Mapping Centrality and Power in Urban Networks of Music Production: The Case of the German Music Market

Popular music emerges in temporary projects, in which various highly specialized actors such as producers, engineers and artists come together in recording studios. Relations between these actors reach out between cities across the globe, forming global urban networks of music production. The aim of this paper is the identification of key cities of music production for the German music market in terms of their centrality, their power and their position in global networks of music production. Based on Watson's (2012) social network analysis of urban networks of three major English-speaking music markets, this paper analyses the German music market and with that it introduces new opportunities for international comparison. For this purpose, information about a total of 155 albums of the German album charts was collected focusing on involved recording studios. As results comprehensive global networks of the German music market are identified and mapped. The social network analysis presented in this paper, shows parallels to Watson's (2012) results but also reveals peculiarities and different characteristics of German cities in global networks of the music industry. ... mehrFurthermore, an analysis differentiated by genre, label and nationality of the artists indicates specific production patterns linking national and international networks of music production.