George Musgrave (academic)

Last updated

Dr

George Musgrave

FRSA
NationalityBritish
OccupationAcademic
AwardsFellow of the Royal Society of Arts
Academic background
Alma mater University of Cambridge, University of East Anglia
Years active2008–2020
Labels Sony/ATV Music Publishing EMI Music Publishing

George Musgrave FRSA is an academic studying the psychological experiences and working conditions of creative careers, with a current focus on mental health and wellbeing in the music industry. He is based at Goldsmiths, University of London [1] and the University of Westminster. [2]

Contents

Musgrave is also a rapper and performs under the stage-name of Context. He released his debut mixtape Dialectics in 2008, Mental Breakdown Music in 2009, and the EPs Stealing My Older Brother's Tapes and Hindsight is the Purest Form of Romance in 2014.

Early life and education

Musgrave went to Wymondham College from 2000 to 2005, and achieved a first-class degree in Social and Political Sciences at the University of Cambridge in 2009. [3] He then went on to do an MA in Politics, Philosophy and Economics in 2010 and completed his ESRC funded PhD at the Centre for Competition Policy at the University of East Anglia in 2014 [4]

Academic career

He is the co-author of Can Music Make You Sick? alongside Sally Anne Gross. This two-part report published in 2016 [5] and 2017, [6] and subsequent book in 2020 [7] published by University of Westminster Press, examined the relationship between mental health conditions (principally anxiety and depression) and the nature of working in the music industry. The book draws on survey and interview data, alongside Jodi Dean's concept of communicative capitalism, to explore how digitalisation and a state of abundant musical production has changed the way in which musicians experience building a career. They suggest that musical ambition is based on a series of status' rooted in the nature of music as labour ('the status of work'), how value and reputation is acquired and understood ('the status of value') and the impact this comes to have on musicians' closest relationships ('the status of relationships'), and that each of these status' can come to harm the emotional and mental wellbeing of musicians.

The research - described as "the largest known study into mental health and the music industry" [8] - led directly to the establishment of the first 24/7 mental health helpline for musicians - Music Minds Matter [9] - launched by the charity Help Musicians UK in 2017. The research has informed the work of organisations including Communion (Berlin), [10] NHS Wales [11] and the Music Managers Forum, [12] and was supported by music industry figures including Grant Hutchison of Frightened Rabbit, Adam Ficek [13] and Shaun Ryder of the Happy Mondays. [14] Upon release, the book was an Amazon Number 1 Best Seller in the 'Sociology of Work' category. [15]

His research has been featured by media outlets including BBC News, [16] Pitchfork, [17] GQ, [18] The Financial Times, [19] BBC Music Introducing, [20] The New York Times [21] and more. Musgrave has also written articles on mental health for BBC Three [22] and Crack Magazine. [23] He has also published research on the ways in which cultural intermediaries create value for musical work, [24] mental health and wellbeing in the gig economy, [25] autoethnography as a qualitative research methodology for arts researchers, [26] the documentary Avicii – True Stories., [27] defining cultural entrepreneurship, [28] and ethical decision-making by music managers. [29]

Music career

Musgrave began his career in music in 2008 under the stage-name Context whilst enrolled as a student. After releasing his debut mixtapes Dialectics in 2008 and Mental Breakdown Music in 2009, he gained some recognition for his 2010 single "Off with their Heads" which featured Vertex of Marvell and a cameo from Ed Sheeran. The video was featured on MTV. [30] He then released the single "Listening to Burial" in 2011 which was featured on BBC Radio 1's national playlist. [31]

In 2012, he was the winner of MTV's Brand New For 2012 unsigned competition, beating Clement Marfo, Charli XCX and Lana Del Rey on the channel's hotly tipped list. [32] Musgrave was recognised as a "brainy rapper" as he was currently studying his PhD whilst pursuing his rap career in 2012. [3] He released a "Fire in the Booth" freestyle with Charlie Sloth on 26 February 2012. [33] In 2013 he signed a worldwide publishing and songwriting deal with Sony/ATV Publishing/EMI Music Publishing.

He released his four-track EP, Stealing My Older Brother's Tapes in 2014 via free download. [34] It was noted for its intricate social commentary with samples from Goldie, Underworld and Altern8. [35] During this time released the song "Small Town Lad Sentiments" which went on to be remixed by Mike Skinner. [36] It was featured on Context's second EP, Hindsight is the Purest Form of Romance released later in 2014.

In 2015, Musgrave took a break from music to focus on his academic career. However, he returned in 2018 to release the single "Better Than This". [37] This was followed by the single "Take Me Back" in 2019 which featured Great Skies.

Publications

Discography

Extended plays

Related Research Articles

Quality of life (QOL) is defined by the World Health Organization as "an individual's perception of their position in life in the context of the culture and value systems in which they live and in relation to their goals, expectations, standards and concerns".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Happiness</span> Mental state, noted for pleasant emotions

Happiness is a positive and pleasant emotion, ranging from contentment to intense joy. Moments of happiness may be triggered by positive life experiences or thoughts, but sometimes it may arise from no obvious cause. The level of happiness for longer periods of time is more strongly correlated with levels of life satisfaction, subjective well-being, flourishing and eudaimonia. In common usage, the word happy can be an appraisal of those measures themselves or as a shorthand for a "source" of happiness. As with any emotion, the precise definition of happiness has been a perennial debate in philosophy.

Community psychology is concerned with the community as the unit of study. This contrasts with most psychology which focuses on the individual. Community psychology also studies the community as a context for the individuals within it, and the relationships of the individual to communities and society. Community psychologists seek to understand the functioning of the community, including the quality of life of persons within groups, organizations and institutions, communities, and society. They aim to enhance the quality of life through collaborative research and action.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Creativity and mental health</span> Concept in psychology

Links between creativity and mental health have been extensively discussed and studied by psychologists and other researchers for centuries. Parallels can be drawn to connect creativity to major mental disorders including bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, major depressive disorder, anxiety disorder, OCD and ADHD. For example, studies have demonstrated correlations between creative occupations and people living with mental illness. There are cases that support the idea that mental illness can aid in creativity, but it is also generally agreed that mental illness does not have to be present for creativity to exist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Autoethnography</span> Research method using personal experience

Autoethnography is a form of ethnographic research in which a researcher connects personal experiences to wider cultural, political, and social meanings and understandings. It is considered a form of qualitative and/or arts-based research.

Music psychology, or the psychology of music, may be regarded as a branch of both psychology and musicology. It aims to explain and understand musical behaviour and experience, including the processes through which music is perceived, created, responded to, and incorporated into everyday life. Modern music psychology is primarily empirical; its knowledge tends to advance on the basis of interpretations of data collected by systematic observation of and interaction with human participants. Music psychology is a field of research with practical relevance for many areas, including music performance, composition, education, criticism, and therapy, as well as investigations of human attitude, skill, performance, intelligence, creativity, and social behavior.

Help Musicians, is a United Kingdom charity offering help for musicians throughout their careers.

Psychoeducation is an evidence-based therapeutic intervention for patients and their loved ones that provides information and support to better understand and cope with illness. Psychoeducation is most often associated with serious mental illness, including dementia, schizophrenia, clinical depression, anxiety disorders, eating disorders, bipolar and personality disorders. The term has also been used for programs that address physical illnesses, such as cancer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Well-being</span> General term for condition of individual or group

Well-being, or wellbeing, also known as wellness, prudential value, prosperity or quality of life, refers to what is intrinsically valuable relative to someone. So the well-being of a person is what is ultimately good for this person, what is in the self-interest of this person. Well-being can refer to both positive and negative well-being. In its positive sense, it is sometimes contrasted with ill-being as its opposite. The term "subjective well-being" denotes how people experience and evaluate their lives, usually measured in relation to self-reported well-being obtained through questionnaires.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amygdala hijack</span> Type of emotional response

An amygdala hijack is an emotional response that is immediate, overwhelming, and out of measure with the actual stimulus because it has triggered a much more significant emotional threat. The term, coined by Daniel Goleman in his 1996 book Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ, is used by affective neuroscientists and is considered a formal academic term. The amygdala is made up of two small, round structures located closer to the forehead than the hippocampi, near the temporal lobes. The amygdalae are involved in detecting and learning which parts of our surroundings are important and have emotional significance. They are critical for the production of emotion. They are known to be very important for negative emotions, especially fear. Amygdala activation often happens when we see a potential threat. The amygdala uses our past, related memories to help us make decisions about what is currently happening.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Avicii</span> Swedish DJ and music producer (1989–2018)

Tim Bergling, known professionally as Avicii, was a Swedish DJ, remixer, and music producer. At age 16, Bergling began posting his remixes on electronic music forums, which led to his first record deal. He rose to prominence in 2011 with his single "Levels". His debut studio album, True (2013), blended electronic music with elements of multiple genres and received generally positive reviews. It peaked in the top 10 in more than 15 countries and topped international charts; the lead single, "Wake Me Up", topped most music markets in Europe and reached number four in the United States.

Action for Happiness (AfH) is a global movement and charity based in the United Kingdom. It aims to increase the happiness in the world by bringing together people and supporting them to take practical action to build a happier society. The patron of Action for Happiness is the Dalai Lama. The movement has over 270,000 members in 190 countries.

Barbara Jacquelyn Sahakian, is professor of clinical neuropsychology at the department of psychiatry and Medical Research Council (MRC)/Wellcome Trust Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge. She is also an honorary clinical psychologist at Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge. She has an international reputation in the fields of cognitive psychopharmacology, neuroethics, neuropsychology, neuropsychiatry and neuroimaging.

Gross National Well-being/Wellness (GNW) or Happiness (GNH) a socioeconomic development and measurement framework. The GNW/GNH Index consists of seven dimensions: economic, environmental, physical, mental, work, social, and political. Most wellness areas include both subjective results and objective data.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Effects of climate change on mental health</span> Effects of climate change on mental health

The effects of climate change on mental health and wellbeing are documented. This is especially the case for vulnerable populations and those with pre-existing serious mental illness. There are three broad pathways by which these effects can take place: directly, indirectly or via awareness. The direct pathway includes stress-related conditions caused by exposure to extreme weather events. These include post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Scientific studies have linked mental health to several climate-related exposures. These include heat, humidity, rainfall, drought, wildfires and floods. The indirect pathway can be disruption to economic and social activities. An example is when an area of farmland is less able to produce food. The third pathway can be of mere awareness of the climate change threat, even by individuals who are not otherwise affected by it.

Christian van Nieuwerburgh (1971) is a British-based executive coach, academic, consultant and author. He is a Professor of Coaching and Positive Psychology at the University of East London (UEL) and Executive Director of Growth Coaching International, a Sydney-based global coach training provider for the education sector.

Billy Raffoul is a Canadian rock singer-songwriter from Leamington, Ontario, most noted as the winner of the 2021 SOCAN Songwriting Prize for his single "Western Skies".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tim Bergling Foundation</span> Mental health awareness foundation

The Tim Bergling Foundation is a foundation created by the family of the Swedish DJ Tim Bergling, known as Avicii, to "honour his memory and continue to act in his spirit". Avicii died by suicide in 2018, after a prolonged battle with mental health issues. The foundation was originally set up to tackle mental health awareness and suicide prevention in order to help prevent other families from experiencing similar events. It was later expanded to work on climate change, protection of endangered species, business management, and nature conservation.

Lindsay G. Oades is an Australian wellbeing public policy strategist, author, researcher and academic. He is the Director of the Centre for Wellbeing Science and a professor at the University of Melbourne. He is also a non-executive Director of Action for Happiness Australia, and the Positive Education Schools Association. He is a former co-editor of the International Journal of Wellbeing.

Daisy Fancourt is a British researcher who is an Associate Professor of Psychobiology and Epidemiology at University College London. Her research focuses on the effects of social factors on health, including loneliness, social isolation, community assets, arts and cultural engagement, and social prescribing. During the COVID-19 pandemic Fancourt led a team running the UK's largest study into the psychological and social impact of COVID-19 and established the international network COVID Minds, aiming to better understand the impact of coronavirus disease on mental health and well-being.

References

  1. ↑ "Dr George Musgrave". Goldsmiths, University of London. Retrieved 29 December 2020.
  2. ↑ "Musgrave, George | University of Westminster, London". www.westminster.ac.uk. Retrieved 29 December 2020.
  3. 1 2 Wilkes, Joe (12 January 2012). "MTV win heralds big things for Norwich rapper, Context". Norwich Evening News.
  4. ↑ "Dr George Musgrave". Goldsmiths, University of London.
  5. ↑ "Untitled-1" (PDF). Gross, S & Musgrave, G (2016) Can Music Make You Sick? A study into the incidence of musicians’ mental health - Part 1: Pilot Survey Report, Help Musicians UK/MusicTank.
  6. ↑ "Gross & Musgrave (2017) Can Music Make You Sick Pt2.pdf" (PDF). Gross, S & Musgrave, G (2017) Can Music Make You Sick? A study into the incidence of musicians’ mental health - Part 2: Qualitative Study and Recommendations, Help Musicians UK/MusicTank.
  7. ↑ Gross, Sally Anne; Musgrave, George (29 September 2020). Can Music Make You Sick?. University of Westminster Press. doi:10.16997/book43. ISBN   978-1-912656-62-2. S2CID   224842613.
  8. ↑ "Our Research". Music Minds Matter. Retrieved 29 December 2020.
  9. ↑ "Music Minds Matter". Music Minds Matter. Retrieved 29 December 2020.
  10. ↑ "About". communion. Retrieved 29 December 2020.
  11. ↑ "Mental Health Problems | CPD for General Practitioners". gpcpd.heiw.wales. Retrieved 29 December 2020.
  12. ↑ "Mental Health Guide Digital" (PDF). MMF and Music Support Present: The Music Managers Guide to Mental Health.
  13. ↑ Can Music Make You Sick? Measuring the Price of Musical Ambition - Goldsmiths Research Online. University of Westminster Press. 29 September 2020. ISBN   9781912656646.
  14. ↑ "Happy Mondays' singer Shaun Ryder supports mental health in music campaign". The Bolton News. Retrieved 29 December 2020.
  15. ↑ "Can Music Make You Sick? out now on Twitter: "Very hyped! Mine and @SallySharp's book on mental health and the music industry - 'Can Music Make You Sick?' - is now a Number 1 Best Seller on Amazon. Unreal. Thank you to everyone pre-ordering. What a buzz"".
  16. ↑ "Can music make you sick?". BBC News. Retrieved 29 December 2020.
  17. ↑ Hogan, Marc (2 November 2016). "Musicians Way More Likely to Be Depressed and Anxious, Study Shows". Pitchfork. Retrieved 29 December 2020.
  18. ↑ "Who really killed Avicii?". British GQ. 25 September 2018. Retrieved 29 December 2020.
  19. ↑ "Can music damage your health?". www.ft.com. 2 November 2017. Retrieved 29 December 2020.
  20. ↑ "BBC Music Introducing in Norfolk - Can Music Make You Sick: The Pitfalls of the Music Industry - BBC Sounds". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 29 December 2020.
  21. ↑ Marshall, Alex (26 January 2018). "A Listening Ear for Musicians in Need (Published 2018)". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 29 December 2020.
  22. ↑ Context, M. C. (4 November 2016). "IMHO: Could working in music be bad for your health?". BBC Three. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
  23. ↑ "Records to Research: A personal journey with music and mental health". Crack Magazine. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
  24. ↑ Musgrave, George. "Collaborating to Compete: The role of cultural intermediaries in hypercompetition". International Journal of Music Business Research. 6: 41–68.
  25. ↑ Gross, Sally-Anne; Musgrave, George; Janciute, Laima (8 August 2018). Well-Being and Mental Health in the Gig Economy. University of Westminster Press. doi:10.16997/book32. ISBN   978-1-911534-91-4. S2CID   169795226.
  26. ↑ Musgrave, George. "Making Sense of My Creativity: Reflecting on Digital Autoethnography". Journal of Artistic and Creative Education. 13: 1–11.
  27. ↑ Musgrave, George. "Avicii: True Stories - Review". Dancecult Journal of Electronic Dance Music Culture. 12: 94–97.
  28. ↑ Athanassiou, Dominic; Musgrave, George (13 April 2021). "Building a Heavy Metal World". Artivate: A Journal of Entrepreneurship in the Arts. 10 (1). doi:10.34053/artivate.10.1.111. ISSN   2164-7747. S2CID   234841551.
  29. ↑ Chaparro, Gerardo; Musgrave, George (April 2021). "Sciendo" (PDF). International Journal of Music Business Research. 10 (1): 3–16. doi: 10.2478/ijmbr-2021-0001 . S2CID   233873212.
  30. ↑ "MTV success for Norwich rapper Context MC". BBC News. 4 March 2011.
  31. ↑ "Context MC chosen for BBC Radio 1 Introducing playlist". BBC News. 22 September 2011.
  32. ↑ "MC Context tops MTV 'brand new' list". www.prsformusic.com.
  33. ↑ "BBC Radio 1 - 1Xtra's Rap Show with Charlie Sloth, Context!, Fire in the Booth - Context!".
  34. ↑ "Context – Stealing My Older Brother's Tapes". 9 April 2014.
  35. ↑ "Context". Music-News.com.
  36. ↑ "Context – Small Town Lad Sentiments (Mike Skinner Remix): New music". The Guardian. 18 September 2013.
  37. ↑ "Better Than This" – via open.spotify.com.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.