Chapter 1 - Introduction – Special Objects, Special Subjects

Describing the historical relationship between creativity and mental health, this introduction to the book Can Music Make You Sick? provides an understanding of how contemporary musical artists and professionals experience building a career, their emotional wellbeing and mental health. It looks at conditions of creativity and their impact on musicians using insights from critical media theory, psychology and cultural economics. The introduction considers musicians’ challenges when musical production is abundant, in an industry reliant on self-belief and driven by techno-positivism.