Western University Scholarship@Western Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository 4-21-2021 9:30 AM Heavy Metal Fundraisers: Entrepreneurial Recording Artists in Platform Capitalism Jason Netherton, The University of Western Ontario Supervisor: Stahl, Matt, The University of Western Ontario : Comor, Edward, The University of Western Ontario A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the equirr ements for the Doctor of Philosophy degree in Media Studies © Jason Netherton 2021 Follow this and additional works at: https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/etd Part of the Communication Technology and New Media Commons, Music Practice Commons, Political Economy Commons, and the Work, Economy and Organizations Commons Recommended Citation Netherton, Jason, "Heavy Metal Fundraisers: Entrepreneurial Recording Artists in Platform Capitalism" (2021). Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository. 7800. https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/etd/7800 This Dissertation/Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by Scholarship@Western. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository by an authorized administrator of Scholarship@Western. For more information, please contact
[email protected]. Abstract How do cultural producers square customary understandings of what it means to be authentic and autonomous creators in new contexts characterized by digital-era entrepreneurial pressures and online platform-mediated financial opportunities? This study examines how heavy metal recording artists experience these pressures; how some of them engage in platform-based crowdfunding, argue over its legitimacy, and rationalize varying degrees of acceptance and dependence. First, my analysis centers on a case study which follows the experiences of a progressive metal band as they navigate a new financial relation in conjunction first with the fundraising platform Pozible and then the patronage-based crowdfunding platform Patreon.