Pop icon 

For the British television series, see Pop Idol.
For religious icons, see icon.

A pop icon is a celebrity whose fame in pop culture constitutes a defining characteristic of a given society or era. Although there is no single definitive test for establishing "pop icon" status, such status is usually associated with elements such as longevity, ubiquity, and distinction. Moreover, "pop icon" status is distinguishable from other kinds of notoriety outside of popular culture, such as with historic figures.1

Contents

Longevity

Usually, the pop icon status of a celebrity is contingent upon longevity of notoriety.23 This is in contrast to cult icons, whose notoriety or recognition may be limited to a specific subculture. Some pop icons have left a lasting and indelible mark in the area of their career, and then gone on to attain a lasting place of recognition in society at large.4

Ubiquity

A common element of pop icon status is the ubiquity of imagery and allusions to the iconic figure.5 It is common for the figure to be recognized and even celebrated in areas outside the original source of celebrity status.6 An example of this is Albert Einstein, a physicist whose image and legacy have been represented in comic strips, t-shirts, greeting cards and many other contexts.7

Distinction

Often pop icon status implies distinguished association with a societal ideal or archetype. It is not uncommon for iconic figures to have a nickname or sobriquet that is used to emphasize this association. Sometimes the very name of such individuals is even used as a synonym for common words or ideas. Einstein, for example, is routinely associated with genius and ingenuity. Marilyn Monroe is associated with sex appeal.

A number of pop icons are distinguished for having died at a young age. These include James Dean, Jimi Hendrix, Bob Marley, Jim Morrison, Bruce Lee, Kurt Cobain and Marilyn Monroe, among others. Other deceased celebrities cemented their status as pop icons by virtue of their role in captivating the ethos of their era, as is the case with Elvis Presley and John F. Kennedy. Many still-living celebrities also attain the status of pop icon; solo recording artists such as Cher, Michael Jackson and Madonna as well as musical groups such as The Rolling Stones, U2 and The Beatles are examples.

Some pop icons, such as Mickey Mouse, Mario, Lara Croft, Winnie the Pooh, Bugs Bunny, Shrek, Pikachu, Superman, Spider-Man, Batman and Homer Simpson, are fictional characters. Even inanimate objects have been recognized as pop icons.8910

Some figures attain transitory or context-specific "pop icon" status for particular events that captivate public attention, such as in the case of the O.J. Simpson trial.11

Contrasts

Throughout the history of popular culture, many popular music stars have been held as pop idols. The pop idol, however, is a broader definition than this, and acceleration of media has made Pop idols out of celebrities of many types. The 1980s was a big break out for pop music. During that time, the "King of Pop" had already been crowned to Michael Jackson, and the title "Queen of Pop" was given to pop/dance icon, Madonna. Pop superstars Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera has also been known as "Princesses of Pop" since 1999.

Notable pop icons

Kurt Cobain
A statue of Michael Jackson
Madonna
Bob Marley

See also

References

  1. ^ Note, however, that some historic figures are recognized as having reached "pop icon" status during their era, and such status may continue into the present. World famous and recognised pop icons include Michael Jackson, Madonna and Britney Spears and others.Chaplin, Joyce (2006). The First Scientific American: Benjamin Franklin and the Pursuit of Genius. Basic Books. ISBN 0465009557. , Mozart: Nettl, Bruno (1995). Heartland Excursions: Ethnomusicological Reflections on Schools of Music. University of Illinois Press. ISBN 0252064682. )
  2. ^ Dearborn, Mary V. (1999). Mailer: A Biography. Houghton Mifflin Books. ISBN 0618154604. 
  3. ^ Richard Maxwell Brown, Ronald Gottesman (1999). Violence in America: An Encyclopedia. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 0684804875. 
  4. ^ Ratcliff, Ben (2002). Jazz: Jazz: A Critic's Guide to the 100 Most Important Recordings. Times Books. ISBN 0805070680. 
  5. ^ (Kaku, p. 11)
  6. ^ (see e.g., Kaku, Chaplin, et al.)
  7. ^ Kaku, Michio (_year_). Einstein's Cosmos: How Albert Einstein's Vision Transformed Our Understanding of Space and Time. W. W. Norton & Company. ISBN 039305165X. 
  8. ^ Vail, Mark (2002). The Hammond Organ: Beauty in the B. Backbeat Books. ISBN 0879307056.  (See also: Palm PDA)
  9. ^ Iconic status of Mario: Sheff, David (1991). Game Over: How Nintendo Zapped an American Industry, Captured Your Dollars, and Enslaved Your Children. Random House. ISBN-13: 978-0679404699. 
  10. ^ "The Liberty Bell: From Obscurity to Icon". Independence National Historical Park (October 16, 2006).
  11. ^ Boot, Max (1998). Out of Order: Arrogance, Corruption and Incompetence on the Bench. Basic Books. ISBN 0465053750. 
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  18. ^ http://media.www.bsudailynews.com/media/storage/paper849/news/2003/08/26/Features/Pop-Icon.Christina.Aguilera-1301821.shtml
  19. ^ The 200 Greatest Pop Culture Icons
  20. ^ a b Beatles named 'icons of century' BBC News [5]
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  32. ^ Bruce Lee by Linda Tagliaferro ISBN 0822596881
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Further reading

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