Teens ages 15 to 18 are an ideal group to show how Erving Goffman's theory of dramaturgy can be applied to music. This theory of dramaturgy, credited to Goffman in his paper The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life in 1959, looks at social interaction as if it was a theatrical performance, in which we are all actors with stages, roles, scripts, costumes and sets.
Music is an integral part of the teen culture, as supported by a recent article published in The Gettysburg Times: "Research has shown that a person's music preference potentially has a correlation with their personality, intelligence, and behavioral characteristics." Using the dramaturgy theory, the significant influence of music upon teen culture can be better understood by identifying music as it is used as a prop, costume, or script, and exercises a driving force in determining their identity.
Young people often use music as a "stage" to present their identity or role, on which teens find peers who share similar interests. Music employed as a prop or a costume provides inspiration for their dress, one of the most powerful representations of an individual's identity. Teens use music as an expression of emotions and feelings and as an intentional or unintentional inspiration for their style. Applying Goffman's dramaturgy theory, the impact and influence of music on a teen's identity can be easily seen.
Teens will use music as one of the many stages to help them form an identity, as well as find where they belong in their social community. Carma Haley Shoemaker highlights the importance of music in defining an individual in her article Give Me a Beat. "[Teens] learn things about themselves that help them define their personality, style, attitude, etc. Music is one of the factors that creates this definition." High school is often the time for forming an identity, sometimes on multiple stages. Teens determine if they prefer athletics or theatre; if they would rather be in academic or social environments; if they will go to parties or go to the movies. Teens use music as a way to express their emotions and attitudes, as they search for the most comfortable stage or environment. This search can be assisted by music lyrics that communicate similar feelings or beliefs that he or she holds. Therefore, music often serves as a good reflection of what kind of environment a young person is most comfortable in. For example, someone who listens to heavy rap music containing many sex, drug, and party references may regularly participate in the party atmosphere or social situations.
Shoemaker also talks about the way teens form social groups based on common interest, particularly in music. "One of the most common aspects of musical interest is the 'grouping' of teens that like the same type of music." Especially in the atmosphere of high school, teens constantly seek acceptance from peers. "So if a teen likes things that are not as popular – such as classical, jazz or blues music – they often keep it confined within the walls of their own home or their room to avoid any ridicule." Finding a stage where teens can interact with people of similar interests is an integral part of surviving in the teen culture; feelings of belonging and popularity play an incredibly influential role in decision making. Music serves as on of the primary ways that teens find a group to associate themselves with. The vast majority of teens listen to some sort of music. This commonality gives teens something to talk about and for friendships over. During a time period of personal discovery, music acts as on of the many stages that people can use to help define themselves as individuals and make them feel part of something.
Songs are being treated as a "script" more and more today, in that teens are interpreting lyrics as lifestyle instructions. Teenagers allow their actions and beliefs to be influenced by lyrics in popular songs. According to Tara Parker-Pope, a writer for the New York Times, "Studies have long shown that media messages have a pronounced impact on childhood risk behaviors."
Teens are being exposed to these ideas at an earlier age than ever before, as the current pop culture almost requires for some sexual or drug references to be involved for a song to become popular among the artist's target audience: typically middle school to high school teenagers. For example of the top 100 songs listed on iTunes on November 16, 2010 twenty were labeled explicit, including 9 of the top 50. This isn't taking into consideration songs that have been censored. But in today's society, teenagers are so exposed that the effectiveness of censoring is limited. The rise of these references in music has influenced the script of parties and sometimes even daily life for teenagers. Although this is't the only type of music reqriting their "scripts," it is perhaps the most pronounced.
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the use of illicit drugs has been steadily increasing in 8th and 10th graders. This statistic likely correlates with the increased amount of references in music. In Parker Pope's New York Times article, it states that "the average adolescent is exposed to approximately 84 references to explicit substance use per day and 591 references per week, or 30,732 references per year." With the growth of the Internet, it is easier than ever to obtain copies of uncensored songs. While many other factors, such as family life and surrounding community, also influences a teenager's script, musicians continue to gain more influence in teenager's lives, sending out message traditionally seen as negative. While there is music that sends other messages (i.e. Christian music), the most popular genres of music today commonly make references to alcohol, other drugs, or sex, providing an example and a writing script for kids to implement into their lives.
People often say teens are growing up too fast, engaging in adult activities at a much earlier age. Part of this can be blamed on the music industry as it continues to evolve and entertain the current teen culture.
The use of costumes and props to portray a character is not limited to high school theatre. In fact, as teenagers act out certain “roles” following a certain “script” in their everyday lives, they are dressed for the part. Goffman’s definition of components needed in a performance, or any social interaction, includes costumes (or manner of dress) and props (ranging from a variety of accessories). The “back stage” is where an individual’s performance is planned, and when including dress, it would intentionally “give” an impression. This conscious choice is common, and even an unintentional impression is always “given off”, as those a teen interacts with observe them. Considering that fashion and clothing are a popular means of self-expression, it is no wonder that music, another popular form of self-expression, greatly influences apparel. As teenagers are developing and determining a sense of identity, they are inspired by different genres of music, and that is evident in their representation of themselves.
The role of music in a teen’s life cannot be underestimated. Many people are quick to blame or credit family, surrounding community, or other media sources as the major influences a teen experiences while in high school, but music plays just as large of a role as these other sources of influence. Whether by helping to form an identity or impacting one’s actions and ideas, the power of music over high school kids exemplifies itself through many facets. Erving Goffman’s dramaturgy theory provides a solid framework to examine the many different ways music can affect an adolescent. These different areas of influence include acting as a stage for kids to find their identity and peers with similar interests, providing a script for teens to follow, and serving as a costume, influencing public appearance. Whether for positive growth or the creation of negative habits, music plays an often overlooked role in the shaping of a teen.
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