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Build an Active Foundation for Heavy Metal Subculture Community Success in Contemporary Society

Yang, Zixuan
http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2617-2882
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1554212593057542

Abstract Details

2019, MDES, University of Cincinnati, Design, Architecture, Art and Planning: Design.
Since the first album that Black Sabbath released in 1970, the 50-year-long history of heavy metal music makes it has developed into a diversified but controversial subculture all over the world. Even though several big names, such as Metallica, Iron Maiden or Judas Priest, have gained commercial success and mainstream exposure, most of the heavy metal bands, fans and communities are still far from a stable status. The market scale is threatened by poor social acceptance and incorrect stereotypes and is too limited to develop an operational model for heavy metal music communities as mature as mainstream music production in this current state. The goal of this thesis is to: 1) explore the core value of heavy metal subculture and design an organizational strategy to strengthen the connection between various roles within the community. The research was divided into three parts. The first part is the quantitative research on the development of heavy metal music in different regions, shows the regional trends of heavy metal subculture. The second part is the qualitative evaluation of heavy metal albums’ covers and lyrics, and documentary films about heavy metal music. The third part is the interviews with record shop owners. The first part Borrowing the CIS (Corporation Identity System) from the business field, the data collected during the second stage could be categorized into visual identities, communication identities, and behavior identities. The data collected from interviews are organized into a system map to show the current organizational strategy. The conclusion, this thesis proposes a new type of organizational strategy that supports the local heavy metal subculture community, in order to help stabilize the market and strengthen connections of community members through participation in it. Furthermore, inspired by the proposed strategy, more universal strategies and guidelines for other types of subculture are discussed.
Ashley Kubley, M.A. (Committee Chair)
Gerald Michaud, M.A. (Committee Member)
176 p.
Design
Service Design; Subculture; Music; Heavy Metal; Marketing; Business Strategy

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Yang, Z. (2019). Build an Active Foundation for Heavy Metal Subculture Community Success in Contemporary Society [Master's thesis, University of Cincinnati]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1554212593057542

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Yang, Zixuan. Build an Active Foundation for Heavy Metal Subculture Community Success in Contemporary Society. 2019. University of Cincinnati, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1554212593057542.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Yang, Zixuan. "Build an Active Foundation for Heavy Metal Subculture Community Success in Contemporary Society." Master's thesis, University of Cincinnati, 2019. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1554212593057542

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

ucin1554212593057542
257
© 2019, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by University of Cincinnati and OhioLINK.