The influence of social media on the perception of local live artists

Abstract

The research carried out in this dissertation aims to deliver a clear analysis of the current local music scene and an observation of what current perceptions hold for all stakeholders contributing to such a creative sector. The local music scene has been around for many years and has evolved immensely over the past few decades, however current trends are leaving quite a large impact on the way various practices are implemented. This is exactly why the phenomenon of social media has been incorporated in this study. Taking the Maltese youth as the main target audience for this research, this exploratory study will create a contrast between certain past behaviours towards live music and modern ever---changing behaviours. This scenario of a more educated and well---informed audience includes the spectators of the future which will hopefully be embracing the pride that comes from cherishing a local product. Therefore, the implications of this study aim to gauge the perceptions of the target audience with respect to local live artists in a qualitative manner. Also, the study contributes towards discovering which strong qualities these artists possess that can be enhanced by means of the most effective social media platforms available. The main methods applied to collect the primary data concerned involve the use of a focus group, six in---depth interviews as well as an online survey.