I'm Sellin It (The Mcdonaldization of Music)

by: Nikos Monoyios

As our society continues to trail-blaze its way toward championing monetary value as the epitome of worth and success, the consequences of neglecting the significance of artistic value are apparent. Although this is a dismal notion, it is actually quite easy to recognize why economic value is deemed more important than social value. Simply put, we ascribe something, and anything, with monetary value. Dollars and cents. Digits when lined up next to each other can be arithmetically manipulated on a spreadsheet to ultimately decide what something is worth.


Even though our brains are capable of colossally complex ideas, we still rely on the results of the “bottom line” to make a decision. Applying a number to something makes a decision easier to gauge. Of course, this method is imperative for business, but what happens when society reinforces the application of this method onto our artistic sphere? Do we remember how to value the artistic contributions without emphasizing an ascribed dollar amount to it?

Let’s look at the music industry. For example, was John Lennon’s Imagine so popular and moving because of the economic value or social value it generated? Did punk rock flourish in the lower east side in the late ‘70s because of the grand production scheme, or because of the social movement? The same could be said about Seattle in the early ‘90s, right? These two examples don’t even scratch the surface of the myriad of experiences that make music more socially influential versus economically successful. For these examples, the social significance emerged before any money changed hands. However, what are the consequences now that music is taking a stronger approach toward being producer-driven? Why do primary television music channels like VH1 and MTV seem to principally broadcast and showcase the monetary worth of popular musicians as opposed to our society’s vast array of musical offerings?

Simply put, the music industry has been McDonaldized. McDonaldization, a cleverly cynical term coined by sociologist George Ritzer in 1995, is the process of ascribing systematic and rational fast-food business principles within society. The main components of McDonaldization are efficiency, calculability, predictability and control. Utilizing these components emphasizes the increasing rationalization of every task. In other words, determining and measuring how methods work faster, more cost-effective,

“Irrational and imaginative creativity and artistry are no longer reinforced because aspiring musicians are being steered to follow this rationalized pattern in order to gain success.”

and more consistent is paramount to maximizing success. And of course, money is the way these factors are measured. Similar to how the fast-food industry harnessed these components to maximize the influence of their business, the music industry has adopted these same principles with interest to maximize their profits. Furthermore, recognizing the harm of this McDonaldized approach can be clearly observed.

Businessmen in the music game are the primary beneficiaries of this rationalized approach toward the music industry. Musicians are no longer steering artistic direction in the industry as much as they have in the past. The audiences do. What sells does. Bean counters and analysts scrutinize spreadsheets monitoring who is buying what and where. This measurable and rational approach determines what should be produced and distributed. Therefore, success for a musician depends upon adhering to a proven genre and a mastered image.

Unfortunately, this problem is a cyclical one. While the business side determines what music should be produced, the audiences are subjected to the resulting popularity. Consequently, the music is broadcast and advertisements pop up all over and the masses digest it, only to regurgitate this info back to the analysts.

This McDonaldized reality threatens to diminish the social value of music. We can’t afford to accept this commodified popularity as a social commodity. Our intrigue and star-struck sentiments are no longer defined by the music, but by the image. This is why popular music has become a flavor-of-the-month club, and those poor musicians are convinced that audiences really do love their music. Irrational and imaginative creativity and artistry are no longer reinforced because aspiring musicians are being steered to follow this rationalized pattern in order to gain success. We’ve learned this so well — which is why Guitar Hero is so popular.

All we are conditioned to do is to record-by-numbers. Music has been confined within the lines of a coloring book. We need to remember the days when scribbling all over those pages was our way of “stickin’ it to the man.” Otherwise, we could turn into sheep in a land where the producers and financiers will be our shepherds.



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