REPRESENTATION OF CAPITALISM AND MATERIALISM IN JESSIE J’S PRICE TAG: A MARXIST PERSPECTIVE

Abstract

This research seeks to examine how capitalism and materialism are represented in the
lyrics of Jessie J’s song Price Tag from a Marxist point of view. The study centers on the
portrayal of money domination as a manifestation of capitalist practice and on
materialism as an element of commodification in contemporary society. The research
applies a qualitative method using a descriptive-interpretative approach. The data
consist of words, phrases, and sentences taken from the lyrics of Price Tag and are
interpreted through Marxist literary criticism. Data were collected through
documentation and library research, while the analysis followed the Miles, Huberman,
and Saldana model, covering data condensation, data presentation, and conclusion
drawing. The findings indicate that Price Tag expresses criticism of the power of money
and the culture of materialism within capitalist society. The lyrics illustrate how
capitalism forms social consciousness, causing money and consumption to become
dominant standards for measuring happiness and social status. The song also reveals
commodification, a process that changes social relationships into economic relations
grounded in exchange value. Through comparison, this research shows that Price Tag
differs from many contemporary popular songs that tend to glorify luxury and
materialistic lifestyles. Through cause-and-effect analysis, the study also demonstrates
that capitalism encourages consumerist habits, artificial needs, and social alienation.
Therefore, this study confirms that song lyrics can operate as a medium of social criticism
against capitalist ideology in modern popular culture.
Keywords: Capitalism; Materialism; Marxism; Song lyrics; Social criticism