Affiliation:
1. Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania, USA
Abstract
The popular music industry finds itself beset by circumstances in which most of its best-selling artists are more than 50 years old and some top sellers have died. This chapter investigates popular-music fandom through the lens of product involvement and looks to the literature on luxury-goods management for potential managerial insights that might help the industry navigate an otherwise uncertain future. Highly committed fans may be marked by enduring involvement and may be more attracted to artists who are able to position themselves successfully as “classic” (expert aesthetic, enduring duration), adapted from the luxury-goods setting. Broad, long-term popular appeal may be achievable with successful positioning of the artist as “modern” (novice/surface aesthetic, enduring duration). Preliminary recommendations are offered, and avenues for further research are discussed.