The ties that conform: Legitimacy and innovation of live music venues and local music scenes

Abstract

This study investigates innovation within live music scenes by analyzing the extent to which live music venues, with varying types and levels of legitimacy, conform to or diverge from their counterparts in terms of band and artist selection. Based on a self-collected dataset with information on 175 live music venues and some 5000 performing acts they featured in a year, this study reveals that economic and cultural legitimacy have distinct effects on the innovativeness of live music venues. Specifically, it is observed that venues with low economic legitimacy but high cultural legitimacy, particularly regarding music genre, tend to exhibit greater levels of innovation. Conversely, venues possessing moderate economic legitimacy and high cultural legitimacy, particularly related to media attention, tend to display lower levels of innovation. The findings underscore the role of artistic and low-status venues in enriching the innovativeness and diversity of local music scenes. By considering various types and levels of legitimacy, this study contributes to the sociology of music and culture as it deepens our understanding of the intricate interplay between legitimacy and innovation within the context of cultural production.