Collaboration: Creativity, industry and politics

Abstract

Collaboration has been at the heart of music practice for centuries. In June 2009, academics, musicians, music journalists and students discussed issues relating to music collaboration at a conference convened by the Social Aesthetics Research Unit at Monash University. Examining the themes of the contributors to this special issue, the artistic, political and industrial contexts of collaboration are explored across a range of disciplinary approaches and music genres. Collaborative practice has presented some challenges to accepted thinking about the music 'star'/'genius'. Recent technological change enabling fans to 'collaborate' with their favourite artists continues to raise new questions for the music industries about how to protect and commodify their music investments. © 2011 Musicological Society of Australia.