Matt Brennan is a researcher based at the University of Glasgow. He works in the interdisciplinary field of popular music studies, and his research draws from historical, sociological, business, and ethical approaches to understanding music in society.

 

He has served as Chair of the UK and Ireland branch of the International Association for the Study of Popular Music (IASPM), and was a Leverhulme Early Career Fellow and Chancellor’s Fellow prior to taking up his current post as an AHRC Leadership Fellow.

 

Matt has authored, co-authored, and edited several books, including Kick It: A Social History of the Drum Kit,  When Genres Collide, The History of Live Music in Britain 1950-2015, and The Routledge Research Companion to Popular Music Education.  He is the editor of the Bloomsbury book series, Alternate Takes: Critical Responses to Popular Music. 

 

In addition to his AHRC Leadership Fellowship, Matt has also led several AHRC-funded research projects as a Principal Investigator:

 

• The UK Live Music Census (2016-18)

• Fields of Green: Addressing Sustainability and Climate Change through Music Festival Communities (2015-16)

• From pub to stadium: The ecology of public and commercial investment in British live music venues (2014)

• The Cultural Value of Live Music: A Case Study of Enthusiast, State-funded, and Commercial Events at the Queen’s Hall (2013-14)