title: Representation of age and ageing identities in popular music texts.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To critically examine the representation of ageing identities in popular music texts.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Having a positive outlook provides both short-term benefits and has been proven to help people live longer. Music is capable of conveying positive and negative emotion towards ageing, however, only a limited number of unpublished studies exist on how age and ageing is represented in popular music.
  
  
  METHODS
  Qualitative discourse analysis.
  
  
  METHODS
  In July 2014, a search without time limits was completed of the music lyrics databases, The Music Lyric Database, Songfacts, The Macronium and Absolute lyrics for English language music texts relating to age and ageing.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Findings revealed (N = 76) relevant music texts offering up negative and positive discourses of age and ageing, with negative predominating. Identities of age and ageing were categorized as 'contented and celebrated aged', 'pitiful and petulant pensioners' and 'frail and flagging old folks'.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  From this study, it is evident that mainly negative representations of age and ageing are available in popular music texts. It is imagined that the negative representations of age and ageing can be dispiriting, confidence and esteem lowering for older people and their potential impact might be considered carefully by artists. However, while evidence exists that negative and positive emotions can influence health and well-being, further qualitative research is needed to explore what impact precisely the negative texts have on those experiencing ageing.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing and Midwifery, East Road Campus, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, UK.
authors.forename: Jacinta
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4183-248X
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kelly
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, University of Hull, UK.
authors.forename: Roger
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Watson
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing and Midwifery, East Road Campus, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, UK.
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pankratova
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing and Midwifery, East Road Campus, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, UK.
authors.forename: Ann-Marie
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Pedzeni
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging; D006801:Humans; D009146:Music; D036301:Qualitative Research; D013997:Time Factors
keywords: age; ageing; discourse analysis; identity; nurse; nursing; popular music