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Post Malone's journey to fame and decisions behind it is fundamental to understanding how he established his star image to reflect critical values to him such as authenticity and artistic fluidity and how he has remained rooted to his origins.

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Teng et al. (2020) 'An exploration of celebrity business ventures and their appeal to fans and non-fans'

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Becoming a brand entrepreneur was a typical move from celebrities, so Post Malone was following the trends of the time - unconventional of him. However, his scope of entrepreneurship reflected his creativity and fluidity as a star - covering beverages and fashion to comics (more niche to his passions)

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HOT 97 (2015) 'Ebro in the Morning asks Post about White Guys w/ Braids & his Musical Abilities'

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In this interview, Malone discusses the significant role that his father - Richard 'Rich' Post - played in establishing and shaping his early passion and roots in the music scene, and his genre-blurring vision. He connected to fans, as authentic and relatable, talking about his childhood and revealing facts like how his father (a DJ) put him “on everything ". This is strengthened by his statement that he "grew up appreciating music...and appreciating people that love music...and make music", clarifying that his musical journey is driven by passion and love for the industry not by fame and money.

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Ebro in the Morning asks Post about White Guys w/ Braids & his Musical Abilities

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Jack Whatley (2021) 'Post Malone’s 3 favourite metal bands of all time'

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Appearing on a live video chat, he revealed how his top early metal influences were formative influencers in him learning the guitar – determined to play like them. Their influence has remained rooted in his work, with subtly woven metal riffs in his guitar work throughout his career. This signifies authenticity and portrays Post Malone as still rooted in his values, not changed by fame - a constant reminder of where he started.

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Post Malone’s 3 favourite metal bands of all time

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Speaking in 2020 rapper and pop artist Post Malone announced he was a huge metal fan, picking out his favourite groups of all time in the process

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Nathaniel (2025) 'Kurt Cobain’s Influence on 21st Century Musicians: From Billie Eilish to Post Malone - Kurt Cobain Memorial'

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Cobain's, 'unique blend of angst, authenticity, and vulnerability' - which evolved the music scene of the 1990s - resonated to and inspired Post Malone. He encouraged unconventional, emotional, undefined creation and expression - influencing Post Malone in both his career and in his personal expression. But this indicates a lack of authenticity then in Post Malone’s identity – is it curated?

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Kurt Cobain’s Influence on 21st Century Musicians: From Billie Eilish to Post Malone - Kurt Cobain Memorial

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Explore how Kurt Cobain’s influence shapes 21st-century artists like Billie Eilish, Post Malone, and Lil Peep, and how his legacy continues to impact modern music.

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David Hesmondhalgh, Eliis Jones and Andreas Rauh (2019) 'SoundCloud and Bandcamp as Alternative Music Platforms' p. 3

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Significance of SoundCloud in Post Malone's emergence

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Significance of SoundCloud in Post Malone's emergence

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SoundCloud enabled Post Malone to ‘share music with potential audiences’ – both fans and music professionals - without all of the equipment, costs and connections that are often involved in this process. This is a ‘bottom up’, fan-driven, organic approach – adding to his credibility during his emergence into the music industry and potentially inspiring others to take a similar approach.

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SoundCloud and Bandcamp as Alternative Music Platforms - David Hesmondhalgh, Ellis Jones, Andreas Rauh, 2019

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We examine two “producer-oriented” audio distribution platforms, SoundCloud and Bandcamp, which have been important repositories for the hopes of musicians, com…

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White Iverson, released in 2015, was Post Malone's first official release and was the track that started his journey to becoming a star. It shaped him as a creative, emotional and authentic artist that is not limited by genre conventions. This musical portrayal matches his aesthetic and has remained with him throughout his career.

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Post Malone's boundary-defying musical range is central to his star image - appealing to wide range of demographics, demonstrating the extent of his artistic talents and allowing him to evolve creatively.

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Hits Daily Double (2018) 'Grammy Talk: Post Malone'

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Post Malone's response to questions and critique about what genre his music belongs to was - as quoted - "I like everything...what I'm not into is boxes...there are no genres anymore". This sums up his unrestricted outlook on music, but also life as a whole.

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Post Malone’s massive sophomore album, beerbongs & bentleys (Republic), which has thrown off a slew of smash tracks, including the career-defining “rockstar,” will surely be recognized come Grammy time.

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'F-1 trillion' (2024) is his most recent album, and the one that demonstrates his biggest genre and style jump. This is because his transition into country music extends beyond just his musical versatility, becoming an artistic rebranding.

The clear change in visual direction is also reflected in the album cover, connotes peace and simplicity over his previous dramatic, dark covers.

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Post Malone's visual branding and iconography aligns with his artistic fluidity and evolving style - reinforcing these traits in the roots of his 'star image'.

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His album 'Austin' (2023) covers his most conventional tracks of the pop-rock genre, best marking this era. This is largely down to the instrumental shift towards guitar and bass and the heightened emotional vulnerability in his song writing. This, alongside the title's reference to his official name and casual album cover enhances and promotes authenticity in the tracks - and further, him as a musician.

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Post Malone entered the music scene through the hip-hop and rap genre, evident in his first album, ‘Stoney (Deluxe)’ (2015). Beyond this, it also maps his stylistic range, the tracks varying in flow and emotion to support the lyrics for the intended emotive responsive. Similarly, the cover art indicates his musical elasticity not the genre (as conventional) – instead indicating contemplation with his head resting in his hands.

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Fashion journey - collage created from pictures from 'Google' (2025)

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His fashion evolution has followed a similar course to his genre hybridity, symbolising his creativity and desire to experiment (yet always with hints of a western-style aesthetic). His correlated evolution between fashion and music is iconic and central to his star image, whilst also symbolising his stance of defying the norm and inspiring individuality.

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While much of his appearance is ever-changing, Malone’s tattoos and grills remain his signature visual branding - becoming consistent visual cues to his identity. They signify that he is the same artist, behind all of the change. This may resonate with fans and sway them to follow and support Post Malone through all of his transformations as an artist.

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Post Malone’s versatility has led to some criticism regarding his authenticity and intentions - particularly within the hip-hop/ rap community - with many calling him a 'culture vulture'.

This term is used to criticise him for adopting the ‘hip-hop aesthetics’ of braids and grills as a ‘cosplay’ to get into the music industry, until he had the resources and fan base to produce the music he wanted to.

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Post Malone constantly transforms his Instagram aesthetic to align with the aesthetic of his current genre and style, suggesting that his account acts as a visual platform for his brand identity and public persona (not authentic).

This interpretation is also supported by the links in his bio, to his official shop; tour tickets; and big rig comic.

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Welcome back to Instagram. Sign in to check out what your friends, family & interests have been capturing & sharing around the world.

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@postmalone on 'Instagram'; 16th September (2023)

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Casual posts such as this one contradict the public persona interpretation of his Instagram page, instead suggesting that he runs his account as an authentic, real, unfiltered portrayal of him – aligning with his authenticity as an artist instead of his musical branding. This portrayal fits the visionary archetype.

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All of Post Malone’s album covers' signify the genre inspirations and emotional tone of the albums, so his discography is a visual reflection of his creative extent and experimentation as an artist in music and in determining his performative identity.

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Post Malone (2018) 'Post Malone, Swae Lee - Sunflower (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse) (Official Video)'

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"Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" (2018)

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"Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" (2018)

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Post Malone's collaborative track with Swae Lee - Sunflower (2018) - was his first crossover into the film industry. This marked one of first milestones as a major celebrity, associating his identity with a massive global franchise and appealing to a new, mass audience.

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Post Malone, Swae Lee - Sunflower (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse) (Official Video)

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After Post Malone had built a solid, reputable status in the music field, he expanded his brand beyond these dimensions - further diversifying and enhancing his visibility.

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'Post Malone' is a stage name which 'Austin Richard Post' has gone by his entire career, separating his artistic, musical identity from his personal life. Releasing 'White Iverson' under his pseudonymous name meant that his career and self-branding was created around ‘Post Malone’. Whilst is adds a distinct element, differentiating himself from a lot of other celebrities, arguably, it does take some authenticity away from his identity.

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Pieces of a Broken Mind: Mental Health and Recovery(2024) 'Post Malone’s Mental Health Speech Is Essential Viewing'

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Advocate for mental health and addiction conversations

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Advocate for mental health and addiction conversations

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Echoing his emotional transparency and authenticity, Post Malone uses his platform to advocate for awareness and destigmatise mental health and substance abuse, encouraging his fans to speak out about their own issues and to be there for others through theirs.

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Pieces of a Broken Mind: Mental Health & Recovery

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Post Malone’s Mental Health Speech Is Essential Viewing

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The Howard Stern Show (2022) 'Post Malone Opens Up About His Past Struggle With Alcohol'

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On this show, Malone responds to the question "Are you sober now?" with "No sir, I am responsible now". He then opens up more, talking about his journey with his alcohol abuse, even how this impacted his musical career. He states that he uses his music not to bring people down, but to express how he feels – reflective of his persona.

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Post Malone Opens Up About His Past Struggle With Alcohol

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A lot of Post Malone's tracks are created around sad, vulnerable emotional resonance. He covers a range of topics including heartbreak; addiction;  and anxiety - relatable to a wide scope of listeners. From this, it can be interpreted that a vast amount of his fans would be able to relate to and hopefully get a sense of hope from hearing his experience and advice.

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Robin Bacior (2020) 'Post Malone Responds to Fans Worried About His Health'

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There has been discussion on social media a number of times throughout his career, as to whether he may be facing substance abuse issues - based on his odd behaviours on stage such as 'slurring his words, rolling his eyes back, and stumbling'.

Responding to this, in Memphis, Tennessee (2020) he said “I feel fucking fantastic and I’m not doing drugs”.

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Post Malone responds to fans worried about his health: “I’m not on drugs!”

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At his concert Friday night, Post Malone addressed fans’ recent concern about his health and strange behavior, saying he’s “not on drugs.”

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@_valerielynn_ on TikTok on 3rd June (2020)

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This TikTok demonstrates Post Malone's concerning behaviour on stage, flooded with comments of concern such as ‘are we literally watching Post Malone die before our eyes?’ and 'he really needs help and it's really hard to watch this :/'.

If he was in fact struggling in silence, it would challenge his identity as an advocate for talking about issues - taking some authenticity away from his values.

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The Howard Stern Show (2022) 'Post Malone Used Music to Fight Depression as a Teenager'

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In this interview into Post Malone's personal dealings with depression, he discusses how music pulled him out and gave some advice to audiences going through similar things - ‘there’s a trillion billion lonely people in the world and I just want to say that there’s always someone who fucking loves you and you don’t have to be scared to talk about it’. This represents him as an authentic, relatable artist who gets it.

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Post Malone Used Music to Fight Depression as a Teenager

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'How Did A Record Label Find Post Malone'

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In this article, and as summarised in this screenshot, Post Malone's sign to Republic Records label elevated his career, allowing him to maintain creative control but access to their high-end resources and connections - ehancing his status and identity in the industry.

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Laila Abuelhawa (2024) '5 of Post Malone's Best Collaborations'

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This article acknowledges the wide span of Post Malone's musical collaborations, with artists across a range of genres - aligning with his free and genre-defying style so amplifying this as his identity. It is also a professional strategy, with his collaborative artists acting as genre bridges in helping him broaden his reach and creativity whilst solidifying his postition as a 'star'.

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Post Malone has seemingly collaborated with everyone. Posty, born Austin Richard Post on July 4, 1995, started out his professional career as a rapper. However, his musical roots began with...

Post Malone has seemingly collaborated with everyone. Posty, born Austin Richard Post on July 4, 1995, started out his professional career as a rapper. However, his musical roots began with his father, Richard Post. Richard was a wedding DJ in his youth and introduced Post to many different genres of music, including hip-hop, country, and classic and newer rock.

(Photo by Click Thompson/Getty Images for Teton Ridge)

When Malone was nine years old, he and his family moved from New York to Texas. At 12 years old, he used to play Guitar Hero, which he credits as what got him interested in learning to play a real guitar. In high school, he made a hip-hop mixtape called Young and After Them Riches, and played in a metal band and in an indie band.

Post began his musical career in 2011. He covered Bob Dylan's " Don't Think Twice, It's All Right" on YouTube in 2013, and gained recognition with his 2015 debut single "White Iverson." He then performed with Royal Machines (Dave Navarro, Chris Chaney, Billy Morrison, Donovan Leitch Jr., Erik Eldenius), covering Rage Against the Machine's " Killing in the Name" in 2016.

With five rap studio albums below his belt, Post holds the record for the artist with the most diamond-certified songs, with eight to his name. He has collaborated with rock and indie musicians, as well as mainstream pop stars. In 2016, he was featured on Kanye West's 2016 single "Fade" from his album The Life of Pablo. Later that year, he collaborated with Justin Bieber on "Deja Vu" and opened up for the pop star for his Purpose World Tour.

In the following years, Post collaborated with rappers like 21 Savage, Quavo, Nicki Minaj, Travis Scott, Ty Dolla Sign, Swae Lee, Young Thug, Da Baby, Megan Thee Stallion, Lil Baby, Doja Cat, The Weeknd, YG, Roddy Ricch, ASAP Rocky, Big Sean, Saweetie, Lil Wayne, Gucci Mane, Rich The Kid, The Kid Laroi, and YoungBoy Never Broke Again.

As for pop stars and indie singers, Post has been featured on tracks with Noah Kahan, Beyonce, Lorde, Khalid, and Taylor Swift. When it comes to EDM, Post has offered his vocals on tracks with DJs like Tiesto and Flosstradamus. He's even collaborated with legendary rockers Ozzy Osbourne, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Eddie Vedder, and Travis Barker!

Take a look below at our top 5 list of Post Malone's best collaborations:

"Sunflower" with Swae Lee

This 2018 track from the Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse animated film is so good. The song was at the top of the charts for almost a whole year since its release, receiving double diamond (20-times platinum) certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in the US. Swae Lee and Posty made history with the record, having the first-ever single to achieve such a certification.

"I Like You (A Happier Song)" with Doja Cat

This chill, feel-good collaboration with Doja Cat was released in 2022 and on Post's Twelve Carat Toothache album. The best thing about the music video is how much the two seem to be genuinely having wholesome fun with each other, and as the song's title suggests, "A Happier" song indeed. The song and video never fail to put us in a cheery mood, and we love Doja's lines, "I just gotta feeling that we might be friends for a long, long time."

"Something In The Way" (Nirvana Cover) with Travis Barker On Drums

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Posty evoked his inner Kurt Cobain and held this epic fundraiser from his Texas home to go towards the World Health Organization (WHO). "Something In The Way" has long been one of our all-time favorite Nirvana songs, and the way Post did an incredible job with this one. Blink-182 drumming legend Travis Barker joined him for the whole set, setting a precedence for future rock collaborations in the future for Posty.

"Fade" with Kanye West and Ty Dolla Sign

From one of Kanye's last great albums he released, we did not even realize that Post Malone was featured until recently! The 2016 Life of Pablo track is built off of four samples: Fingers Inc.'s "Mystery of Love (Club Mix)," Hardrive's house song, "Deep Inside," Ms. Barbara Tucker's vocals from "I Get Lifted," and Rare Earth's "(I Know) I'm Losing You." According to Post, he said it was "amazing" working with West, who he dubbed as "one of the dopest musicians I know." The song, that we still bump to this day, was written in just five minutes. West made the beat from scratch on the spot, wowing Ty Dolla Sign and Posty.

"Love/Hate Letter to Alcohol" with Fleet Foxes

We included two songs from Post's 2022 album Twelve Carat Toothache to wrap our best collabs list. Though we knew Post collaborated with countless rappers, dabbled with rock legends, and began his foray into the country genre, we never would have expected him to go pure folk with Fleet Foxes. Despite that, this live performance with the indie folk band on Saturday Night Live blows us away and is a really lyrically moving track as well.

Laila Abuelhawa is the Top 40 and Hip-Hop pop culture writer for Beasley Media Group. Being with the company for over three years, Laila's fierce and fabulous red-carpet rankings have earned her a feature on 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert!' Her favorite stories are those surrounding the latest in celebrity fashion, television and film rankings, and how the world reacts to major celebrity news. With a background in journalism, Laila's stories ensure accuracy and offer background information on stars that you wouldn't have otherwise known. She prides herself in covering stories that inform the public about what is currently happening and what is to come in the ever-changing, ever-evolving media landscape.

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Post Malone has seemingly collaborated with everyone. Posty, born Austin Richard Post on July 4, 1995, started out his professional career as a rapper. However, his musical roots began with...

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Post Malone (2020) Maison No. 9 Rosé Wine

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Post Malone released his rosé brand - Maison No. 9 - stemming from his love for the Mediterranean lifestyle and rosé. This coheres with his persona and demographic, but could be questioned given his openly addressed struggles with alcohol - negatively impacting his emotional branding

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Maison No. 9 Rosé Wine | A Post Malone project

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FRENCH RIVIERA ROSÉ - Crispy. Refreshing. Very Smooth. Built on friendship, hard work, and a love for French rosé wine. Must be 21+

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Post Malone (2020) Maison No. 9 Rosé Wine

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Signing his rosé brand using his official signature, as 'Austin Richard Post' not Post Malone, makes it seem more authentic and personal to him - linking to his personal struggles (rather than 'Post Malone's) with alcohol. This could also be interpreted the other way in that, it is irresponsible of him to release an alcoholic brand, when he was not yet sober - a negative view from fans who related to his alcohol abuse and were inspired by his openness about it.

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Maison No. 9 Rosé Wine | A Post Malone project

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FRENCH RIVIERA ROSÉ - Crispy. Refreshing. Very Smooth. Built on friendship, hard work, and a love for French rosé wine. Must be 21+

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Post Malone owns and [has created] a live music venue and bar 'designed around the honky tonk grit and country soul'. His ownership and creation around this stems from his musical transition into the country genre - so is an extension of his star identity. This promotes authenticity between Post Malone and the 'country' lifestyle, whilst allowing him to reach more fans within that genre through his bar.

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His comic 'Big Rig' is a creative extension of his story-telling talent, beyond the music industry, turning to an entirely new demographic. This enhances his star image as the comic still connotes his signature qualities of creativity, emotional resonance and fluidity (this time across mediums). Moreover, the truck image connotes his current country direction.

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Post Malone’s BIG RIG. An all new graphic novel from Vault Comics. Created by Post Malone. Written by Adrian Wassel. Drawn by Nathan Gooden. Colored by Der-shing Helmer. Lettered by Jim Campbell. Available for preorder now.

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Post Malone's merchandise has evolved over his career to align with and represent his current genre direction - a material extension of his public persona. This further showcases his fluidity in both music and fashion, whilst expanding his shop appeal but it does also indicate commercial capitalisation- usually profit-driven rather than authentic. It also takes away the novelty and exclusivity of concert merchandise as you can buy them online.

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Official Store - Shop Exclusive Music & Merch - Post Malone UK

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The official Post Malone UK online store. Shop exclusive Post Malone vinyl, CDs, t-shirts, and more.

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Socha, M. (2025) ‘Post Malone Debuts Fashion Label in Paris’, WWD: Women’s WearDaily, p. 6.

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Post Malone's western, country style is reiterated in his Austin Post collection, another visual extension of his branding and identity. There is a large sense of authenticity in this collection, priced below luxury labels because he wants them to be enjoyed and produced under his official name, suggesting a personal link to this product. The personal element would enhance an sense of intimacy from buyers to Post Malone.

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Isabel Soldner (2021) 'Artists on the Rise: An Exploration of the Role that Brand Collaboration Prestige Plays in the Development of Identification and Artist Attractiveness' p.6

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The majority of Post Malone's brand partnerships are with non-luxury brands - unconventional of celebrities and another example of him 'going against the grain'. This highlights his authenticity and relatability, giving him a grounded image, whilst providing non-luxury brands with large visibility and endorsements through his fans.

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Stanley 1913 released a limited edition collection with Post Malone, the tumblers featuring a western theme oof camouflage and brown colours with tassels and leather - a product reflection of his country rebranding. With the whole collection sold out, even with a two tumbler limit per customer, and a huge waitlist, this collaboration signifies his stellar celebrity status and vast fan engagement with his career moves.

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Official Stanley 1913 UK Store | Since 1913 the Stanley flask fuels your city and outdoor adventures. Discover Stanley’s stainless steel thermoses, vacuum bottles and leakproof travel mugs.

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Post Malone faced some character criticism from this, with people questioning his judgement and making jokes about 'his rockstar lifestyle' - questioning the barrier between his personal and performative identity. When he simply apologised for the mistake, his honesty and authenticity was met with a lot of forgiveness.

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Post Malone’s Comeback: From Scandals to Redemption

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Can Post Malone overcome his scandals? Dive into his controversial moments and see how he reclaimed his throne in music.

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A.D. Danquah (2019) 'The Impact of Celebrity Endorsement of Charitable Campaigns on Awareness Creation' p. 6

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Exploring this statement in looking at Post Malone, since raising awareness and money aligns with his values and desire to engage with and help fans - empathising from his own life struggles - there is more indication to his involvement coming from a genuine place, with good intentions.

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Kristine Liao (2024) 'Post Malone to Headline 2024 Global Citizen Festival and Advocate for a Healthy Planet and Just Society'

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Performing at the Global Citizen Festival, which 'aims to drive urgent action on some of the world's most pressing policy demands' positions Post Malone as artist that wants to use their status and platform to make a different - helping tackle issues.

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Post Malone to Headline 2024 Global Citizen Festival and Advocate for a Healthy Planet and Just Society

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Post Malone will be performing at the Global Citizen Festival and urging fans to build a world where sustainability and equity go hand-in-hand.

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Leo Schwartz (2025) Forget vapes: Nicotine pouch startup Sesh raises $40 million from 8VC, Post Malone, and Diplo to take on Zyn

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Linking to his own smoking addiction and assumingly, a large portion of his fans, Post Malone has invested 'Sesh's' nicotine pouch startup, striving to safer, smoke-free alternatives. This is very in line with Post Malone's brand and identity.

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Forget vapes: Nicotine pouch startup Sesh raises $40 million from 8VC, Post Malone, and Diplo to take on Zyn | Fortune

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Founder Max Cunningham is hoping to reshape U.S. nicotine consumption through his venture-backed startup.

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'The Challenge' Festival and Fundraiser 2025

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'The Challenge' Festival and Fundraiser 2025

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Headlining a festival that promotes mental health and celebrates the non-profit partners that are around 'putting the mental health of future generations first' is very on brand for Post Malone. It is consistent with and resonates with his own mental health struggles and advocacy for more awareness and conversation around it.

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NEW ALBANY, Ohio, June 27, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Abercrombie & Fitch Co. (NYSE: ANF) today announced the lineup for The Challenge, its annual music festival and fundraiser focused on promoting mental health in support of future generations. The event, hosted at Abercrombie & Fitch Co.'s Global Home Office in New Albany, Ohio, celebrates the ongoing, collective impact of its six key philanthropic partners.

Headlining the 23 rd annual festival is nine-time diamond-certified GRAMMY ® Award-nominated phenomenon and philanthropist, Post Malone. The singer-songwriter has earned widespread acclaim and numerous accolades for his genre-blending music. Opening acts include critically acclaimed, chart-topping rock band Young the Giant, as well as rising global pop star Mark Ambor, with supporting performances from Max McNown, Natalie Jane, Adrien Nunez, Jessica Baio and DJ Axcess.

The Challenge embodies Abercrombie & Fitch Co.'s purpose to support and empower each generation on the journey to being and becoming who they are through its key partners; GLSEN, The Jed Foundation, The Kids Mental Health Foundation, SeriousFun Children's Network, The Steve Fund and The Trevor Project. By starting conversations that break the stigma around mental health challenges, creating safe and affirming school environments and providing free resources to youth, teens and young adults around the world, these six impact partners are putting the mental health of future generations first.

Since The Challenge's inception in 2001, Abercrombie & Fitch Co. has raised over $53 million in partnership with customers, business partners and its Abercrombie & Fitch and Hollister brands. Funds from this year's event will benefit all six non-profit partners.

"We're thrilled to announce this year's Challenge lineup, which we hope will be our most impactful event yet. From the incredible musical artists who will be joining us, to the level of support we plan to deliver to our non-profit partners, this year's event is shaping up to be absolutely fantastic," said Fran Horowitz, Chief Executive Officer at Abercrombie & Fitch Co. "Our headliner, globally celebrated artist Post Malone, shares our philanthropic values and we can't wait to bring his passion and talent to The Challenge stage in September. Each year brings new excitement, and I can say that this year will truly be one to remember, thanks to our amazing partners, performers, customers and associates coming together to celebrate our collective impact."

The Challenge will feature two stages, food and drink from local partners, including a beer garden by Rhinegeist Brewery, custom DIY apparel, axe throwing, hot air balloon rides and more one-of-a-kind experiences.

General admission is $175 and includes access to all live performances, unlimited food and drink and an event tee. VIP tickets are also available for $350, offering guests an elevated experience with exclusive stage viewing areas, additional Challenge merchandise and more. For those celebrating virtually, tickets are $30, and a virtual VIP experience kit is available for $100. All participants are invited to fundraise beyond their ticket price to raise additional money for A&F Co.'s partners via www.anfchallenge.org.

The Challenge will be held on Friday, September 19th, 2025, from 5-11pm. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.anfchallenge.org. Must be 16 years or older to attend.

To check out a recap of last year's event, visit The Challenge 2024.

About The Challenge
The Challenge is a music festival and fundraiser established in 2001 by Abercrombie & Fitch Co. Through fundraising and one-of-a-kind experiences, the event supports the mental health of each generation on their journey to being and becoming who they are. In partnership with the company's family of brands and customers, The Challenge raises millions, celebrating its collective impact with an annual event that draws thousands of people both in person and virtually.

About Abercrombie & Fitch Co.
Abercrombie & Fitch Co. (NYSE: ANF) is a global, digitally led, omnichannel specialty retailer of apparel and accessories catering to kids through millennials with assortments curated for their specific lifestyle needs.

The company operates a family of brands, including Abercrombie & Fitch and Hollister brands, each sharing a commitment to offer products of enduring quality and exceptional comfort that support global customers on their journey to being and becoming who they are. Abercrombie & Fitch Co. operates 790+ stores under these brands across North America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East, as well as the e-commerce sites abercrombie.com and hollisterco.com.

Media Contact:
Mackenzie Gusweiler
Abercrombie & Fitch Co.
(614) 283-6192
Public_Relations@anfcorp.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a7d79ae6-b6fa-4b82-a9b0-c76e7fa81cae

Post Malone to Headline The Challenge

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Post Malone to Headline The Challenge, Abercrombie & Fitch Co.'s Annual Festival and Fundraiser, Benefiting Non-Profit Partners

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Tickets now available for the event on Friday, September 19, 2025...

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St. Jude Inspire (2020) 'Post Malone rallies fans to help donate $1 million to worthy causes'

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He asked his fans for help in choosing the charities to donate to, giving them "the chance to give to charities that mean something to them". This, whilst a generous and self-less act, also showcases Post Malone's emotional integrity and resonance with his fans.

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Post Malone rallies fans to help donate $1 million to worthy causes

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Musician Post Malone came up with the goal to donate $1 million to charities including St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, as well as other organizations supporting COVID-19 frontline responders, disaster relief, education, homelessness, hunger, mental health and veterans.

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Post Malone uses the platform X as a professional platform, assumingly ran by his management not him. This is because it only consists of career-related posts and formal posts regarding donations and awareness of issues. It lacks the authentic and casual tone of his Instagram and Twitch account.

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Tweets by PostMalone

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Post Malone streams Hunt: Showdown 1896 - a shooter stimulation in western style - reflecting his transition to into the country genre. His streams appeal to a niche musical demographic - gamers - who look for authenticity and relatability in celebrities, two crucial elements to Post Malone's star image.

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casual

niche

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Twitch is the world’s leading video platform and community for gamers.

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Cheri Faulkner (2022) 'Post Malone is streaming ‘Apex Legends’ for charity'

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Post Malone partnered up with some other celebrities to use his Twitch platform and passion for gaming to raise money for charity - using his status to make a difference. The intimate form of raising money was based on authenticity and transparency, a personal act. This was enhanced by his emotional response to the amount raised when he ended the stream.

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Post Malone is streaming ‘Apex Legends’ for charity

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Three more streams are set to take place.

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Capital Xtra (n.d.) 'Post moved to Los Angeles when he was 18 with his friend from Dallas, Jason Probst.'

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Within his unique, personal professional journey, Malone's move to LA was one of the most conventional, career-driven strategies he made in solidifying his position in the music industry and as a rising celebrity.

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Post moved to Los Angeles when he was 18 with his friend from Dallas, Jason Probst.

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The rapper rented a house in Encino with his friends who ran a popular Minecraft YouTube channel, sleeping in a closet and “freeloading” while trying to make it in the music industry.

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Olivia Herbert (2023) 'Post Malone explains why his child is absent from his social media'

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Post Malone has remained very private about his relationships throughout his career, with many fans shocked to learn he has a fiancée and child. His choice to lead a normal family life away from the cameras shows that he is still firm in his roots, not changed by fame, and wants the same for his family.

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Post Malone explains why his child is absent from his social media

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‘I don’t want to post any pictures of my baby,’ singer says

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Commercial Chronicles (2025) 'Bud Light Super Bowl Commercial 2025 ft Post Malone, Shane Gillis, And Peyton Manning'

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This comedic, lifestyle commercial is one of the many collaborations between Post Malone and Bud Light, demonstrating their clear celebrity-brand alignment. The relatable, authentic and unique chill of Post Malone's persona is a good representation of the Bud Light brand, and they share similar audiences.

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Bud Light Super Bowl Commercial 2025 ft Post Malone, Shane Gillis, And Peyton Manning

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Ashley King (2020) 'Post Malone Crocs — Here’s Every Release So Far'

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Post Malone and Crocs has released five different ranges of collaborations, expanding in creativity and the unique style that is pivotal to Malone as the series' go on. Whilst this represents a similar journey to Post Malone's career - enhancing creativity overtime - it also reflects his elevating status and the sell-out attention that their collaboration got, with fans wanting more.

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Post Malone Crocs — Here’s Every Release So Far

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Post Malone has teamed up with Crocs to release five editions of exclusive designs with the unique shoe manufacturer. Here’s a look at each.

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@MotorEmbarrassed7192 (2025) on 'PostMalone' community on Reddit

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This comment on reddit represents Post Malone's original fans who liked his hip-hop/ rap music and feel 'disconnected' and 'let down' now that he has taken a direction, as if they have been left behind. This contradicts the relatable, genuine and inclusive identity in which Post Malone tries to portray and suggests an element of neglection for his fans.

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From the PostMalone community on Reddit: Has Post Malone gained or lost more fans with his country phase?

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Explore this post and more from the PostMalone community

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@Deano1924 (2024) on the 'Salt Lake City' community on 'Reddit'

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This post shows an authentic interaction between Post Malone and a fan. The caption 'One of the coolest and most genuine people' and the casual, personal image of Post Malone on a fan's shoulders portrays him as a friendly, down-to-earth celebrity, as if were a random man at a pub - which perfectly fits with the rest of his public persona.

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From the SaltLakeCity community on Reddit: Met Post Malone last night

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Explore this post and more from the SaltLakeCity community

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This video was filmed and posted by a fan, showing Post Malone in the kind, wholesome act of signing his shoes and giving them to a fan. His fan intimacy and generosity is crucial to his image and these interactions uphold it and enhance the credibility of these character values.

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NowThis on Instagram: "Post Malone gifts young fan his shoes at meet & greet

Post Malone surprised an 11-year-old fan named Elijah with the shoes off his feet at a recent meet & greet event in Georgia.

Viral footage shows the rapper posing for pics with the boy, signing Elijah’s shoes, and then taking off his own kicks and autographing them as well.

Elijah’s mom Nicole shared the footage to TikTok, where it has more than 569k views as of Sept 5. She also posted pics of the event to Instagram, writing that ‘this will be a pretty cool ‘what did you do over the summer’ story when Elijah goes back to school.’

#postmalone #onthebrightside #nowthisnews #entertainmentnews"

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37K likes, 309 comments - nowthis on September 7, 2023: "Post Malone gifts young fan his shoes at meet & greet

Post Malone surprised an 11-year-old fan named Elijah with the shoes off his feet at a recent meet & greet event in Georgia.

Viral footage shows the rapper posing for pics with the boy, signing Elijah’s shoes, and then taking off his own kicks and autographing them as well.

Elijah’s mom Nicole shared the footage to TikTok, where it has more than 569k views as of Sept 5. She also posted pics of the event to Instagram, writing that ‘this will be a pretty cool ‘what did you do over the summer’ story when Elijah goes back to school.’

#postmalone #onthebrightside #nowthisnews #entertainmentnews". 

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View this post on Instagram

A post shared by NowThis (@nowthis)

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Brown, J. (2025). How Post Malone Reshapes Mainstream Music. [online] Creative Format. 

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Post Malone's impact on the music industry

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Post Malone's impact on the music industry

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Post Malone's genre fluidity and unique sound inspires and promotes an industrial move towards unlimited creativity and authenticity, diminishing the boundaries and traditions of musical genres

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How Post Malone Reshapes Mainstream Music

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```html The Groundbreaking Impact of Post Malone on Modern Pop Music ```Post Malone, born Austin Richard Post, has carved a unique niche in the fabric of

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Redmond, S. (2014) Celebrity and the media Sean Redmond. P. 22. Houndsmill, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.

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You may be seeing this page because you used the Back button while browsing a secure web site or application. Alternatively, you may have mistakenly bookmarked the web login form instead of the actual web site you wanted to bookmark or used a link created by somebody else who made the same mistake.

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Turvy, A. (2025). Comparing TikTok and Instagram’s Sociotechnical Environments for Cultural Production. Deleted Journal, [online] 2, p.8. 

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Could change his TikTok profile to enhance his star image

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Could change his TikTok profile to enhance his star image

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Comparing TikTok and Instagram’s sociotechnical environments for cultural production - Alex Turvy, 2025

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This project comparatively analyzes how TikTok and Instagram shape the conditions for cultural production through their platform-specific configurations of gove…

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Turner, G. 2004. The Economy of Celebrity. In: Understanding Celebrity.p. 43. London: SAGE Publications Ltd. 

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Conventional of celebrities to expand into sub-industries

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Conventional of celebrities to expand into sub-industries

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Choi, C.J. and Berger, R. (2010). Ethics of Celebrities and Their Increasing Influence in 21st Century Society. Journal of Business Ethics, [online] 91(3), p.317

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Conventional of celebrities in the 21st century to extend beyond the entertainment industry

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Conventional of celebrities in the 21st century to extend beyond the entertainment industry

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JSTOR is a digital library of academic journals, books, and primary sources.

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Rojek, C. (2001). Celebrity. London: Reaktion Books, p.18.

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Clear prior granting of permission for release of your information to this service.

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Toffler, A. (1980). The third wave. New York, NY: William Morrow.

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Examines various aspects of modern life and analyzes changes that are occurring in such areas as the economy, politics, sexual attitudes, family life, and technology, and discusses the effect of these changes upon individuals and nations.