CfP: Con­fe­rence 2026: Music under Observation

Call for Papers
Music Under Obser­va­tion:
Agency Bet­ween Con­trol and Expres­sion
36th Annual Con­fe­rence of the German Society for Popular Music Stu­dies
Leu­phana Uni­ver­sity Lüne­burg
October 16–18, 2026

Obser­va­tion is a con­stant con­di­tion for popular music. From the watchful eye of a state
censor to the ana­ly­tical gaze of a record label’s A&R depart­ment, and from the peer
review of an online fan com­mu­nity to the auto­mated tracking of a strea­ming plat­form,
music is con­ti­nu­ally shaped by being seen and heard. While such obser­va­tion often
imposes limits, it also creates new pos­si­bi­li­ties for action. This con­fe­rence asks: What
do musi­cians, indus­tries, and audi­ences do under obser­va­tion?

We aim to explore the spaces for agency, the Hand­lungs­räume, that emerge bet­ween
the pres­sures of con­trol and the drive for expres­sion. Recent deve­lo­p­ments in the USA,
for ins­tance, argu­ably sharpen global trends of cen­sor­ship and cancel cul­ture in
pre­viously unpre­dic­table ways. Con­trol can mani­fest as overt cen­sor­ship, the subtle
nudges of algo­rithms, the eco­nomic disci­pline of the market, or the social poli­cing of
authen­ti­city within a scene. Yet, in response, new forms of crea­ti­vity, resis­tance,
sub­ver­sion, and iden­tity play con­sis­t­ently appear. However, fur­ther responses to
obser­va­tions of prac­tices and hier­ar­chies can also include the crea­tion of safe spaces,
awa­re­ness acti­vi­ties, and crea­tive spaces for action with oppor­tu­ni­ties for reflec­tion and
self-deter­mi­na­tion. This con­fe­rence invites con­tri­bu­tions that examine this dynamic
ten­sion across dif­fe­rent his­to­rical, cul­tural, social, eco­nomic, and tech­no­lo­gical con­texts.

We encou­rage pro­po­sals that address, but are not limited to, the fol­lo­wing questions:

  • How have artists and audi­ences navi­gated state sur­veil­lance or cen­sor­ship in
    dif­fe­rent poli­tical regimes?
  • What forms of eco­nomic and indus­trial obser­va­tion, from chart-making to market
    rese­arch, have shaped musical pro­duc­tion and value?
  • How do tech­no­lo­gies, from the metro­nome to machine lear­ning, create new
    forms of both disci­pline and crea­tive freedom in music-making?
  • In what ways do social groups, sub­cul­tures, or fan com­mu­ni­ties observe and
    regu­late their mem­bers’ beha­viour, tastes, and identities?
  • How is music impli­cated in prac­tices of self-moni­to­ring, whe­ther for well-being,
    artistic impro­ve­ment, or per­sonal branding?
  • How do artists and lis­teners develop tac­tics of resis­tance, invi­si­bi­lity, or playful
    sub­ver­sion in response to being monitored?
  • What forms of care, respon­si­bi­lity, and awa­re­ness can emerge from prac­tices of
    obser­va­tion?
    We expli­citly wel­come sub­mis­sions from early-career rese­ar­chers and pro­po­sals for a
    variety of for­mats beyond tra­di­tional papers. These include work­shops, round­table
    dis­cus­sions, lec­ture-per­for­mances, audio papers, film scree­nings, and other
    expe­ri­mental or inter­ac­tive con­tri­bu­tions.
    Please submit an abs­tract of no more than 250 words and a short bio-note (max. 80
    words) by January 10, 2026, to: gfpm2026@popularmusikforschung.de.

    A con­fe­rence fee will apply. Early-career rese­ar­chers and par­ti­ci­pants with limited
    finan­cial resources may apply for grants to sup­port travel and regis­tra­tion costs. Fur­ther
    details will be announced in due course.

    We look for­ward to recei­ving your con­tri­bu­tions and fos­te­ring a rich dis­cus­sion on this
    urgent topic.