This extensively revised new edition of Understanding Popular Music Culture provides an accessible and comprehensive introduction to the production, distribution, consumption and meaning of popular music and the difficulties and debates that surround the analysis of popular culture and popular music.

Reflecting the continued expansion of popular music studies, the changing music industry and the impact of new technologies, Roy Shuker explores key subjects that shape our experience of music, including music production, musicians and stars, musical texts, music video and MTV, audiences and fans, scenes and subcultures and music as political activism and ideology.

This heavily revised and updated fourth edition includes:

• the role of social network sites, marketing and music retail
• the decline of the traditional model of the sound recording companies
• music genres, cover songs and the album canon
• case studies of artists such as Robert Johnson, the Sex Pistols, Shania Twain and Lady Gaga
• a comprehensive discography, based around musical metagenres, along with suggestions for further reading, listening and viewing.

The book now has an accompanying website, with focus questions and further study activities for each chapter, additional case studies and links to relevant websites.