2. Plastic Pop is linked to the genre of pop, which can emphasize more of the feminine factor that has a major influence on the female target audience. Plastic Pop can also target a youthful audience by creating simple songs (mainly love songs) through today’s technology, so that there is a variety of love songs (from the past). Plastic Pop has also reached the music genres of classical and rock music, in which it had influenced these music artists to base around pop in which in some cases they are stereotyped as pop music. These are usually centred around music groups who appeal to the opposite sex. For example, Take That who are a boy band would generally attract the female audience as well as the homosexuals, which broadens the target audience in the music industry. When it comes to the genre of pop, it’s quite obvious when it is approached as pop is stereotyped through they it’s portrayed and marketed. One way this is shown is through the colours used on CD covers, billboards and even promotional posters. These bright colours can appeal to the youthful target audience including teenagers that range from age 12-16.

3. To help support plastic pop, TV shows are influenced into the genre of pop by identifying a pop star talent within an individual. This is done by allowing people of a certain age to audition, in which they are advertised publicly through the media which may create popularity for the person depending on there talent and whether they’re likeable or not. If an act wins the show, they would be publicly known as a success due to the votes given from the public audience (through telephone and text) and also the attraction of viewers who tune into watch the show. Shows are relate to this are Britain’s Got Talent and The X Factor. These entertainment shows generate a buzz for audiences, as the audience help fund these shows through voting for their favourite acts in which acts with fewer votes are eliminated for the show. With each call or text (when voting) there is a price range which mainly generates to BT landline. The fact that the audience get to choose the most popular act to go through means this would be beneficial for the program as the most favourite act will appeal to the majority of the votes, till the show has ended. Youthful programmes such as Disney Channel, also help develop young artists through TV shows (e.g. Miley Cyrus) and competitions, in which it helps encourage them to pursue their dreams of making it in the music industry.

4. There are influential people who have been able to make it in the music industry, as Pop stars and by doing this they inspire and encourage media consumers to try and make it in the music industry to become Pop stars also. These Pop stars influence the public by appearing in talent competitions and representing themselves as judges. A good example of this is, is shown by ‘Girls Aloud’ member Cheryl Cole, who became a judge on ‘The X Factor’ in which the show raised her profile. By doing this, she was able to become a Pop, fashion and music icon (as a solo artist), in which she was able to promote herself by being on the talent show. Someone else who is able to influence members of the public to become international pop stars is A&R executive, Simon Cowell, who has been a judge on The X Factor, Pop Idol, American Idol, Britain’s Got Talent and The X Factor USA, in which they talent and singing shows that are produced by his company ‘Syco’. Although he is known for his harsh and over exaggerated criticism to those who haven’t got ‘star quality’, when a potential positive remark is given to someone who may have ‘star quality’, this can generate popularity for the person. Due to his comments, a lot of contestants mainly care for his comments in comparison to the other judges, which raises his profile in the music industry. Cowell has produced and established successful artists from his talent shows, for example Leona Lewis who has become a global superstar due to winning the X Factor.

5. One great example of a plastic pop artist would be Justin Timberlake. His music clearly defines the genre of Pop as he had ultimate successful singles such as ‘Cry Me A River’ and ‘Sexy Back’. Timberlake made his plastic pop image, through Disney Channel when he was a little boy, in which he was featured on the ‘Mickey Mouse Clubhouse’ which was funded by Disney (linking into the Plastic Pop organisation), which made it extremely successful as it attracted a younger and youthful target audience. Through working his way from the ‘Mickey Mouse Club’ in gained Timberlake international success as a music artist and as an actor. It was here that Timberlake also met international superstar Britney Spears. Spears was also featured in the ‘Mickey Mouse Clubhouse’ in which through this she rose to stardom in the music industry.. However, not all has been good for Spears media wise, but by looking at her for her music makes one of the greatest female artists of our generation. Her hit single ‘Baby One More Time’ clearly defines her as a Pop artist, in which she has attracted a Plastic Pop audience. Both Timberlake and Spears were a couple at some point, since they both in the same career. This generated a buzz, as the media saw both Timberlake and Spears as a powerful couple. This increased Timberlake’s and Spears’ popularity as artists and as people.

6. When Pop stars make it in the music industry, there image gradually begins to change as they become older, more sophisticated and more successful. This can be both a good thing or bad thing, as some artists are able to mature in their music as they get older, however this can be quite controversial if the younger target audience find this appealing, then the artist may be classed as a bad influence. As seen on the right, there is an old image of Britney Spears, of when she first came into the music industry. As you can see, Britney looks innocent, fresh and feminine, as she is surrounded by flowers, making image look sweet as she gives a pose is quite childlike. In the image below shows a different characteristic in Spears. As shown and portrayed in the image, Spears’ is giving a sexual appeal towards the camera. This is down through the smouldering look that she’s giving to the camera, her wavy platinum blonde hair, her flawless skin tone and the dress that she’s wearing (which assets her breasts). This image would be targeted at the older and more sophisticated audience, as men may see her as ‘eye candy’ and women may idolise to look and be like her. These kind of sexual references, have become more appealing in the Pop industry, as it is accepted a lot more in modern day society.

7. Proliferation of hardware is becoming more advanced as new technology is being produced, in which we as consumers are getting influenced by media a lot more, in which we almost take it like a daily routine. This is done by us watching the television constantly and by listening to the radio on a daily basis. The internet has become an extremely popular source to access games, news, emails and information in which through this, institutions have been able to promote their products and themselves by advertising pop-up links on popular websites such as Facebook, Bebo and Myspace, in which is a technique used called ‘flood marketing’. With plastic pop artists being signed to these institutions, their fans are able to create pages, blogs and clubs that promote pop artists and stars in the making, by giving updates on news, gossip and success. A good example of a website that does this is www.popstaronline.com , as they also do competitions and give the latest news on American artists and some British artists. With Pop magazines advertising music artists from the pop industry, it gives the idea that people are more likely to buy it, as they include exclusive interviews and gossip, which makes it appealing to teenagers to become Pop stars of the future generation, as the media portrays it as living the life of luxury due to the greed of money. British music magazines that show advertisement of Pop artists are ‘Smash Hits’ and ‘Top of the Pops’. With ‘Top of the Pop’s having there own programme funded by the BBC, it demonstrates the progressive spread of Plastic Pop through the usage of today’s technology.