The Sounds of Spectators at Football - by Nicolai Jørgensgaard Graakjær (Paperback)

About the Book

"Discusses how, when and why football spectators produce sound, and it examines the structures, meanings and functions of these sounds and their relationship to the football match as an experience"--

Book Synopsis

The sounds of spectators at football (soccer) are often highlighted - by spectators, tourists, commentators, journalists, scholars, media producers, etc. - as crucial for the experience of football. These sounds are often said to contribute significantly to the production (at the stadium) and conveyance (in televised broadcast) of 'atmosphere.' This book addresses why and how spectator sounds contribute to the experience of watching in these environments and what characterizes spectator sounds in terms of their structure, distribution and significance. Based on an examination of empirical materials - including the sounds of football matches from the English Premier League as they emerge both at the stadium and in the televised broadcast - this book systematically dissects the sounds of football watching.

Review Quotes

Drawing upon his experiences as a musicologist and semiotician, Nicolai Graakjaer has created a detailed and exhaustive study of sound and music in football environments, both live and televised. In the spirit of sound studies by Pierre Schaeffer, Pauline Oliveros, and others, the work is a detailed analysis of the dynamics of sound and music in large-scale sporting events and provides keen insights into how fandom accesses musical references, how music and sound are ritualized and how both function to create emotional bonds that unifies groups of fans. A truly remarkable work in its detail and scope, and has implications on the significance of sound and music in any group dynamic.
Ronald Rodman, Dye Family Professor of Music and Director of the Carleton Symphony Band, Carleton College, USA

Graakjaer has given us a highly original and engaging contribution to sound studies. His thorough-going comparison between the live soundscapes of football matches and their televised versions is revealing and thought-provoking.
Theo Van Leeuwen, Professor of Language and Communication, University of Southern Denmark and Emeritus Professor, University of Technology, Sydney, Australia

In an age when most people watch that most popular sport in the world - football on television screens, this important, innovative and forensic text compares the sound of football in the stadium to that experienced on the screen thereby filling a major gap in the field. A first!
Michael Bull, Professor of Sound Studies, University of Sussex, UK

About the Author

Nicolai Jørgensgaard Graakjær is Professor of Music and Sound in Market Communication in the Department of Communication and Psychology at Aalborg University, Denmark. His has served as the Editor-in-chief of MedieKultur: Journal of Communication Research (2010-2014) and he is the current Editor-in-chief of the book series MÆRKK - Æstetik og Kommunikation. His publications include Analyzing Music in Advertising (2015), Sound and Genre in Film and Television (2010, Co-editor), and Music in Advertising (2009, Co-editor).