Playing to the Crowd: Musicians, Audiences, and the Intimate Work of Connection

Explains what happened to music—for both artists and fans—when music went online.

Playing to the Crowd explores and explains how the rise of digital communication platforms has transformed artist-fan relationships into something closer to friendship or family. Through in-depth interviews with musicians such as Billy Bragg and Richie Hawtin, as well as members of the Cure, UB40, and Throwing Muses, Baym reveals how new media has facilitated these connections through the active, and often req...