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Sound, music and magic in football stadiums

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 January 2019

Pedro Silva Marra  and
Felipe Trotta
Pedro Silva Marra
Affiliation:
Department of Communications and Media at Espírito Santo Federal University, Espírito Santo, Brazil E-mail: pedromarra@gmail.com
Felipe Trotta
Affiliation:
Department of Media Studies, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil E-mail: trotta.felipe@gmail.com
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Abstract

This article discusses the role of music performance in football matches, highlighting the importance of the belief in its sonic powers as a trigger for causal relations between events. Music functions as a communicational axis linking the physical realm to mystical or intangible dimensions. By performing music and sounds on terraces, fans believe that they can change the course of the match, interfering in the mood, the bodies and, eventually, the result. Magic is a shared belief among fans, players and journalists, one that is activated through sounds and rituals. In football, the idea of magic is often perceived and referred to as a causal explanation for achievements and defeats that could hardly be understood or explained through rational and scientific knowledge. Music is a key feature in this process.

Type
Articles
Information
Popular Music , Volume 38 , Special Issue 1: Music and Magic , January 2019 , pp. 73 - 89
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2019 

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