The consumption of music as self-representation in social interaction

Although it is widely accepted that music can be used as a tool to communicate symbolic meaning, there has been little inquiry into how music is consumed to represent the self in social interaction. This paper seeks to provide new insights into the ways in which individuals symbolically consume recorded music. Through the interpretation of phenomenological data gathered from 16 sources, a conceptual framework is developed which depicts the relationship between the consumer’s self-concept, the symbolic properties of music and the consumption situation. The conceptual framework of the consumption of music as self-representation proposes that individuals can use music to represent themselves in social interaction when the meaning of that music is congruent with the image of themselves that they wish to present. This framework clearly illustrates the strength of situational influence and the role of fluid and multiple self-conceptions identities in the symbolic consumption of music.