Nirvana v3
- 2. 1) Assess the main advantages of the internet to your three main texts. 2) Explore the marketing strategies used in your selected industry. 3) How successful have your chosen texts been for their industry? 4) Explore the impact of digital technologies on your selected industry. Types of questions for music
- 3. Kurt Cobain Dave Grohl Krist Novoselic
- 4. 1989 Nirvana’s first studio album was entitled Bleach and was released by the independent label, Sub Pop. The album gained good critical reviews but failed to chart in America. History and Context
- 5. By 1991 Nirvana had diluted their alternative, heavier sound with more popular music conventions and signed to Geffen. Geffen is owned by Universal and has huge marketing budgets. History and Context
- 6. Firstly Released by DGC Records in 1991 with an optimistic expectation of 250 000 sales. Nevermind has now sold 30 million copies world wide and copies have and are still being sold ever year since
- 8. 1991 biggest selling artists pre Nirvana Excess, flamboyant, show offs, escapism
- 9. Industry importance Nirvana helped to change the genre and ideology surrounding mainstream, popular music. Nirvana combined more alternative genres such as Punk with more popular genres at the time such as Metal and Pop to create a genre known later as Grunge.
- 10. Industry importance Punk musical conventions •Singing style (elements of shouting and screaming) •Instruments and effects used •Simple musical structures •Some elements but not as purist as punk on Anti- establishment and disenchanted ideology •Smashing instruments at end of a show •Fairly simply musicianship Metal conventions •Singing style (elements of shouting and screaming) •Instruments and effects used (distortion/overdrive) Nirvana combined these conventions with pop music conventions
- 11. Industry importance Pop music conventions •A heavy reliance on vocals •2-4 minute song length •Song structure – Verse – Chorus - Verse •Use of rhyming couplets in vocals •Promotion channels This hybrid of conventions resulted in the post modern genre of Grunge, which attracted a variety of mainstream and more niche audiences and was a huge commercial success.
- 12. Industry importance Nirvana would often promote other alternative music and project them into the mainstream. Remember this is pre-internet.
- 13. •Lyrics are typically angst-filled, often addressing themes such as social alienation, apathy, confinement, and a desire for freedom •Many grunge musicians displayed a general disenchantment with the state of society, as well as a discomfort with social prejudices •Live shows are energy filled and crowds are very active/moshing/crowd surfing/stage diving (video Swedish interview) Grunge ideology and characteristics present in Nirvana Industry importance Metal+Punk+Pop = Grunge
- 14. •Clothing commonly worn by grunge musicians and fans consisted of clothes that was purchased from or looked like they were from charity shops •Most common was checked/flannel shirts •A look that appeared un-kept (ripped jeans, baggy T-shirts, longish hair, anti superficial) •Grunge fashion was very anti “Flash/show off” •The subculture had an anti inequality and hegemonic ideology. Grunge Fashion Industry importance
- 15. 1.Changing the genre of music that entered into the mainstream charts in 1991. 2. Assisting the creation of a subculture. 3.Changing the ideology present within mainstream music. Industry importance
- 16. Marketing
- 17. Marketing and Promotion 1. Use of the music video 2. Reliance on record label. 3.The use of the rock star/front man 4. Reliance on Television performances (Jonathan Ross, MTV own shows, memorable live shows) 5.Music Videos, iconography, connotations, mis en scene, all attracts its target audience
- 18. Marketing and Promotion 4. Reliance on Television performances (Jonathan Ross, MTV own shows, memorable live shows) Huge lack of anything on demand Live shows had to be memorable and relied on word of mouth to promote bands.
- 19. Nirvana release four singles accompanied with music videos to help promote the album.
- 20. Smells Like Teen Spirit Come as you are Lithium In Bloom The use of the music video
- 21. How has the internet helped Nirvana? 1.Fansites (facebook, Instagram, Websites) 2. Itunes, Youtube 3.Allowing new generations access to older music 4. Spotify Marketing