McDaniel’s research and teaching interests include popular music reception, sound studies, digital media, and disability. His recent work appears in Ethnomusicology and American Quarterly, and he has an upcoming co-authored article appearing in Disability Studies Quarterly. He holds master’s degrees in American studies and ethnomusicology, and he has taught courses at Brown University, Tufts University and the University of Alabama. He is currently working on a book project that features case studies on karaoke, lip syncing apps, air guitar competitions and popular music reaction videos online.
In his segment of the talk (shown in the video embedded below), McDaniel tells the stories of participants in the air guitar world championships, highlighting theatrical aspects, the personas they create, and how their performances can be vulnerable, yet empowering.