Popular Music and Culture

Blessings People,


I'm sure you're aware that populr music refers to the most common music that is aired daily on radio and television. Quite a number of people belive it to be the 'Britney Spears' or 'Michael Jackson' type of sound, when, hoever, hip hop and neo-RnB can also be seen as popular music - in South African society we can say that House music is quite popular. This then means that popular music refers to the mainstream music that we often are exposed to.



With the assistance of new mass media, a few music genres have found popularity within the members of society; particularly the young generation. Since genres vary from each other in terms of lyrical content; moral/message; the life-styles lived by members or musicians in that genre; the dresscode/attire of the musicians as well as the followers of that genre and also the places/locations of gathering where shows occur or where people (genre followers) 'hang out'. From this we can see that the genres create subcultures in our society where an identity is is also created for those invloved in that genres. Stereotypes and other perceptions arise when outsiders analyse the genres since they do not understand they culture lived by those individuals. For example, people belonging in the punk culture can possess atributes such as mohawks and such others; those who've adopt the neo-hip hop culture can be spotted by their baggy clothes and jewellery..



From viewing people from different cultures that are created by music genres one can see the distinction physically before they even understand the person individually.. Does this mean that the persona displays the identity of the population or does it mean that to belong to any of these just subcultures one actually has to act; dress; talk and walk a certain way? Is this the identity that a person has to live by? Its difficult to say since the new world (postmodern) requires people to live by an identity that is 'designed' on their behalf by society. What can a person call real? If the social identity is that which is created and the one obtained from subcultures, for instance, is one which a person 'chooses' themselves - they join the subculture knowing what identity is instore for them and probably one they have seeked..

What do you think? Check out the MTV website and explore the various cultures created by various popular music genres.. Its quite a thrill to see all the genres creating what is called 'popular music' yet the content of each genre has immense distinctions from most others.. See For Your Self..


Peace and Blessings...