"Compare and contrast how Nirvana and Radiohead have used digital technology"

Radiohead have used digital technology in order to promote their musical releases and generate income independently. They released 'In Rainbows' in 2007 on their website and made it available through a 'Pay What You Want' system. This was the first album they had offered this opportunity with, and despite being free of charge should the user wish, there were still 2.3 million illegal downloads from 'BitTorrent'. As well as these illegal downloads, the album was purchased 3 million times legitimately and later sold 100000 collector edition 'disk boxes' complete with albums and memorabilia. By making the music available free of charge, by choice, it generated interest in the album. Music streaming website Spotify said 'if a musician or band publish their music free of charge, they have a higher chance of generating income'. This is because listeners have the opportunity to listen to the music to ensure they like it first and they can 'preview' it before they commit to spending their money on it.

Similarly, Radiohead have used the internet to promote their upcoming album 'The King of Limbs'. They posted the music video to their single 'Lotus Flower' on their blog 'Dead Air Space'. This again gives listeners a chance to preview the music and it gives them a taste of what to expect with the rest of the album. It generates excitement and interest in the upcoming album, as well as providing material for social integration both in person and on social networking sites.

Production.

The Socioeconomic Groups

Uses & Gratifications.

Mad Men:

• Finding models of behaviour: The main male characters of Mad Men are high powered and successful, and this could appeal to similar men who aspire for wealth and successful careers. In an ever-changing society, this could also appeal to women who wish to have a similar sort of power. They can also receive gratifications from Peggy who takes control over her career and has a secret meeting to secure a new job.

• Sexual arousal: Mad Men features a cast which provides sex appeal for both men and women. Jon Hamm is seen as a sex symbol and the character of Joan played by Christina Hendricks has characteristics of Marilyn Monroe. She is curvaceous and voluptuous which appeals to a male audience and this is shown in the episode 'The Other Woman' when she sleeps with a Jaguar executive in order to secure a deal. She is requested for sex by one of the characters, showing the audience that she is attractive to both the characters and audience.

• Identifying with others, gaining a sense of belonging/Enabling one to connect with friends & family: Mad Men gives viewers material to discuss with their family, peers and colleagues. It covers various issues which an active audience would have decoded, such as the representation of women and the progression of a typical 1940's female representation (Megan and Joan) to a more contemporary representation of women (Peggy) and this will create material for discussion regarding 

Peaky Blinders:

TBC

Lost:

TBC

Production research.

Peaky Blinders: Audience Targeting

Peaky Blinders is a BBC Two crime drama set in 1919 Birmingham. It is based on the lives on a group of post-WW1 soldiers and attracts a mix of both niche and mainstream audiences.

One way Peaky Blinders attracts an audience and gained a positive response was through breaking the stereotypical representation of regional identity, in this case the unintelligent 'Brummie'. This was appeal to a Birmingham based audience wishing to support their heritage and see it presented in a better light. It will also appeal to those not from Birmingham but who wish to see how 'Brummies' are represented and whether it is stereotypical or not.

Another way Peaky Blinders appeals to an audience is through its use of film stars. These well known celebrities attract a wider audience because they already of fans. Fans of the actors themselves and fans of the work they have appeared in will be interested to watch this new show starring them. Peaky Blinders stars Cillian Murphy, from Inception and Batman, Sam Neill from Jurassic Park and Helen McCrory from Harry Potter and Hugo.