Music, identity, and oblivion

Abstract

This article explores a feature of listeners’ everyday interactions with popular music: the tendency to take vicarious pleasure in the production of such music by singing along, or miming the actions of the guitarist or drummer. Acts of mimicry such as these are examined via a consideration of the concepts of mimesis, catharsis, and – perhaps more unusually – possession. In this latter regard, parallels are drawn between contemporary acts of identification, such as playing air-guitar, and possession-trances, which have been a significant feature of a number of musical cultures throughout history. The conclusion is that pop/rock mime-play is a ritualistic means of engendering fellow-feeling within a context of relaxation and self-abandonment.