In his book Subculture: The Meaning of Style, Dick Hebdige defines subculture as a form of cultural deviance, which symbolically inverts the dominant values of the parent culture. Hebdige argues that subcultures are formed by young people who feel marginalized or excluded from the mainstream culture. They use style, music, and other forms of cultural expression to create a sense of identity and belonging. Subcultures often challenge the dominant values of the parent culture, and they can be seen as a form of resistance.
Hebdige identifies three key elements of subcultures:
Style: Subcultures often develop their own distinctive style, which is used to communicate their identity and values. This style can include clothing, music, hair, and other forms of self-presentation.
Music: Music is often an important part of subcultures. It can provide a sense of identity, belonging, and resistance. Subcultures often develop their own distinctive music, which is often seen as a form of protest or rebellion.
Space: Subcultures often develop their own spaces, such as clubs, bars, or squats. These spaces provide a place for subcultures to meet, socialize, and express their identity.
Hebdige's work on subcultures has been influential in cultural studies. It has helped us to understand the role of subcultures in society, and it has shown how subcultures can be used to challenge the dominant culture. Subcultures are constantly evolving, and there is no one definition that can capture them all. However, Hebdige's work on subcultures has provided us with a valuable framework for understanding them.
Subculture is not an academic theory or concept as such and Dick Hebdige’s contribution remains the most significant academic exploration of the subject. That said, those who are interested in exploring design within certain contexts - such as music or skate culture – would do well to adopt Hebdige’s work. Exploring Hebdige’s work can help to provide a greater understanding of how subcultures work and why people choose to participate in them. As graphic designers, this can help us produce more authentic designs for such audiences.
The notion of “scene” is also one that can inform an understanding of audiences within subcultural contexts.
Some themes that could be explored using a subcultural lens are:
How can an understanding of subculture inform more effective branding strategies for music acts (bands, DJs, solo artists, etc.)?
What characterises the participation in a particular scene or subculture (clothes, attitude, language, music, etc.)? How can graphic design contribute to these characteristics and “tap into” subcultural markets?
How does branding for music help to connect music artists and performances to particular scenes or subcultures?