Another conspiracy about a royalty-free song’
Library music in contemporary political discourse
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 11268503 |
|---|---|
| Authors | J Durand (0000-0001-6126-4585, University of Lisbon), Toby Huelin (0000-0001-6173-6132, University of Leeds, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2024 |
| Volume | 46 |
| Issue | 8 |
| Pages | 1541-1558 |
| Publication date | 2024-11-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Media Culture & Society (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0163-4437 • E-ISSN: 1460-3675 |
| Publisher | SAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US) |
| DOI | 10.1177/01634437241254729 |
| OpenAlex | W4399176702 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 3 |
| References cited | 16 |
In 2022, US President Donald Trump and UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak faced public scrutiny over the background music used in official videos promoting their political agenda. Press articles and social media users claimed that the library (or ‘stock’) music heard in the videos consisted of so-called ‘soundalikes’, and questioned whether this choice was a public endorsement of problematic individuals or groups connected with the tracks in question: namely, conspiracy-theory movement QAnon, and convicted rock singer Gary Glitter. This article explores how library music is used strategically in these videos, highlighting the urgency of inquiring into its fundamental role in the construction and dissemination of political messages in media today, with moral and ethical implications that remain underresearched. Departing from these cases, the article also examines how library music, a once unseen musical practice, is now reaching the foreground of public attention, gaining unprecedented visibility due partly to its use in politically motivated videos. This allows us to rethink longstanding notions of library music as something that lacks a public existence, and to focus instead on what happens when it gains media coverage – prompting misunderstandings that reveal how unfamiliar the wider public is with the workings of this industry
Aesthetics · Art · Media studies · Musical · Political science · Politics · Scrutiny · Social media · Sociology · Visual arts · Diverse Musicological Studies · Law · Music History and Culture · Sound Studies and Aurality
Qualitative Media Analysis
‘Romantic Piano’ and ‘Sleazy Saxophone’
The Long History of the 2017 Spotify “Fake Music” Scandal
The Unconventional Music of the Democratic and Republican National Conventions of 2016
Sounds like money? Stock music, television and Donald Trump
Constructing alternative facts
Branding a Cool Celebrity President
Songs of tractors and submission
| Unique citing works | 3 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 1,5 |
| Citation span | 2024 - 2026 (3) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 3 |