Keywords

Cultural sociology

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to explore the development and rise of the smooth jazz radio format. It is an exploratory study which aims to illustrate the confluence of forces that contributed to the immense success of the smooth jazz genre through the 1980s and well into the 1990s. Artists, such as the saxophonist Kenny G, popularized this style of music that is often described as instrumental-pop music, happy-jazz, or easy listening. Others might draw comparisons to the music we often hear inside of elevators and shopping centers. This is a process that is not unique to the genre of jazz nor to the time period I will be focusing on but is a niche in the music world in which I am intimately involved. This study delves into how the smooth jazz genre developed, the key player(s) involved with its proliferation, and most importantly, this study demonstrates that in spite of the meteoric rise and immense commercial success of smooth jazz, it was not a trend that could withstand the continuously changing tastes of the public.

Notes

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Graduation Date

2012

Semester

Spring

Advisor

Grauerholz, Elizabeth

Degree

Master of Arts (M.A.)

College

College of Sciences

Department

Sociology

Degree Program

Applied Sociology

Format

application/pdf

Identifier

CFE0004314

URL

http://purl.fcla.edu/fcla/etd/CFE0004314

Language

English

Release Date

May 2012

Length of Campus-only Access

None

Access Status

Masters Thesis (Open Access)

Subjects

Dissertations, Academic -- Sciences, Sciences -- Dissertations, Academic

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Included in

Sociology Commons

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