Signature song

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A signature song is the one song (or, in some cases, one of a few songs) that a popular and well-established singer or band is most closely identified with or best known for, even if they have had success with a variety of songs. Signature songs can be the result of spontaneous public identification and/or a marketing tool developed by the music industry to promote artists, sell their recordings, and develop a fan base.Umphlett, Wiley Lee. The Visual Focus of American Media Culture in the Twentieth Century: The Modern Era, 1893-1945. Fairleigh Dickinson University Press (2004), p. 157: "This practice soon began equating performers with signature songs as a way to promote and sell recordings and sheet music as well as establish a cult of fans to market these songs to."

Importance

A signature song is important for many artists. Bands with a signature song often choose to perform it at every concert appearance.Prescott, John. A Career in Show Business: Variety Entertainer. Institute for Research (2000), p. 8: "And if there's a phrase ... or you have a signature song ... then your audience will probably be disappointed if you don't repeat yourself." Marketing programs by recording companies and fan expectations for these signature songs sometimes result in the artist's difficulty to perform other kinds of music. Two well-known...
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