Blank Space - A Cultural History of the Twenty-First Century

A revealing exploration of a quarter century of cultural stagnation, examining the commercial and technological forces that have come to dominate contemporary culture--from music and fashion to art, film, TV, and beyond Over the past twenty-five years, pop culture has suffered from a perplexing lack of reinvention. We’ve entered a cultural “blank space”--an era when reboots, rehashes, and fads flourish, while bold artistic experimentation struggles to gain recognition. Why is risk no longer rewarded, and how did playing it safe become the formula for success? Acclaimed cultural historian W. David Marx sets out to uncover the answers. In this ambitious cultural history, Marx guides us through the blur of the twenty-first century so far, from the Obama era to the rise of K-pop, from Paris Hilton to the Marvel cinematic universe, from Beyoncé and Taylor Swift to .;.;.;Beyoncé and Taylor Swift, whose enduring influence highlights both their adaptability and the broader shifts in pop culture. Combining sociological, economic, and political insights with a deep dive into art, street culture, fashion, and technology, Vibrantly narrated and sharply argued,

About the author

W. David Marx is a longtime culture writer based in Tokyo and the author of Status and Culture: How Our Desire for Social Rank Creates Taste, Identity, Art, Fashion, and Constant Change and Ametora: How Japan Saved American Style. His work has appeared in The New Yorker, The Atlantic, Popeye, The New Republic, Vox, and more.

Product details

• Authors: W David Marx, W. David Marx, Marx W. David
• Publisher: Viking USA
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 18.11.2025
• EAN: 9780593833995
• ISBN: 978-0-593-83399-5
• No. of pages: 336
• Dimensions: 152 mm x 229 mm x 21 mm
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > Art > Photography, film, video, TV; Non-fiction book; USA, Media Studies, Popular Culture, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Popular Culture, HISTORY / United States / 21st Century, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Media Studies, 21st Century, 21st century history: from c 2000 -, 21st century, c 2000 to c 2100, United States of America, USA, History of the Americas