(Going) for the one: Progressive rock fandom as mea cultura

In this article, we focus on music fandom related to the band Yes, one of progressive rock’s most enduring legacy acts. Drawing on primary research interviews and focus groups, we argue that progressive rock fandom should be characterized as a largely private pursuit where the relationship between fans and their music is paramount. This relationship, and its associated listening practices, are viewed as an ongoing resource and life-long attachment of significant importance for personal identity, something which we characterize as a form of mea cultura. This term is used to signify individual rather than wider societal approaches to understanding music appreciation and the valorization of music artifacts and history.