This book provides fresh insight into the creative practice developed by Paul McCartney over his extended career as a songwriter, record producer and performing musician. It frames its examination of McCartney’s work through the lens of the systems model of creativity developed by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi and combines this with the research work of Pierre Bourdieu. This systems approach is built around the basic structures of idiosyncratic agents, like McCartney himself, and the choices he has made as a creative individual. It also locates his work within social fields and cultural domains, all crucial aspects of the creative system that McCartney continues to be immersed in. Using this tripartite system, the book includes analysis of McCartney’s creative collaborations with musicians, producers, artists and filmmakers and provides a critical analysis of the Romantic myth which forms a central tenet of popular music. This engaging work will have interdisciplinary appeal to students andscholars of the psychology of creativity, popular music, sociology and cultural studies. 

Phillip McIntyre is a Professor of Communication and Media at the University of Newcastle, Australia where he researches creativity and innovation. Phillip has published widely with a particular focus on the creative processes involved in various aspects of music including songwriting, sound engineering, and record production. He is the author of Creativity and Cultural Production: Issues for Media Practice (2012), co-editor of Creativity as a System in Action (2016), and co-author of Educating for Creativity within Higher Education (2018). Phillip also has extensive experience within the music industry.

Paul Thompson is a professional recording engineer and producer who has worked in the music industry for over 15 years. He is currently a Reader in Popular Music at Leeds Beckett University in Leeds School of Arts, and his research is centered on record production, audio education, popular music heritage, creativity and cultural production in popular music. His book ‘Creativity in the Recording Studio: Alternative Takes’ was published in early 2019 by Palgrave MacMillan.

“Two leading researchers on the creative process in popular music focus their theoretical apparatus on one of music’s most prolific creators. McIntyre and Thompson lead readers through an illuminating, multifaceted exploration of McCartney’s long and winding career as musician, songwriter, record producer, and collaborator. A fascinating read and a model for research. Highly recommended.” (Albin Zak, musicologist, composer, songwriter, record producer and Professor Emeritus in Music and Theatre at the University of Albany, NY. He is the author of The Poetics of Rock: Cutting Tracks, Making Records (2001), and I Don’t Sound Like Nobody: Remaking Music in 1950s America (2010))

“Paul McCartney and his Creative Practice is a valuable case study for any researcher (in any field), who is interested in the creative process. For students, it illustrates how theoretical frameworks help us to understand and explain real world phenomena. For musical practitioners and McCartney fans, it offers new perspective on the artistry and contributions of a creative giant.” (Nyssim Lefford, Music Producer, Cognitive Scientist and Lecturer in Audio Production at Luleå University of Technology)

“In this holistic exploration of the creative process of Paul McCartney, McIntyre and Thompson have not only illuminated the work of one of the world's greatest songwriters, but also made a significant intervention in the study of songwriting and creative practice. This superb contribution allows the reader to appreciate McCartney's extraordinary creativity as a performer, songwriter and producer as a result of his immersion in a complex musical ecosystem.” (Simon Barber, Senior Research Fellow at Birmingham City University, Songwriting Studies Network Lead and one half of the Sodajerker podcast)

Examines the creative processes of one of the most successful musicians on the planet Employs a theoretical framework that combines Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi’s systems model of creativity with the social theory of Pierre Bourdieu Brings the theoretical apparatus of creativity to bear on creative practice itself

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