A solitary party : subjectivity of Chinese rock culture in The Big Band

Abstract

This dissertation examines rock music in Mainland China, focusing on the subjectivity of Chinese youth reflected in the music works. In recent years, after the release of the online variety show The Big Band, rock culture has gained vast popularity in China after long being marginalized in the mainstream due to its rebellious identity. Four bands from the second season, released in 2020, are selected to interpret the current state of rock culture and the subjectivity of youth presented by their music and performances. This dissertation first delves into the cultural connotation of rock music, referencing scholars Jacques Attali and Ruth Padel’s theorization of rock culture as a clarification of the significance of rock culture in China. Then, with a comparative study of the variety show’s methods of communicating with the audience and in-depth analyses of selected bands in later chapters, this dissertation explains the paradoxes young subjects face living in China’s cosmopolitan and post-socialist society. Consulting post-modern theories, it further argues that drifting and migrating experiences in modern society have been a significant theme in present rock music, and a mixed emotion of incapability and loneliness has become a typical mentality among the younger generation. In brief, this dissertation updates the analytical direction concerning the newly formed issues of rock culture in China and traces the possible development of rock music. Furthermore, it also summarizes the current traits regarding the identity and subjectivity of young Chinese.