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To begin my media timeline, I would like to discuss the music industry between 2003-2010 as I believe that this most tightly links into my final essay (how music can produce class based stereotypes). In 2003, R&B music had a prominent position in the charts; Jay-Z released 'The Black Album' which in turn produced some of his most famous singles such as 'Lucifer' and '99 Problems' which in turn reached respectable places in the charts across the world. Jay-Z was also in competition with the rise of artists such as Kanye West who released 'The College Dropout' in 2004 featuring singles such as 'All Falls Down'. However, the rise in popularity of R&B music during the early 2000's was also accompanied by explicit language and rap artists generally were open in the lyrics about topics that working classes stereotypes across all cultures were more likely to experience. Consequently, R&B music in the early 2000's very quickly became associated with an audience predominantly made consisting younger men that lacked education as opposed to the population who had come from middle class backgrounds.

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Arguably the biggest change globally to occur during my lifetime is the rise in social media. Firstly, in 2002, LinkedIn was founded; with nearly 800 million members worldwide, LinkedIn has proven to be an essential form of social media within the job industry due to the fact that it enables users to connect with each other as well as share their current employment status and history. Thus, this platform has established itself as being crucial in dictating the positions that employees may be in as it is imperative that they have a strong presence on this platform due to the fact that potential employers are able to see this (similarly, this may be used to view others accounts in order to gain inspiration for a career change). In 2004, shortly after LinkedIn, Facebook was also launched- the social media platform which was arguably the start of others to follow. Originally, Facebook was also used as a platform to connect with others, however rather than for employers, the purpose of this was for friends and family members whereby users have the ability to post essentially anything they wish and 'like' each others posts; Facebook initially also included games too whereby users could compete against each other in a friendly manner. However, as Facebook has evolved in more recent years (specifically 2010 onwards) it has also had many additions that have allowed users to connect even more than when it was founded; now users have a 'Marketplace' whereby they are able to buy and sell items to each other as well as 'groups' whereby users who are not 'friends' on the platform can still connect through something that they may have in common. For example, groups are sometimes based around a specific geographical location whereby users in that area may choose to share updates that others will find helpful. Therefore, it can be argued that these platforms have been highly influential, especially for younger generations, within a range of industries throughout my lifetime.

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Following on from the popularity that R&B music was experiencing, much to the dismay of middle class audiences who were more likely to disapprove of the explicit language used and could not relate to this genre as much, Indie rock music begun taking over in the mid 2000s. Whilst this was a time whereby many rap artists produced some of their most highly acclaimed albums, this was not as dominant in the charts as Indie rock bands were beginning to form and thus create competition. For example, The Killers released Mr Brightside, the longest-charting single on the UK charts whilst other Indie rock bands such as Arctic Monkeys and the Strokes were also beginning to release albums that quickly gained popularity; this rise was potentially following on from the 90's whereby Blur (a middle class, London based band) were in competition with Oasis (a working class, Manchester based band) throughout a Britpop phase- Indie rock in the 2000s has potentially been an extension from this whereby audiences use music to freely express and find themselves (this was potentially influential on younger generations). The approval of this genre throughout the mid 2000's onward from middle classes links into Bourdieu's Culture Capital which emphasizes how middle classes essentially dictate what is a trend and therefore accepted at that time, thus providing an explanation as to why Indie Rock provided such strong competition against R&B music which had previously been dominant.

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As seen in this video, the 2000's decade was prominent for the sudden boom in phones, a device which has soon come to be owned by nearly everyone as they have advanced. Firstly, Apple released their first generation iPhone in 2007- a touch screen smartphone which enabled users to browse the internet, make phone calls and take photos. Therefore, similar to social media apps which could also be downloaded through their app store, this phone also allowed for consumers to have the opportunity to connect with each other and store memories. However, throughout the end of the 2000's, iPhone's did have competitors in the form of Blackberry and Nokia. Initially designed as business devices, Blackberry phones were more popular among middle classes, particularly men, who generally used these as work phones, in turn creating a stereotype that this brand had a target audience demographic of a much high class social type and so were generally not associated with lower classes when they first became trendy as their business functions would have been thought to not be necessary. However, Blackberry later established itself as a prominent brand within the phone industry and became used more frequently for social purposes by middle classes; this reinforced Bourdieu's culture capital and so by the end of the 2000's, Blackberry phones were highly sought after and had gained a much wider target audience of no longer just being associated with middle classes. On the other hand, Nokia's did not appear to be associated with a particular social class, and so through having a wider target audience consistently achieved high sales throughout the 2000's but despite this, Nokia phones appeared to be more basic when competitors such as Apple released the iPhone and thus was not as prominent within the phone market towards the end of the 2000's.

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As demonstrated in this video, the 2000's decade was at the core of advancements for technology across all spectrum, however I am going to focus on the main devices that were produced in this decade and in turn became household items. As well as the sudden boom in phones, this decade also saw the rise of laptops, too. For example, throughout the 2000's, whilst releasing new iPhone's, Apple were also releasing Macbook Air's; a portable laptop which proved to be inspired. These were built to be light and portable and therefore gained a reputation of being used for University students as they are adaptable to use for education purposes. However, MacBook Air's are also more expensive than their competitors products, thus equaling the fact that they have connotations of being liked with higher status social types. This is further reinforced by the fact that this particular product is popular among students whereby more so previously than today, there was a stereotype which dictated that students who went to University were typically from middle to higher class families, and so were also more likely to be able to afford this product than working class students too. As mentioned in this video, another technological device which rose in the 2000's was the use of installed satellite navigation systems in cars; this was an important revolution due to the fact that this limited the need for maps and also prevented the need for consumers to use their phones whilst driving, effectively meaning that drivers could get to destinations in the safest way possible without the need for distractions. On the contrary, similar to Apple's Macbook, when satellite navigation systems were first built into cars at the time, this was mainly in vehicles such as Audi and Mercedes, essentially premium car brands and this was as optional extras which were costly. Thus, at the time, even this advancement for cars was still only achievable for 'higher' social class types whom could afford this luxury, therefore meaning that it had a closed target audience due to not being available to 'working classes' who were more likely to have older, cheaper cars. Thus, when combined with Apples introductory laptops, this would present an argument that whilst technology had impressive developments in the 2000s, this was only beneficial to middle classes who could afford to consume these items- this means that working classes were essentially stuck in a rhythm of consuming the same products; cars which simply were used for basic travelling purposes as well as media devices that did not have as advanced features as their competitors. However, the 2000's was also central for the increase in the gaming industry. This is evident as the XBOX and Playstation became competitors throughout the 2000's as game consoles that had users worldwide and the compatibility for all new games at the time. The main rivals throughout this decade was the PS3 (released in 2006 and 87.4 million units sold) compared to the XBOX 360 (released in 2005 and 84 million sold) which became household items and were both popular platforms to play FIFA (or personally I used to choose to play Just Dance) on. Due to the fact that these consoles were generally not too overpriced and were able to purchase second hand, these were mainly not targeted at a specific social class type, however the Nintendo Wii was also a popular product throughout the 2000's and was generally regarded as slightly cheaper than its competitors and so this may have been more targeted at the working class or younger children due to being enabling less public connections than the others, but XBOX and Playstation were still the main games consoles used throughout this decade and still are in present day.

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2000s Decade Recap - Business and Technology

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The continuous rise of social media which has continued into present day

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Following on from the success of the earliest forms of social media (especially Facebook), competition began to arise whereby from 2006 onward, there was more platforms forming. This began in 2006, which saw the release of Twitter, an app which very quickly developed millions of users and is still popular today (in 2020 Twitter had 186 million users); similar to Facebook and the same as Instagram, Twitter enables users to share posts and 'follow' each other however it is mainly used as a platform for users to share their opinions and debate in the form of 'Tweets' and so is more often used now by politicians who may use the surface to express their interests to the public as well as brands who may provide amusing tweets that go 'viral' (are shared and viewed by millions of people) in order to draw attention to the brand. For example, Marks and Spencers and Aldi brands argued on Twitter in 2021 over a product, however the businesses choice of sarcastic comments ensured that this topic went viral and so they also increased brand awareness among their target audiences simultaneously. Another form of social media was when 2011 saw the release of Snapchat, a popular platform which isn't as controversial and has gained 306 million daily active users worldwide. Snapchat is a form of social media which enables users to connect with their 'friends' via messages or calls as well as view others stories which last 24 hours. This is arguably the healthiest form of social media and may potentially be the best influence over younger generations as it does not allow for 'likes' of posts or the ability to comment publicly on posts; Snapchat does however include a 'news' section in more recent years which has provided the opportunity for users to also be engaged with the 'outside world' through allowing for consumers to be informed about current events, as well as the opportunity to subscribe to particular news pages. Therefore, Snapchat allows for users to not only connect with each other, but to be educated on particular topics too. Furthermore, in 2010, Instagram was released- a rival at the time to both Facebook and Twitter. Instagram has approximately 1 billion monthly active users, making it arguably the most popular social media platform and is also potentially the most influential. Like other social media platforms, Instagram is mainly used by younger generations who have the ability to 'follow' each other whilst 'liking' and 'commenting' on others posts. However, similar to Tiktok (a platform initially released in 2016 which also has 1 billion users), Instagram has developed 'influencers' which isn't necessary positive. Influencers are usually females from stereotypically middle class families who use filters through this social media platform to make their lives appear unrealistically good and in turn promote products for brands to their 'followers' however this mentality could be potentially contributing to a rise in mental health problems in younger generations who are their target audiences. Despite this, younger generations have still essentially grown up around Instagram and therefore in turn still use this platform as a way to connect with each other. Ultimately, social media can also be positive for the job industry; due to the fact that most people today will still have a social media presence, this has opened the door for digital marketing as well as e-commerce. Essentially, the purpose of this is to enable smaller brands to reach out to wider range of audiences and gain brand awareness, which will have been crucial during lockdowns for the COVID-19 pandemic and so there is a strong argument for the fact that social media is still largely beneficial during its presence today despite changing significantly throughout my lifetime.

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I would also like to touch upon the film and TV industry as I believe that this has a place on the changing media environment throughout my lifetime in a different way to other forms of media. For example, films are now consumed differently than they were to 2003 as the 2000's saw a change in cinemas whereby films are now more popularly displayed in 3D, enhancing the experience for consumers and keeping the film industry alive in a time where a rise of popular platforms such as Netflix enables users to watch a wide range of films and series from the comfort of their own homes. However, I am most fascinated by what has being consumed throughout my lifetime within the film industry; drawing on a Marxist theory, it is imperative to note that there is a case of mass media production. This theory demonstrates that movies that are being consumed are essentially 'factory built' meaning that they all follow similar plots and characters however simply produce a change in a setting each time we consume a new film (this is referring to the large quantity of sequels that have proven to be popular). For example, during the 2000's, the majority of the worlds highest gross films were sequels of franchises such as Harry Potter, Shrek and The Lord of the Rings- an explanation for this is potentially that target audiences know what to expect and so are keen to see characters progressions however the Marxist dimension on this is fascinating.
Despite this, from 2003-2021, there has also been a rise in reality TV programmes, such as The Only Way Is Essex and Made In Chelsea. Whilst both TV shows are based around characters who are wealthy, Made in Chelsea is viewed as being middle class and presents more of a 'chav' phenomenon towards The Only Way Is Essex; this is implying that despite their riches, the cast of 'TOWIE' still have a lack of education and from a Made In Chelsea perspective, are dysfunctional and lacking taste in terms of culture and choice such as things that they wear. In contrast, a rise in TV shows within my lifetime such as 'Benefits Britain; Life on the Dole' highlighted the lower social class types who were struggling to function due to the lack of money to do so, as opposed to a lack of taste. Ultimately, this illustrates the clear class divide that has been prominent throughout my lifetime that dictates not only a status of wealth to be placed into a social class type category, however also a specific taste upon which is dictated to by the middle classes.

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From 2010-present, whilst R&B music was still holding prominent positions in the chart with Kanye West especially still releasing new highly sought after albums, Indie Rock music was starting to fizzle out and instead 'Pop' music was beginning to produce chart toppers. For example, in 2013, after already becoming the largest group in the world, One Direction released 'Best Song Ever', a single which broke records for the most views on YouTube within 24 hours.  One Direction had several chart topping singles and albums throughout the 2010's, beating artists of other genres, and their audience was predominantly young girls. Consequently, this also may have encouraged the start up of many other boy bands throughout this era who also earned singles that reached the charts, such as 5 Seconds of Summer and The Vamps. Generally, these bands did not have a particular social class stereotype within their audience, and thus dominated the music industry from 2010-2015. After One Direction split up, girl group Little Mix then begun releasing albums which have since ruled the charts and continue to do so, whilst pop artists such as Beyonce and Dua Lipa have also been influential, too. One Directions audience of females have since transferred to these female artists whose lyrics promote confidence and power.
Finally, music is also now listened to differently than to how it has been previously, which may also provide an explanation as to why it has changed so significantly throughout my lifetime. For example, whereas vinyls and CDs were previously purchased as a means to consume music, there has since been a decline whereby YouTube plus the popular streaming device Spotify have rose. Whilst YouTube was launched first and provided the opportunity for individual songs to be listened to whilst also viewing music videos which may also enhance a singles popularity, Spotify has asserted dominance as how music is now consumed, especially by younger generations whereby users can create their own playlists and have the ability to control more how they choose to listen to music.

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Today, technology has grown to offer a virtual world whereby everyone has a presence simply through devices, enabling users to connect with each other

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Whilst the 2000's was a decade for technology to simply emerge new and innovative ideas,  these ideas were beginning to be placed into practice more in the lead up to present day (2010 onward) and are no longer viewed as luxury items for higher social class types that can afford them, but rather they are now being offered as household items. For example, as we have seen, social media has had a large influence on culture and generally dictates to current trends that may be seen, however as these platforms have grown, so have the devices that they are used on; phones have evolved to now offer an entire life within one device whereby Apple and Samsung are the biggest competitors offering incredible cameras within these devices to upload 'Insta-worthy' pictures, whilst also offering the ability to essential search anything and download apps for a wide range of purposes, as well as their initial ability to make phone calls- this can also now be done via 'FaceTime' which is essential for virtual meetings. In addition to this, in 2011, Amazon released the Kindle, the start of a line of products by Amazon whereby the Alexa was to follow, that have also become household items. The Kindle was important in switching from paper back books which may have been crucial for the environmental crisis faced, and in turn replaces this with a device whereby users can search a book from here and consume it via their tablet; Kindles became very popular during the early 2010's, generally used as gifts such as birthday or Christmas presents, and were available in a wide variety of stores with a range of prices to suit all budgets too.
Finally, the advancements in technology proved to be essential to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic which was initiated in 2019. The main concern surrounding this pandemic was the education and job industries whereby it simply may not have been safe for these to continue normally, however due to already advanced technology by this stage, many students and workers already had new laptops or tablets which enabled for meetings to continue virtually whereby many users could join a call with a 'camera' and 'microphone' on and thus this made returning to these industries easier when it was safe to do so. Similarly, the fast food industry evolved as evidenced by the fact that chains such as McDonalds were trialing their own devices for customers to order on; such tablets eliminate queues within their stores and prevent contact with workers so customers have more independence, however this also was further enrolled into stores for safety reasons during the pandemic too, this was similar to self checkouts which are usually seen placed in and around supermarkets. Furthermore, the pandemic also encouraged the economy to further increase its online capabilities. Whilst online shopping was already seeing an increase in demand due to the fact that consumers were able to purchase from most businesses online from their devices and simply have these delivered to their homes, this became necessary during the pandemic when customers could not physically visit stores, and so may have potentially prevented businesses from going into liquidation. As well as this, the economy also was enhanced due to the fact that banks began demonstrating an encouragement for consumers to use their online apps for services such as transferring money in order to also prevent contact where possible. Moreover, due to technological advancements, it is now possible to receive news from any device, whereby newspapers are phasing out and brands such as the Independent are instead offering online subscriptions, meaning that consumers have the ability to easily search for articles which are relevant to them; online capabilities were even more useful when shows such as 'Loose Women' that discuss a wide range of topics were not able to air properly during the pandemic, however using technology, this show was still able to continue via live FaceTiming services.
Ultimately, this demonstrates the fact that technology has advanced to a position whereby it is now possible to continue essential everyday aspects simply through devices which enable the use for this.