James Cannon

Profile

I am a postgraduate researcher at the School of Music under the supervision of Professor Alinka Greasley, Professor Alice O’Grady and Dr Scott Bannister. My PhD began in 2022 and is funded by the White Rose College of the Arts & Humanities (WRoCAH). My thesis explores musical embodiment, emotion and social connection at electronic dance music events. I draw upon a combination of quantitative and qualitative research techniques, including utilising physiological sensors and smartphone applications to collect real-time data on the dancefloor.  

Research 

I received my MA in Applied Psychology of Music from the University of Leeds in 2019. In 2021, I published research on the impact of electronic dance music event participation on well-being in Music & Science alongside Alinka Greasley. 

From 2021 to 2022 I held an interim role as a Visiting Research Assistant at the university in which I worked on a data-driven project showcasing the impact of electronic dance music on culture, communities, and well-being (supported by Audience Strategies). This included contributing to the IMS business report 2022 and leading authorship of an industry-supported report on the impact of dance music on communities and culture in conjunction with the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) and Association for Electronic Music (AFEM). This report formed part of the UK’s first electronic music industry report released in 2023 by the NTIA. I have presented this work at industry conferences in the UK and Europe. I am passionate about research impact and continue to engage in projects for the electronic music and nightlife industries.

View all research and publications on my ResearchGate profile or Google Scholar page.

Responsibilities 

Currently, I am involved in co-directing the Music Psychology @ Leeds group along with Freya Bailes and Scott Bannister. I also hold a part-time Research Assistant role in the School of Music, working with Emily Payne and Karen Burland on a project exploring the performer-audience relationship during live music performances. I am a PGR rep in the School of Music. 

Outside of Leeds, I chair the SysMus Executive Committee, overseeing the international conference series (International Conference of Students of Systematic Musicology). I am also Assistant Editor of the Dancecult Research Network (DCRN) website. From 2022-2024 I held an editorial role for the student-led WRoCAH Journal.

Beyond academia, I DJ and run a netlabel that hosts new releases from emerging producers in UK bass music. You can listen to my mixes here. Though I have historically been most active in the UK bass/garage/bassline scene, I’m an all-round electronic music enthusiast and can get down with psytrance, house and techno as easily as I can dnb, garage and dubstep – anything well produced with rhythm, soul and bass I get along with!

Student education

I have held multiple Postgraduate Teaching Assistant (PGRTA) roles in the School of Music since 2023. I have led seminars and lectured on both undergraduate and taught postgraduate modules, including Introduction to the Psychology of Music and Music, Wellbeing and its Evaluation.  I was awarded Associate Fellowship status by Advance HE (AFHEA) in 2024. 

Research interests

• Embodied music cognition
• Music and emotion
• Social bonding
• Live music participation
• Music and well-being
• Electronic dance music culture
• DJ performance

Qualifications

• MA Applied Psychology of Music
• BSc Psychology and Education (Joint Hons.)
• AFHEA