Subculture

Subculture Theory

A subculture is a group of people brought together by a shared interest and become a group evolving from mainstream.

The three main theories about subculture are from the CCCS (The centre for contemporary culture studies), Grant McCracken and the Hebdige theory.

The CCCS theory is when subcultures emerge from a reaction rebelling against mainstream. As a group they would have disagreed with the idea of the mainstream therefore creating an alternative culture by seperating themselves from the norm.

Grant McCracken believes that there is no mainstream and that the worlds culture is dynamic and diverse in creativity with various ideologies and values. 

Richard Dyer's believes a star's image is 'constructed' which therefore leads to the star not being a real person. Although the theory is based on film stars, we can adapt it to music too. Star's also rely on objects like CD's, advertisements, concerts and appearances. 

Dyer believes that the star image is based on two main paradoxes. The first is that the star must be both ordinary, allowing the audience to relate to them as a person as well as a star, and extraordinary with their given talent. The second is being simultaneously present in the public eye however also absent, so that when the artist is away making an album or taking time off, it is a big deal when they come back. 

The artist I have chosen is Jason Mraz. Mraz falls under the alternative pop genre, which conforms to the CCCS theory as it rebels from the mainstream. The code and conventions of this artist match with the alternative pop genre which is very unlike the mainstream. This shows how a culture has been created through like-minded people disagreeing with ideologies of the norm.