Making a scene: exploring the dimensions of place through Dutch popular music, 1960–2010

Abstract

This paper applies a multi-layered conceptualisation of place to the analysis of particular music scenes in the Netherlands, 1960–2010. We focus on: the clustering of music-related activities in locations; the delineation of spatially tied music scenes, based on a shared identity, reproduced over time through music practices and memory work; and the scale of interconnections in music practices. Using a variety of data sources (music industry locational data from 2011; pop chart entries, analysed by artist location, music genre, and social network ties; popular music history books; the Canon of Dutch Popular Music, published in 2007), we study the development of music scenes in the country. Our findings reveal that different dimensions of place come together in different combinations in music scenes in the Netherlands, allowing us to highlight three models: the big city; the infrastructure and media model; and the niche model. While we highlight the relative importance of specific locational and economic indicators, we also note the strength of memory work and narratives in legitimising certain local music scenes and supporting their endurance through time.