Posthumous celebrity, persona and memorialisation: French newspaper coverage of the popular music artist Johnny Hallyday

Abstract

ABSTRACT Focusing on the popular music artist Johnny Hallyday in the immediate aftermath of his death in 2017, this article shows how his initial posthumous newspaper coverage in France exhibits many of the general features of celebrity news and journalism, draws a broadly positive consensus around his public persona when alive while opening up possible areas for discussion or debate and represents his memorialisation as a particular site of division.