Musical Intimacy: Construction, Connection, and Engagement

Discourse on popular music frequently describes artists’ recordings and performances as ＂intimate.＂ Yet that discourse often stops short of elucidating how a mass-produced commodity such as popular music is able to elicit feelings of intimacy with and among its audience. Through detailed analysis of popular music’s composition, performance, production, and promotion, Musical Intimacy examines how intimacy is constructed and perceived in popular music via its affective and technological affordances. From the recording studio to the concert stage, from collective experience to individual listening and perception, this book presents a working understanding of musical intimacy.

Zack Stiegler is Professor of Communications Media at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, USA, where he teaches courses in communication law, media theory, popular culture, and radio production.

Todd Campbell is Assistant Professor of Music and Audio Production at Frederick Community College, USA, where he teaches courses in audio production, studio recording, and MIDI. He is also a performer, producer, and recording engineer whose tenth full-length solo project was released in the fall of 2022.