When materiality ‘bites back’: Digital music consumption practices in the age of dematerialization

Abstract

Dematerialization of artefacts and material objects is a relevant issue in consumer studies, especially when we consider the ongoing changes regarding the consumption of cultural goods. This article adopts a theory-of-practice approach to analyse the consequences of dematerialization on the practices of digital music consumption. From an empirical point of view, the article is based on data collected during research into the appropriation of digital music technologies and based on 25 in-depth narrative semi-structured interviews with young Italian digital music consumers. The analysis mainly focuses on the appropriation of three specific technologies involved into the contemporary consumption of music: the iPod, the external hard drive and the vinyl disc. In order to understand the role of materiality in the age of dematerialization, the article adopts the ‘circuit of practice’, an explicative model that enables empirical analysis and that is aimed at highlighting the changing relationships between materiality and social practices. The analysis shows that music digitalization does not mean less materiality in the actual practice of listeners, that material ‘stuffs’ still occupy a relevant position in digital music, and that materiality nowadays seems to ‘bite back’, being even more crucial in shaping consumers’ practices.

‘Vinyl never say die’: The re-incarnation, adoption and diffusion of retro-technologies

“…Especially, social media also drives consumers to the local record shops to thumb through vinyl records. This resonates with Magaudda's [7] observation that physical artefacts occupy an increasingly important position in the wave of digitization. Die-hard vinyl fans also take advantage of the internet to maintain their subculture network, in the name of preserving and re-distributing their beloved vinyl.…”

“…One of the most insightful studies emanating from this stream of literature is the work of Magaudda [7] which analysed the consequences of dematerialization of the practices of cultural goods consumption. Drawing on the theory of practice, the study shows how the appropriation the vinyl technology re-configures listeners' situated practices which in turn changes the subjective meaning of the value of materiality of the technology in everyday life.…”

“…In recent times, our understanding of the music enthusiasts' return to vinyl has therefore been extended as a result of some interesting lines of inquiry, analyzing the larger social, historical and intellectual context within which vinyl has emerged as a preferred music format [5,7]. Plasketes [5] has provided some interesting insight into vinyl's re-diffusion from a socio-cultural perspective.…”

“…In this regard, we follow in the footsteps of other scholars such as [7,10,12], to argue that the resurgence and increasing adoption of nearobsolete technologies has some epistemological relevance to the management of technology in this digital age. This discursive positioning of retro-technologies is not simply of innovation.…”

“…In recent times, our understanding of the music enthusiasts' return to vinyl has therefore been extended as a result of some interesting lines of inquiry analysing the larger social, historical, and intellectual context within which vinyl has emerged as a preferred music format [6][7][8][9]. Among the plethora of factors cited as driving vinyl's renewed appeal and boom in vinyl sales include consumers demand for good-quality sound [6], its physicality, tactile and aesthetic appeal [10], and old-fashion consumerism [8,11].…”