''Volume! The French Journal of Popular Music Studies'' (subtitled in French: ''La revue des musiques populaires'') is a biannual

peer-reviewed Peer review is the evaluation of work by one or more people with similar competencies as the producers of the work ( peers). It functions as a form of self-regulation by qualified members of a profession within the relevant field. Peer review ...

academic journal An academic journal (or scholarly journal or scientific journal) is a periodical publication in which Scholarly method, scholarship relating to a particular academic discipline is published. They serve as permanent and transparent forums for the ...

, created in 2001, and "dedicated to the study of contemporary

popular music Popular music is music with wide appeal that is typically distributed to large audiences through the music industry. These forms and styles can be enjoyed and performed by people with little or no musical training.Popular Music. (2015). ''Fun ...

History

The journal's first issue was published in 2002, under the title ''Copyright Volume!''. It was created a year earlier by Gérôme Guibert, Marie-Pierre Bonniol, and Samuel Étienne, and opted for its current name in 2009. Étienne was its first

editor-in-chief An editor-in-chief (EIC), also known as lead editor or chief editor, is a publication's editorial leader who has final responsibility for its operations and policies. The editor-in-chief heads all departments of the organization and is held accoun ...

(2002–2008), before Stéphane Dorin (2009), Gérôme Guibert (2010-2017), Emmanuel Parent (2017-2022) took over. In 2024, Catherine Rudent and Louise Barrière started their five-year term at the head of the journal.

Special issues

The journal publishes special issues on various topics in popular music studies, new musicology,

ethnomusicology Ethnomusicology is the multidisciplinary study of music in its cultural context. The discipline investigates social, cognitive, biological, comparative, and other dimensions. Ethnomusicologists study music as a reflection of culture and investiga ...

sociology Sociology is the scientific study of human society that focuses on society, human social behavior, patterns of Interpersonal ties, social relationships, social interaction, and aspects of culture associated with everyday life. The term sociol ...

geography Geography (from Ancient Greek ; combining 'Earth' and 'write', literally 'Earth writing') is the study of the lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena of Earth. Geography is an all-encompassing discipline that seeks an understanding o ...

, cultural history,

cultural studies Cultural studies is an academic field that explores the dynamics of contemporary culture (including the politics of popular culture) and its social and historical foundations. Cultural studies researchers investigate how cultural practices rel ...

aesthetics Aesthetics (also spelled esthetics) is the branch of philosophy concerned with the nature of beauty and taste (sociology), taste, which in a broad sense incorporates the philosophy of art.Slater, B. H.Aesthetics ''Internet Encyclopedia of Ph ...

communication studies Communication studies (or communication science) is an academic discipline that deals with processes of human communication and behavior, patterns of communication in interpersonal relationships, social interactions and communication in differ ...

, etc. Recent topics include music genres (2023, n° 20-1), the relations between popular music studies and

(2022, n° 19-2), the

Canterbury Canterbury (, ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and UNESCO World Heritage Site, in the county of Kent, England; it was a county borough until 1974. It lies on the River Stour, Kent, River Stour. The city has a mild oceanic climat ...

progressive rock Progressive rock (shortened as prog rock or simply prog) is a broad genre of rock music that primarily developed in the United Kingdom through the mid- to late 1960s, peaking in the early-to-mid-1970s. Initially termed " progressive pop", the ...

scene (2022, n° 19-1), the question of expertise (2021, n° 18-2), work in popular music (2022, n° 18-1),

hip-hop Hip-hop or hip hop (originally disco rap) is a popular music genre that emerged in the early 1970s from the African-American community of New York City. The style is characterized by its synthesis of a wide range of musical techniques. Hi ...

scenes (2021, n° 17-2), the pop voice (2021, n° 16-2/17-1), hacking (2020, n° 16-1), metal music (2019, n° 15-2), music videos (2018, n° 14–2), Jamaican Music (2017, n° 13–2), French punk scenes (2016, N° 13–1),

The Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. The core lineup of the band comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are widely regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatle ...

(2016, n° 12–2), French chanson and

immigration Immigration is the international movement of people to a destination country of which they are not usual residents or where they do not possess nationality in order to settle as Permanent residency, permanent residents. Commuting, Commuter ...

(2015, n°12-1), "nostalgia" (2015, n°11-1), music and

dance Dance is an The arts, art form, consisting of sequences of body movements with aesthetic and often Symbol, symbolic value, either improvised or purposefully selected. Dance can be categorized and described by its choreography, by its repertoir ...

(2014, n°10-2), "listening" (2013, n°10-1), Black music (2011, n°8-1)

gender Gender is the range of social, psychological, cultural, and behavioral aspects of being a man (or boy), woman (or girl), or third gender. Although gender often corresponds to sex, a transgender person may identify with a gender other tha ...

and race issues in

hip hop Hip-hop or hip hop (originally disco rap) is a popular music genre that emerged in the early 1970s from the African-American community of New York City. The style is characterized by its synthesis of a wide range of musical techniques. Hip- ...

(2011, n°8-2), "metal studies", "

counterculture A counterculture is a culture whose values and norms of behavior differ substantially from those of mainstream society, sometimes diametrically opposed to mainstream cultural mores.Eric Donald Hirsch. ''The Dictionary of Cultural Literacy''. Ho ...

s" (2012, n°9-1 & 9–2), and cover versions (2010, n°7-1 & 7–2), ''Volume!'' publishes a "varia" section for articles not related to the main topic, plus editorials, letters, and

book review A book review is a form of literary criticism in which a book is merely described (summary review) or analyzed based on content, style, and merit. A book review may be a primary source, an opinion piece, a summary review, or a scholarly view. B ...

Publication & distribution

Publisher

From 2002 to 2024, the journal was published by the independent publishing association Éditions Mélanie Seteun, which specializes in popular music studies. In 2025, it will join the catalogue of the

Presses Universitaires de Rennes The Presses Universitaires de Rennes or PUR (''Rennes University Press'') is the largest French university press. Founded in 1984, PUR publishes around 200 books every year. It is located in Rennes in Brittany on the University of Rennes 2 – Up ...

Print distribution

It's print version was originally distributed by the IRMA (now part of the French National Centre for Music), and has been distributed by since 2015.

Online access

Since November 2011, ''Volume !'' was included in the French academic journals portal OpenEdition (formerly Revues.org) and since December 2011 in the Belgian portal, Cairn.info (six latest issues, four under restricted access). Since June 2016, it is also on RILM Abstracts of Music Literature with Full Text.

Abstracting and indexing

The journal is abstracted and indexed in the International Index to Music Periodicals, the Répertoire International de Littérature Musicale, the Music Index and Music & Performing Arts Online. The articles dealing with

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...

are indexed on the Jazz Institut Darmstadt bibliography and the ones dealing with heavy metal/

hard rock Hard rock or heavy rock is a heavier subgenre of rock music typified by aggressive vocals and Distortion (music), distorted electric guitars. Hard rock began in the mid-1960s with the Garage rock, garage, Psychedelic rock, psychedelic and blues ...

on the University of Central Missouri/ISMMS's metal studies bibliography. ''Volume !'' is registered by the AERES in the 18th section ("Arts").

Events and partnerships

French-speaking branch of the IASPM

The journal is a frequent partner of the French-speaking branch of the International Association for the Study of Popular Music (IASPM). In 2010, it established an "early research" (formerly "young researchers") prize with the French-speaking branch of the International Association for the Study of Popular Music.

Vibrations. Musiques, médias, société

''Volume!'' and the Éditions Mélanie Seteun were in charge of the electronic publication of the first French

dedicated to

''Vibrations. Musiques, médias, société'', created by Antoine Hennion, Jean-Rémy Julien and Jean-Claude Klein in the mid-1980s, on the French academic portal Persée.

Ashgate

It also published a special international, English edition of its "countercultures" issues with

Ashgate Publishing Ashgate Publishing was an academic book and journal publisher based in Farnham (Surrey, United Kingdom). It was established in 1967 and specialised in the social sciences, arts, humanities and professional practice. It had an American office in ...

(now owned by

Routledge Routledge ( ) is a British multinational corporation, multinational publisher. It was founded in 1836 by George Routledge, and specialises in providing academic books, academic journals, journals and online resources in the fields of the humanit ...

) a partnership with the Éditions Mélanie Seteun that had already taken place for the publication of the book ''Stereo: Comparative Perspectives on the Sociological Study of Popular Music in France and Britain''.

Conferences

It has co-organized many conferences, among which: * "Rock and violences in Europe (1955-1990)", in 2017; * "Conçues pour durer. Perspectives francophones sur les musiques hip-hop"; *"''Heavy metal et sciences sociales : un état des lieux de la recherche francophone''" in Angers (December 2014),; * the 2013 "Changing the Tune. Popular music and politics in the XXIst century" international conference in Strasbourg with the German association ASPM and the French branch of the IASPM.; * In November 2012, it participated in the conference on "Digital Publishing in the Humanities. Perspectives from France and Canada" organized by the French Consulate in Toronto, the French Institute, the

University of Toronto The University of Toronto (UToronto or U of T) is a public university, public research university whose main campus is located on the grounds that surround Queen's Park (Toronto), Queen's Park in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was founded by ...

, and

York University York University (), also known as YorkU or simply YU), is a public university, public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's third-largest university, and it has approximately 53,500 students, 7,000 faculty and staff, ...

.; * "What is it we call "Black music"?" in Bordeaux, 2010.

Events

It organizes events (conferences, concerts) with various institutions, such as the Musée du Quai Branly, the

Centre Georges Pompidou The Centre Pompidou (), more fully the (), also known as the Pompidou Centre in English and colloquially as Beaubourg, is a building complex in Paris, France. It was designed in the style of high-tech architecture by the architectural team of ...

public library, the Cité de la Musique, the Philharmonie de Paris, La Gaîté Lyrique, the Collège International de Philosophie, or the Centre Musical Fleury Goutte d'Or-Barbara, as well as with

record label "Big Three" music labels A record label or record company is a brand or trademark of Sound recording and reproduction, music recordings and music videos, or the company that owns it. Sometimes, a record label is also a Music publisher, ...

s/ festivals, such as the festival "F.A.M.E. Film Music & Experience" in March 2014, or in May 2012, the "Humanist Records Festival #3" and venues, such as the Point Éphémère. The "Great Black Music" exhibit at the Cité de la Musique in Paris was co-curated by journalist Marc Benaïche and ethnomusicologist Emmanuel Parent. The latter, a member of the journal's team since 2004, had co-organized the 2010 "What is it we call Black Music?" (''Peut-on parler de musique noire ?'') conference in

Bordeaux Bordeaux ( ; ; Gascon language, Gascon ; ) is a city on the river Garonne in the Gironde Departments of France, department, southwestern France. A port city, it is the capital of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, as well as the Prefectures in F ...

whose proceedings were published in ''Volume!'' (n°8-1, 2011). He was also in charge of editing the exhibit's catalogue.

Media

From October 2012 to January 2013, ''Volume!'' editors were offered sequences on François Saltiel's show on Le Mouv'., and the Radio Télévision Suisse dedicated two issues of "Histoire Vivante" to ''Volume!'' in October 2013. A partnership with the website , created by historian Pierre Rosanvallon, to publish reviews of books dealing with popular music, was started in November 2013."Le bruissement de la raison"
2 December 2013, o

5 November 2013.

References

{{Reflist, 30em

External links

Volume's first website
Music journals Multilingual journals Popular music Academic journals established in 2002 Delayed open access journals Biannual journals 2002 establishments in France