Different Kind Of Popular Music And Culture example essay topic

Popular culture or Pop-culture is the outcome and method of mass marketing on the World's youth. It is a powerful "money making" scheme generated by the Media and doubles as a systematic approach to Globalisation. It's span of influence and control reaches into our cities, streets, cars and homes. It affects our very style of living, it controls our culture.

Popular Culture derives from Youth culture or "University Culture" born in the late sixties by the "Baby Boomers" Generation. At that time the World bore witness to a global economic boom and Australia was no exception. The citizens of that time were provided with great access to higher education at no charge, something previous generations were never granted. Previously, only the elite could study at university and this change meant that anyone could study at a University level regardless of their financial situation. The Era surrounding the birth of "University Culture" also rendered events such as The Cold War, accompanied by the implementation of Nuclear power, The Vietnam War and the Vietnam Moratorium, a global oil crisis and acid rain.

The University culturists took another "radical" step to implement what was called "Participant Democracy", also known as "Grassroots" democracy. It was the method by which people were able to have more say in political decision making and political agendas than simply filling out a Ballot paper. In essence, participant democracy involves mainly protest movements. The students or those living in "Youth Culture" were primarily concerned with global environmental issues. This also included protest movements on the relationships between industry (especially energy industries) and political powers. With rock music's birth co-inciting with birth of university culture, many musicians participated in protest and equal rights movements.

This was the birth of Popular Culture. If a musician produced a composition which portrayed "popular issues", like opposition to the war in Vietnam, then the youth culturists, who were also protesting against the War, would be keenly interested in such a composition. This process was an effective method of raising public issues, but more significantly, this process let musicians, recording companies, film producers and other media, control public issues. In reality, Popular culture works through media relationships, working together to make a profit. The American Popular Culture website (web 2003-06-01) tells us that there are different forms of popular culture including music, film, television, advertising, sports, fashion, toys, magazines and comic books.

One of the most influential types of Media is music. Music provides a powerful media to govern popular culture. The Drake University says. "..

Popular music provides not only entertainment, but a common space for the personal, social, and political experiences of youth. Focusing on rock, pop and rap (with a nod to country), we " ll consider the cultural roles of music and musicians; the means by which music gets to its audiences; and the ways in which music is interpreted and used by listeners in a variety of contexts. We look at particular musical subcultures - punk, for example, or techno, Goth, lounge, and so on - in order to understand how certain social interests and tastes are served by particular performers, songs, and performances". (web 2003-06-01). This statement is significant because it talks about a "common" space for personal, social and political experiences. This suggest that popular music builds a community of people, whether it be through smaller groups of subcultures or one larger popular culture, it proves that Popular Culture works to unite social groups which leads to growth of Globalisation. To ask whom is affected by popular culture is difficult to answer.

It would not be hard to say that no-one is unaffected. To a certain extent, it may be easier to say how much a person is considered to be influenced by popular culture. However, it is difficult to judge the level of popular influence, just because a youth listens to Eminem, for example, does not mean they are a victim of mass-marketing. Someone may genuinely enjoy a popular style of music, not just because its cool. It is also common for the process to work in reverse. Youths may enjoy a certain style of music that soon becomes popular whereby the youths promoted the music.

Sub-cultures of Popular culture confuse this issue. One may deconstruct popular music into several different categories, all or some or none of which may be affected by popular culture. A good example of this is "Alternative" music. There is a huge market for people who are not interested in "main stream" music or popular music.

So the media provide alternative radio and television stations. Thereby making alternative music and culture, just a different kind of popular music and culture. This kind of music is usually associated with resentment for establishment values which links directly back to 1960's from which popular culture derived. Ironically, this resentment could lead back to itself. Popular Culture restricts the availability of media. Why is it that Australia shows mainly American films.

India has the biggest film industry in the world but how many Indian films are available in contemporary Australian society? Germany produces some of the worlds highest quality films but again, how many German films are present in our society. Popular culture in Australia promotes mainly American music, American films and American fashion. That is not to say that the American entertainment and fashion industries are poor but are simply just about the only ones available to Australian Society. This is more than Just Globalisation but "Americanisation".

Popular culture does have its benefits though. Along with its "Americans ied" popular rubbish, it does provide some quality entertainment. There are undoubtedly a great deal of American talented musicians and film makers, who's work is made available through popular influence. Popular Culture is something that is unavoidable.

The ongoing effort of mass marketing is not just a passing phase. Popular Culture will drive towards Globalisation and Americanisation. Popular culture creates majority groups and minority groups. Popular Culture has benefits in its own right but is mainly a pounding force in drowning out natural culture, national pride and national talent. Popular Culture: Resources for Critical Analysis [Internet] Available at Accessed 20-05-2003.

The Website provides resources for the critical analysis of popular culture in the United States including the impact of that culture internationally. The site focuses on issues of race, ethnicity, class, gender, sexuality, cultural imperialism and censorship, as shaped and reflected in various mass media. The site proved to be quite useful. The site also sections that introduce and give resources for four main types or elements of popular culture analysis: production analysis, textual analysis, audience analysis and historical analysis.

The website did not show an credentials and for that reason it may be unreliable. Popular Music [Internet] Available at Accessed on 14-05-2003. This website is provides resources designed in order to understand particular social interests and social traits linked to Popular Culture by an American university. For this reason it is reliable but because of its substance mainly dealing with music it is not greatly useful.

Story, John (1950) Cultural studies and the study of popular culture: theories and methods, Edinburgh, p. 134. This book provides a background on the origins of Popular Culture. Being written by a University Professor it could be reliable but because of its age it loses credibility. It did prove useful however in its background information.