City and Los Angeles, the music consumption capitals.Chapter 6: Marvelous (Music) Melbourne (1835 to 1980s).Chapter 7: Austin, Live Music Capital of the World, deep in the heart of Texas (1800s to 2002).Chapter 8: The War and the Wall, Berlin and the divided music city of Exiles (1700s to 1990s).Chapter 9: Battle for the Melbourne Music Capital title (1990s to present).Chapter 10: Keeping Austin Weird, creative resistance against homogenization of the music scene (1992 to present).Chapter 11: Reunified Berlin, battle for the city's music soul (1990s to present).Chapter 12: Melbourne, live music capital of Australia to world domination.Chapter 13: Revitalizing Austin as the live music capital of the world.Chapter 14: Rejuvenation of Berlin, music and technology city.