Analyzing how the Japanese metal dance unit BABYMETAL acquired its creativity and popularity from the perspectives of the social systems theory

DOI IR Web Site Open Access

Bibliographic Information

Other Title
  • メタルダンスユニットBABYMETALの創造性と大衆性獲得過程に関する社会システム論的分析
  • メタル ダンス ユニット BABYMETAL ノ ソウゾウセイ ト タイシュウセイ カクトク カテイ ニカンスル シャカイ システムロンテキ ブンセキ

Search this article

Abstract

This study analyzes how BABYMETAL, a metal dance unit formed in 2010, acquired its creativity and achieved historical success in the United States and Europe as Japanese pop-music artists from the perspectives of the social systems theory. Through this analysis, this paper aims to identify the factors behind BABYMETAL's success and gain insight into the creative role played by the "culture industry" in today's popular media culture. BABYMETAL's producer, KOBAMETAL, in the various interviews and articles indicated that BABYMETAL established its unique style and achieved success through various unintended communication chains. According to the social systems theory examined by the author in different articles, popular culture can be analyzed as a complex combination of different social systems with their own program, such as the "creation system," "business system," and "consumption system." From this theory's perspective, KOBAMAETAL can be conceptualized as a place where different social systems intersect, such as the creation and business system. The program of BABYMETAL's creation system incorporates a kind of "resistance" or challenge to constantly transform itself to retain its uniqueness. The business system's operations are controlled by a program that continually tries to present new things to the market while avoiding managerial risks. The business system brings creativity to popular culture by updating its own program and creating a new "scheme of meaning" by constantly providing the market with new products. BABYMETAL acquired its creativity and popularity through the complex intersection of the creative and business systems described above.

Journal

  • 評論・社会科学

    評論・社会科学 (143), 67-88, 2022-12-31

    The Association of Social Studies, Doshisha University

Keywords

Details 詳細情報について

Report a problem

Back to top