ABSTRACT
This chapter continues the theme of mediation, examining the relationship of popular music production, dissemination, and consumption to an historical succession of audiovisual media: film and television, MTV, video games, and YouTube. With film, my focus is on mainstream feature films and popular music, primarily the popular/rock musicals that followed in the footsteps of classic Hollywood musicals. With television, I am interested in the impact of the new medium on the impact of rock and roll and the subsequent role of mainstream television music shows, including those that are a form of reality television (S Club 7; Idol). Both film and television have screened popular music documentaries and biopics, validating and mythologizing particular performers, styles, and historical moments. The case of MTV illustrates, once again, the global reach of the music industry and the synergy between music, marketing, and audiences. Video gaming represents an increasingly important contemporary site for the production and consumption of popular music. Currently, YouTube has enabled access to a wide range of music in all its previous audiovisual forms.
