Relationships with mainstream culture Subculture

potato chip packages featuring hip hop subcultural designs in case of mainstream commercial cultural merging

it may difficult identify subcultures because style (particularly clothing , music) may adopted mass culture commercial purposes. businesses seek capitalize on subversive allure of subcultures in search of cool, remains valuable in selling of product. process of cultural appropriation may result in death or evolution of subculture, members adopt new styles appear alien mainstream society.

music-based subcultures particularly vulnerable process; may considered subcultures @ 1 stage in histories – such jazz, goth, punk, hip hop , rave cultures – may represent mainstream taste within short period. subcultures reject or modify importance of style, stressing membership through adoption of ideology may more resistant commercial exploitation. punk subculture s distinctive (and shocking) style of clothing adopted mass-market fashion companies once subculture became media interest. dick hebdige argues punk subculture shares same radical aesthetic practices dada , surrealism:

like duchamp s ready mades - manufactured objects qualified art because chose call them such, unremarkable , inappropriate items - pin, plastic clothes peg, television component, razor blade, tampon - brought within province of punk (un)fashion ... objects borrowed sordid of contexts found place in punks ensembles; lavatory chains draped in graceful arcs across chests in plastic bin liners. safety pins taken out of domestic utility context , worn gruesome ornaments through cheek, ear or lip ... fragments of school uniform (white bri-nylon shirts, school ties) symbolically defiled (the shirts covered in graffiti, or fake blood; ties left undone) , juxtaposed against leather drains or shocking pink mohair tops.