Tablatures of musical tastes in contemporary France: distinction without intolerance

Abstract

In France, the social-stratification model based on Bourdieu's Distinction is still one of the main theoretical models used to analyse cultural tastes. The distinction model asserts a hierarchical classification of tastes and genre and an aesthetic judgment based on rejection. In the musical field, Richard A. Peterson challenged the model showing the eclectism and the mix of classical and popular genres among the tastes of elite. Changes in taste judgements in multicultural societies problematise the understanding and representation of the structuration of tastes. In reference to the 2008 statistical survey on French cultural practices and tastes, this article challenges conventional understandings of the taste patterns informing music consumption in contemporary France. In doing this, the article utilises a 'tablature of tastes' model which infers the incommensurability of musical genres and taste judgments no longer based on "rejections/dislikes" but rather on "openness/tolerance" or "indifference/ignorance". Our analysis tests the "tablatures" of musical likes, dislikes and indifferences hypothesis within the French population through a factor and classification analysis method. Six classes of musical taste emerge with a limited share of dislikes and a strong age differentiation. It confirms a major transformation in judgments of taste in the musical field.

Neurophysiological and Behavioral Differences between Older and Younger Adults When Processing Violations of Tonal Structure in Music

“…Most people tend to listen to similar music throughout life and the type of music older adults listen to is quite different than the music listened to by younger adults (Smith, 1994 ; Harrison and Ryan, 2010 ; Bennett and Taylor, 2012 ; Bonneville-Roussy et al, 2013 ). With the internet, it is now possible to access myriad musical genres and younger adults are much more likely to use Internet music services (Glévarec and Pinet, 2012 ). Critically, some of these genres might not necessarily follow the rules of Western tonality.…”

Investigating the interactions between individuals and music technologies within contemporary modes of music consumption

“…But this fragmentation is also accompanied by an increasing heterogeneity of modes of consumption. Repertoires of music preferences are said to become increasingly eclectic (see Glévarec and Pinet, 2012). Eclectic preferences induce different ways to approach music genres, as well as hierarchies of preferences that are enacted by the music technologies that individuals use.…”

Le régime de valeur culturel de la sériephilie : plaisir situé et autonomie d’une culture contemporaine

“…Dans un modèle dit de la tablature des goûts, appuyé initialement sur les goûts musicaux (Glevarec et Pinet, 2009 ;Glevarec, 2010b ;Glevarec et Pinet, 2012), nous avons fait de la « mise en genre » et de la hiérarchie à l'intérieur même des genres culturels -et non plus entre les genres comme le proposait par exemple Bourdieu dans La distinction -une des caractéristiques centrales des transformations contemporaines du champ de la culture. Nous voudrions montrer ici qu'un processus semblable de mise en genre et de classement interne opère dans le genre de la série 12 .…”