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TRANSITION OF POP CULTURE FROM THE CONSUMER TO THE HYPER-CONSUMER SOCIETY

The author of this paper deals with the turbulence of pop culture in a transition from the industrial-mass production to the post-industrial post-cultural hyper-consumer society. The first section identifies the consumer mentality of a consumer, preoccupied by the consumption of material and symbolic goods, and of a turbo- or hyper-consumer, who has raised consumption to the level of fetish. In both cases consumption could not function without marketing, advertising and creation of brands. Following a comprehensive analysis of the general characteristics of consumption (in the industrial stage of society) and hyper-consumption (in the post-industrial stage), the author uses sociological instruments to observe the consumption of popular cultural contents – film, television and various genres of popular music in particular. The section titled “Rock – from the music of rebellion to a market item” examines the transformation of rock music and different manners of its perception, from its first notes to this date. The author analyses the post-war youth market, including the industry of records, cassette tapes, CDs, music videos and other media. The economy of rock-n-roll and the commercial basis of this music have subjected rock to great temptations, leading to its double life, which on the one hand, serves the purpose to meet the tastes and expectations of a large and demanding audience, and on the other, to make profit so as to satisfy the insatiable appetites of various business people, music producers, organizers and managers.