Book Review: Gender, Branding, and the Modern Music Industry, by Kristin J. Lieb

Kristin J. Lieb Gender, Branding, and the Modern Music Industry. New York: Routledge Press, 2013. 194 pp.The introduction of MTV to the world in 1981 not only "Killed the Radio Star" (MTV's first music video) but also shifted the consumption of music from a predomi- nantly audio medium, to one which highlighted the visual performance of music. This subject, specifically the trajectory of female pop music stars' careers, is the subject of Kristin Lieb's book.Gender, Branding, and the Modern Music Industry includes data gathered in twenty-one extensive interviews with industry insiders, citing identified sources as well as anonymous contributors. Their frank assessment of the sexism that dominates the music industry is somewhat surprising, yet assuredly insightful.Lieb's fundamental argument is that while the music industry is constantly chang- ing, the emphasis on female appearance, and particularly one's sexuality, is a con- stant in the world of female pop music stars. By interrogating "the social forces underlying the patterned and problematic representation of female artists," readers can more fully understand "how they become so culturally embedded" in today's society (p. 164).Chapter 1 establishes the theoretical basis of the book by identifying relevant research in sociology, mass communication, and communication studies. Lieb intro- duces the notion of the Cultural Diamond based on the work of Wendy Griswold. The interaction between four key elements-the social world, a cultural object (in this case the female artist), the creator (the music industry and the artist herself), and the receiver (or consumer) of the music serves as a basis to understand the sociological process of constructing female pop music stars. Together with brand theory, Lieb combines a variety of theoretical constructs to complete the framework for studying female pop music stars. Here, Lieb suggests that critical theory is insufficient to explain this phe- nomenon. However, in the final analysis of the life cycle of female pop music stars (Chapter 6), she draws largely from critical theory scholars, so while it is true that the book approaches the topic with a broad scope of academic literature, critical theory undoubtedly plays a significant role in the conclusions reached.Chapter 2 merges two previously separate components of branding: the short-term brand and person brand. This concept serves as the basis for much of the analysis that follows. In addition, Lieb explores the various strategies, such as an artist's accessibil- ity, which may be used to keep the "brand" relevant. Chapter 3 chronicles the evolving nature of the music industry (post-MTV) with particular attention to the success of sales operations such as Amazon and the impact of new technological avenues for obtaining music.Chapters 4 and 5 explore the phases through which most successful female pop music stars must traverse. Using wide-ranging examples of artists from Madonna, Brittney Spears, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, and others, Lieb analyzes the evolution of their careers. The phases begin with the stereotypic "good girl" and progress through roles labeled with more explicitly sexual overtones (i.e., temptress, whore, diva) and conclude with less commonly achieved phases such as self-imposed exile, protected status (generally by a male figure), and, finally, legends. …