Do you note me? The impact of multidimensional identity on Electronic Dance Music performance

This paper investigates how audience members respond to category-spanning products in a field characterized by ubiquitous categorical spanning. We pro- pose that, when the audience’s perception is challenged by widespread categorical spanning, the categories spanned by products are processed not only according to their numerosity, but also referring to some cognitive dimensions. Specifically, audience members will be more willing to accept products that combine a mod- erate number of categories, but will still devaluate those products whose spanned categories are cognitively distant, or that blend categories that are unfamiliar them. Focusing on the popularity of 25,518 Electronic Dance Music releases, we find empirical support to our intuitions. Concluding remarks point towards the need for a more comprehensive, multidimensional conception of social categori- zation and evaluative attention in contemporary economic contexts, especially as they become increasingly more crowded and category-spanning evolves into a widespread trait of products and producers.