Do Woodstock 1969 ao The Town 2023 : tensões entre publicidade e a mercantilização da música

Abstract

This study investigates how Woodstock 69 and its relationship between music, branding, and the market contrast with the logic of contemporary music festivals, taking The Town 2023 as a case study. The objective of the research was to analyze the structural, symbolic, and market-oriented differences between the two festivals, identifying continuities, ruptures, and strategies of cultural legitimation within the cultural industry. Methodologically, the study adopts a qualitative approach, based on documentary research, content analysis according to Bardin, case study methodology as proposed by Yin, and semiotic analysis grounded in Saussure, Barthes, and Semprini, in addition to direct participant observation during the The Town festival. The results indicate that while Woodstock consolidated itself as a cultural event with a strong symbolic and generational character, The Town is structured as an integrated platform of entertainment, consumption, and media, in which brands operate both the physical infrastructure and the symbolic narrative of the event. It is concluded that the legitimization of contemporary festivals occurs fundamentally through market logics, embedded in a specific historical context, without rendering the musical experience unfeasible, but rather redefining its role within the cultural industry.