Practicing scales: music in the work of Howard S. Becker

Abstract

This article proposes to analyze Howard Becker's valuable contributions to the sociology of music. Becker, who was a professional musician, always kept music in mind in his work. Becker's sociology of music allows for a flexible and multifaceted understanding of music, starting from theoretical frameworks different from those of the sociology of culture, enriched by the sociology of professions, and understanding culture as another facet of the processes of collective action.

Becker's work opened up diverse paths for sociology. His work on deviance has inspired interesting studies on rock or opera, while his concept of art worlds initiated a line of analysis on interactions between artists and audiences. Authors such as Claudio Benzecry, Antoine Hennion or Paul Lopes have deepened his ideas, while criticizing and problematizing them.

This article will review Becker's main contributions to the sociology of music, as well as the discussions that have developed from his work within the sociological field.