Mix It Up: Popular Culture, Mass Media, and Society

by David Grazian

A “non-textbook” introduction to the social significance of popular culture and mass media. What accounts for the rise and fall of popular cultural trends? Why do A-list movie stars make so much money? How do television networks decide what programs to air? Do video games encourage violent behavior among young people, or do they make users smarter? Does advertising really work? In Mix It Up , David Grazian answers these questions and introduces students to a sociological perspective of popular culture and mass media.

Based on the author’s popular course at the University of Pennsylvania, Mix it Up focuses on the role of media and popular culture in everyday life, with a particular emphasis on the organization and functioning of the mass media industry; the increasingly blurry relationship between cultural consumption and production; and the social significance of leisure activities, from sports to shopping.

Whether it’s DJ culture, YouTube videos, or mash-ups, Mix It Up takes an empirically driven (yet user-friendly) approach to examining media and pop culture from all corners of society. Writing in a “non-textbook” style, Grazian relies on a variety of theoretical perspectives and fleshes out his discussions with examples from empirical sociological studies as well as excerpts from field notes, face-to-face interviews, and other research materials collected over the last decade.

Genres: Sociology, History, Nonfiction, School

256 pages, Paperback

First published January 19, 2010

Reviews

[Hannah Trower · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good, extremely readable, interesting introduction to the study of popular culture, through a functional, critical, or interactive lens. Not limited to movies and music, everything from the Nigerian Prince Scam to malls to World of Warcraft to fear mongering about jazz is covered. The copy that I read is from the first edition, and fascinatingly out of date as a result. The moments of prescient analysis as well as the moments of declarations that were true, or seemed to be so, in 2010 and are very much not now were extremely interesting, but I'd recommend an updated edition (the 3rd edition was published in 2023) if you have the choice.

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grazian offers contemporary examples of media and how it affects our society, from the public's overweening interest in celebrity gossip (to the detriment of the deterioration of real news) to the half-truths behind on-line profiles. This book is a general overview of how radio, television, internet and other media have shaped our lives, and in turn been shaped by popular use.

This book was a supplement to a (much less fun) textbook for my Media and Society class at Wichita State University. The text flows easily, and I'd much rather see Grazian take on more in-depth text as required university reading than have to EVER sit through another boring chapter from the course's main text author.

There is good stuff here, and it's incorporated with the pop ideals many are interested in, which makes it intelligent enough for serious readers and just enough fluff to be entertaining to those who are not reading it for school.

[Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoy Grazian's simple approach to culture. This book is straightforward and easy for undergrads to read. It's also enjoyable to read, for students and professors alike. He makes Marx and Durkheim approachable, which is impressive to me in and of itself. The book also discusses culture in an approachable manner. This was a great book to help teach a sociology of American culture class.

One silly minor complaint is that the book is too big to scan easily. (Like I said, silly.) This can be a turn-off to educators who want to be able to scan chapters for their students. Just in case you had plans to scan this bad boy...

[Oliver Bateman · Rating 3 out of 5]

used this as a textbook at ut-arlington but never noted that at the time. we'd read the sections on the creation of pop culture, the operation of the culture industries, and cultural consumption + social class. written in a simple enough way that it was easy to generate debate. pop culture in general is a subject that's easier for students to discuss, since they're living it and don't have to "do the reading" (they never will), but as anyone who has taught these classes knows, the kids are usually more reticent to dig deeply into what they view as "superficial" (yet also spend 24 hrs a day absorbed with).

[Mike Suechting · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some of the chapters are great and easy to read. Other chapters are boring and too academic for leisure read.

[Tara Brabazon · Rating 1 out of 5]

Oh dear. Popular cultural studies is such a rich, evocative and powerful field. My hopes were high for this book. The hopes were not realized. I am not sure who was the audience for this book. But it was too basic for my first year undergraduate students. I want them to be challenged and probe pop. That is what I want for myself. That opportunity is not found in this book. Such a shame.

[Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easily one of the better textbooks I've read, hoping there's a second edition with more updated statistics (the book is from 2009) soon, that plus a typo on Elliott Smith's name bring the book down to a four.

[Nikki Reads A Lot · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good overview on the mass media industry, but the last several chapters are incoherent ramblings. Also, a glaringly obvious absence of women in these discussions of popular culture. At least he casts a critical eye on capitalism.

[George Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book help me ace the class, but I feel like it was too academic and not enough pop culture.

[Stefanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting view on popular culture.

[Martecia Ann]

it was a required textbook for graduate school, so it's not like I really wanted to read it.