Theatrical Performance and Popular Music

This book explores the ways in which theatrical techniques are used to create shared performance environments for musicians and fans in popular music. Readers will discover how stage lighting, costuming, choreography, character adoption, and spatial design transform concerts into large-scale theatrical experiences. Through engaging case studies of artists and bands such as The Weeknd, Lil Nas X, Taylor Swift, BTS, and Lana Del Rey, this book reveals how these practices have adapted to changing technologies and cultural trends, offering both historical context and contemporary analysis. Essential reading for undergraduate students in performance studies, music, and cultural studies, this accessible book will also appeal to general readers interested in understanding the theatrical artistry behind modern music performance.

David Pattie is Associate Professor in the Department of Creative Industries at the University of Birmingham, UK.

Introduction: The Place of Performance. 1. Framing Popular Music Performance. 2. The Creation of Popular Music Theatre: 1965-1975. 3. Scenographic technologies. 4. Performance and Genre. 5. The Extended Persona: Characterisation and Performance. 6. Performance Narratives. Postscript. Reference list. Index.