STAR THEORYRICHARD DYER

1. STARS AS CONSTRUCTIONS

• Icons and celebrities are manufactured and artificial images used for advertisement and entertainment.• Audiences believe that the

celebrities are conveying a certain emotion and that they are ‘relatable’ through a variety of mediums such as their music videos, social media and magazine interviews/photoshoots.

FOR EXAMPLE: Taylor Swift markets herself as her younger fans’ “older sister” figure. • Her songs discuss typical matters many

teenage girls can connect with, such as heartbreak and friendship troubles.

• She keeps up-to-date with trends in order to portray herself as “one of us” yet, simultaneously, emphasises how “uncool” she is.

• Her social media presence is powerful and her posts/tweets allow her fans to feel much more connected with her.

2. STARS AS COMMODITIES

• Stars are created to create a profit for their label and the institutions surrounding them.

• This profit can be obtained through products or experiences – albums, merchandise, ancillary products (e.g. perfumes, make-up lines), concert tickets, meet and greet experiences.

• Agencies and labels continuously churn out similar stars to those already in the spotlight as they acknowledge certain patterns and styles working to generate money.

• This is the sole purpose of programmes such as X Factor and American Idol, which have produced some of the most popular groups.

3. STARS AS AN IDEOLOGY

• Stars represent certain social groups and views, thus certain ideologies are created.

• Celebrities often reflect bourgeoisie and upper class lifestyles, and the media portrays this as ideal.

• However, this may be contradicted with the ‘indie’ subculture – a genre which consists of bands who originate from a working class background and perpetuated working class values.

• Moreover, stars may now promote their own ideologies through the use of social media and, thus, trigger social change. Particularly with those who possess a large following, celebrities are able to establish their own values outside of their music.

• FOR EXAMPLE: Lady Gaga – often uses her platform to bring attention to issues on sexuality, feminism and mental health. This creates cultural discourse which her fans can engage with and comment on.