Playing away: popular music, policy and devolution in Scotland

Symon, P. and Cloonan, M. (2002) Playing away: popular music, policy and devolution in Scotland. Scottish Affairs, 40, pp. 99-122.

Abstract

In this paper we examine the agenda for change in policy towards popular music in Scotland brought about by political devolution. Popular music has been one of the most vibrant cultural forms of the past fifty years. Yet, as the evidence we present on its popular music industry makes clear, Scotland has under-performed when compared to the UK as a whole and to Ireland. In recent years, the cultural and economic importance of popular music has become widely recognised. The five major music corporations are now parts of an entertainments industry accounting for total spending globally of an estimated half a trillion US dollars per year (Vogel, 2001: xvii). In Scotland, the music industry has been estimated to be worth £95.4 million per year to the economy (Laing, 2000).

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Cloonan, Professor Martin
• Authors: Symon, P., and Cloonan, M.
• College/School: College of Arts & Humanities > School of Culture and Creative Arts > Music
• Journal Name: Scottish Affairs
• ISSN: 0966-0356