Richard Dyer

Richard Dyer: 'Star Theory'-

He states that there is a complete different between celebrities in general, ones that are simply know for performing music manufactured by companies simply to gain more money, forgetting their have an identity that is not soullessly based around their music. Another example are musicians who care about their music and not the fame, they will stay hidden by the public eye purely because they enjoy their music.

His theory is spilt into three different categories:

Audiences and Institutions
Constitutions
Hegemony

Audiences and Institutions

Artists are created for money purposes alone. Increasing the brand identity benefits the institution they serve as they become a household name increasing sales in all of the media institutions and platforms they are in. The institution then models the artist and their emotions around the target audience they choose. For example Lady Gaga, according to Dyer, was modelled around fashion forward people so the audience can relate to her as a person and also her music. The way she dresses is very obscure and weird this draws attention to her and makes her easy to remember and recall from memory, rock bands like you me at six continue to dress in dark clothes and have long messy hair as this fits in with the ‘rock’ stereotype. Audiences and Institutions

Constitutions

The constitutions side of his theory states that the star is built for an audience, and is not an individual person.The star is built with someone signature to them that differentiates them from other stars significantly, for example Lady Gaga’s obscure fashion. Actor Jason Statham is now typecast because of the way he has been constructed, he has now typecast as a ‘hard man’ with a cockney accent mainly because of his previous roles

Hegemony

This is also know as 'culture'. It is the idea that audiences relate to the star as they have a feature they share or admire with the star allowing the audience to relate to the star in a subconscious manner. Some fans may attempt to replicate the star in their behaviour, or fashion as they admire them so much.This could regarded as a negative impact as some stars often are heavy drinkers and drug abusers/addicts. For example in the 60's and 70's there was a dramatic increase of sales of cannabis due to The Beatles being open about using it. Stars represent shared cultural values and attitudes, and promote a certain ideology (ideas). Audience interest in these values enhances their 'star quality', and it is through conveying beliefs, ideas and opinions outside music that performers help create their star character to their fans. A star may start a fashion trend, with masses of fans copying their hairstyle and clothing