Creative conflict and the psychology of musical creativity: A case study of a nashville recording session

This chapter addresses the question of whether the conflict that occurred between the band Boy & Bear and the record producer Joe Chicarrelli, and within the collaborative web surrounding them, was necessary for the production of an album that became commercially successful. It is clear that a certain degree of conflict within this creative group was necessary for the production of a commercially successful album. However the album is less creative or 'novel' than the producers would have liked. This is because the conflict that occurred during the sessions was at times creative and at other times destructive. While conflict may not be a necessary part of making records in and of itself, 'group flow' (Sawyer, 2007) does necessitate there being a certain degree of creative conflict. This chapter contributes to our understanding of the ways in which conflict and power can be productive.