Consumption and social distinction in the cultural field of music

Abstract

Objective: This study aims to identify patterns of consumption and taste in the cultural field of music. Method: A quantitative approach was used: 1,168 people were consulted through semistructured questionnaires. The questionnaires were distributed in three cities: Belo Horizonte, Juiz de Fora and Lavras. The data were subjected to Multiple Correspondence Analysis (MCA). Relevance/Originality: Understanding the mechanics and social consequences of status consumption has been the focus of rich theoretical debate. But researchers have pointed out the need for further research, because empirical data is drawn almost exclusively from European countries or the United States. So, this study can help address part of the theoretical gap and generate data to understanding the patterns of musical taste and consumption in a developing country. Main results: MCA confirmed that a sharp division exists between taste for culturally legitimated and popular musical genres, that are tied especially to differences in education and cultural capital. Only 4.5% of the respondents were classified as omnivores. Thus, it is argued that although many scholars find evidence of the cultural omnivore theory, the differences in musical taste found in this study are better explained by homology and snobbish taste. Theoretical/Methodological Contributions: Information can be valuable for academics to deepen their studies or elaborate new research questions, allowing also to make comparisons between different regions or different time lapse. This study, also, generates insights for the refinement of analyzes and classifications referring to cultural capital and cultural omnivore.