Culture Industry

1. Taken from: Production of Culture/Cultures of Production (ed) Paul Du Gay, Sage 1997

3. In todays lesson we were
pretending that we were judges
on Xfactor. My group was assigned
to be Mel B. We had to be quite
harsh as in the show she is the
most toughest for he to like someone
and their singing.
We were asked in one sentence to describe XFactor.
My group came up with: A competition for the next
music sensation/artist.
Also we came up with a sentence of what a competition
like this may be looking for: The next big thing, someone
who can sell millions of records. Authentic, original and
someone who had a good personality.
We went around the class and theses words came up:
‘’Like One Direction’’
‘’Authentic’’
‘’Unique’’
‘’Personality’’

4. Auditions
We then watched a number of 2014 auditions. We were asked to comment as if we
were commenting with them in front of us, we had to comment on what we would
change as a professional if they were not in
front of us.
1. Kayleigh Manners
Feedback live to their face-
Need to have confidence, Get rid of the guitar.
As a industry professional, what would you be
thinking about and plan for them?-
Project her voice, Refine her image.
2. Andrea Faustini
Feedback live to their face-
Nice personality, Great singer, Likable, Special
An an industry professional, what would you be
thinking about and plan for them?-
Like a Sam Smith, RnB, Would be good in
America, Could sing breakup songs,
should work with other artists.

5. 3. Kitten and The Hip
Feedback live to their face-
Bubbly, Potential, Get rid of The Hip, Quirky, Interesting
As an industry professional, what would you be thinking
about and plan for them?-
Get rid of The Hip, Strip her down natural, Reminder of
Eurovision
4. Shaydon Willis
Feedback live to their face-
Persistent, Can not sing, No, He should express his
feelings in a different way.
As an industry professional, what would you be
thinking about and plan for them?-
He could be a songwriter for other people

6. 5. Tenn Senah
Feedback live to their face-
Be serious, Not likeable, Good but not great
As an industry professional, what would you be
thinking about and plan for them?-
Be serious, Songwriter, Could be a part of a girl
group
6. Raign
Feedback live to their face-
Not likeable, Good songwriter, Cocky
As an industry professional, what would you be
thinking about and plan for them?-
Different, Be careful of the type of song she
sings

7. 7. Starlight
Feedback live to their face-
No
As an industry professional, what
would you be thinking about and plan
for them?-
No
8. Jake Quickenden
Feedback live to their face-
Perfect, Great singing voice,
Determined
As an industry professional, what
would you be thinking about and plan
for them?-
Good recording voice, Perfect, Could
work with other artists

8. 9. Overload
Feedback live to their face-
Cute, Copying One Direction, Nothing
original
As an industry professional, what would
you be thinking about and plan for them?-
Copycats, Girls will love them, Pop songs
10. Paul Akister
Feedback live to their face-
Good recording voice, Perfect
As an industry professional, what would
you be thinking about and plan for them?-
Very good recording voice, Could work
with other artists

9. Adorno and Horkheimer adopted the term ‘Culture Industry’ to argue that the way in which
cultural items were produced was analogous to how other industries manufactured vast
quantities of customer goods. In my understanding an example of this is that the way cars
are manufactured to the public is the same way artists are advertised for the public.

10. The culture industry exhibited an assembly-line character which could be observed in the
synthetic planned method of turning out its products.
Xfactor Machine.
The task that we did in the beginning of the lesson was linked to the idea of the culture
industry to a model of mess culture in which cultural production had become a routine,
standardized repetitive operation that produced undemanding cultural commodities
which in turn resulted in a type of consumption. In my understanding they are saying that
things are introduced but go through a routine to make it sellable to the public.
They say that it is the pessimistic lament of cultural elitists who were dismayed at
what they perceived to be the homogeneity and vulgarity of ‘mass’ taste, and who
were concerned that the potential for artistic creativity in music had been co-opted
and corrupted by the production methods and administrative regimes of industrial
capitalism. In my understanding, They are saying that artists do not have the creative
freedom to sing, look, advertise, and talk about what they wish to but they have to
be under the people who get the most money resulting in capitalism doing what they
say just to make a sale.

11. They argue that capitalism enjoys to make things (not only artist)
a production system of money. The customers and creative artists are the same.
They say that culture industry is the same for other manufacturing industries.
The metaphor of the ‘assembly-line’ was used to stress the repetitive and routine character
of cultural production.

12. Standardization
Adorno discovered that songs that became successful were referred to as ‘standards’
which is used for a category that drew attention to the character. E.g. Pop, Rnb, Soft Rock.
Songs are in a repetitive sequence meaning that songs are made to be catchy so that it is
imprinted in your mind so you may decide to buy the song form iTunes for example. The
whole system is used to gain commercial gain.
Pseudo Individuality
The definition is the way that the culture industry assembled products that mad claims to
‘originality’ but there are superficial differences. In other words the originality is false but
advertising to the public that there is something special. Adorno and Horkheimer said the
image of the lock and key which is an item that is mass produced in millions, whose
uniqueness lies in only very minor modifications.

13. Conclusion
Adorno and Horkheimer said that the culture industry was supporting and producing masses
and to not have the creative freedom over their career.
They explain that artists become standardized not giving them a separate identity from other
Artists like it should be as artists like to think that have something special about themselves.