Research & Analysis of a Star Dyer's Theory

The term ‘star’ refers to the semi-mythological set of meanings constructed around music performers in order to sell the performer to a large and loyal audience. Irrespective of the medium, stars have some key features in common. A star is an image, not a real person, that is constructed (as any other aspect of fiction is) out of a range of materials (eg advertising, magazines etc as well as films [music]). Stars are also commodities produced and consumed on the strength of their meanings.

Richard Dyer (Stars, BFI, 1981) “In these terms it can be argued that stars are representations of persons which reinforce, legitimate or occasionally alter the prevalent preconceptions of what it is to be a human being in this society.  There is a good deal at stake in such conceptions.  On the one hand, our society stresses what makes them like others in the social group/class/gender to which they belong.  This individualising stress involves a separation of the person's "self" from his/her social "roles", and hence poses the individual against society.  On the other hand society suggests that certain norms of behaviour are appropriate to given groups of people, which many people in such groups would now wish to contest (eg the struggles over representation of blacks, women and gays in recent years).  Stars are one of the ways in which conceptions of such persons are promulgated.”

• ž        Youthfulness
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• ž       Rebellion
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• ž       Sexual Magnetism
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• ž       An anti-authoritarian attitude
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• ž       Originality
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• ž       Creativity/talent
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• ž       Aggression/anger
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• ž        A disregard for social values relating to drugs, sex and polite behaviour
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• ž       Conspicuous consumption, of sex, drugs and material goods
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• ž       Success against the odds

Stars depend upon a range of subsidiary media – magazines, TV, radio, the internet – in order to construct an image for themselves which can be marketed to their target audiences.

The star image is made up of a range of meanings which are attractive to the target audiences. This can be seen in Justin Bieber debut album My World which was released in November 2009.

Fundamentally, the star image is incoherent, that is incomplete and ‘open’.  Dyer says that this is because it is based upon two key paradoxes.

ž  Paradox 1-The star must be simultaneously ordinary and extraordinary for the consumer

ž  Paradox 2-The star must be simultaneously present and absent for the consumer