Structural Power and the Construction of Markets: The Case of Rhythm and Blues

Dowd, Timothy J.

doi:10.1016/s0195-6310(03)21006-1

Cited by 44 publications

(45 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…The ''nature'' of these dominant firms changed markedly as one logic gave way to another. One line of argument within this growing literature is particularly relevant for this paper: the impact of concentration on various market outcomesincluding the careers of media workers -is not uniform but, instead, is contingent upon logics of production (see Dobbin & Dowd, 2000;Dowd, 2003). A group of researchers demonstrates such contingent effects in the mainstream recording market.…”

Section: Production Logicsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This starting point is also empirically reasonable. Creative workers affiliated with dominant firms often enjoy more opportunities than those at small firms (e.g., Bielby & Bielby, 1999;Janssen, 1998), and the ascendance of newly dominant firms can expand opportunities for some creative workers (Dowd, 2003;Jones, 2001).…”

Section: General Factors Accounting For Mainstream Success Of Female mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Recent work documents the diffusion of decentralized production in the mainstream market (Dowd, 2000(Dowd, , 2003(Dowd, , 2004Dowd & Blyler, 2002). In the early 1940s, the era of centralized production was in full bloom and concentration was relatively high.…”

Section: Production Logicsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Finally, a shortage of manufacturing materials (e.g., the shellac used in record discs) limited the number of recordings released by the industry. Just as the dearth of recordings directed increased attention to a once-marginalized group -R&B performers (Dowd, 2003) -this dearth may have also directed attention to female acts in the mainstream market.…”

Section: Wartime Shortagesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…While the diffusion of R&B music into the mainstream market in the 1960s obviously benefited men performers (e.g. Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye), it also fostered the success of such women as The Supremes, Diana Ross, Aretha Franklin, and Dionne Warwick (see Dowd, 2003;Gaar, 1992;Ward, 1998). The feminist movement of the 1970s allowed women to see their participation in historically male endeavors -including music -as a political statement (Bayton, 1998).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 4 more Smart Citations

Charting Gender: The Success of Female Acts in the U.S. Mainstream Recording Market, 1940–1990

Dowd¹,

Liddle²,

Blyler³

Research in the Sociology of Organizations

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Research on creative workers speaks to the relative lack of job opportunities available, the role that changing production logics play in shaping such opportunities, and gender disparities in success. Tracking the 22,561 hits found on Billboard's mainstream charts, we examine various factors that may spur or hamper the success of female recording acts. We find that the expanding logic of decentralized production eliminates the negative effect of concentration on the success of female acts and that the presence of successful female acts in one period bodes well for subsequent female acts, until a glass ceiling of sorts is reached.

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Section: Production Logicsmentioning

confidence: 99%