"Fitter happier": The psychological effects of fame on the creative process

Abstract

This study illustrates how subconscious reactions to notoriety emerge in an artist's work and live performance. The goal is to ascertain whether public attention can act as an impediment to the creative process. After defining the psychological pressures that can affect a celebrity, the paper will focus on three popular bands that reached a high level of success in the 1990s: Nirvana, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Radiohead. Although the three examples experienced fame in different ways, all of the bands suffered from the pressures of fame. While for the Red Hot Chili Peppers notoriety represented a spur to evolve their music style, both Nirvana and Radiohead were under the impression that their creativity was threatened by the higher expectations on their follow-up albums. This suggests that fame constitutes a noteworthy component in the creative process of a popular artist. This contribution increases the understanding of the relationship between popular musicians and their compositions.