Music is Global: Where is your beat from?

In presenting a case study on the globalization of music, I learned many things about what is happening around the world in the music industry. I was amazed to see the affect this is having on artists, producers, and even listeners around the world. In the class discussion and after listening to the two other presenters, I think it is a just assumption to say that globalization is affecting every single person in the world in one way or another. As we were discussing whether globalization of media is good or bad, I saw some different viewpoints that I had never really thought about. Ever since I went to Spain to study abroad I’ve thought that globalization is a great but potentially dangerous issue if we are not aware of it, but after listening and participating in the class discussions I feel that maybe it actually has more of a negative effect than I realized. It was very interesting to hear the opinions of the class on whether or not America should try and control the export of our media and/or the import of other media. Looking into these topics made me realize just how much we as Americans are missing by not opening up to the ideas of the world. MTV International, as I discussed in my presentation, is an excellent example of how useful and beneficial globalization can be for everyone should we choose to use it. Well put by one of the other presenters was the presumption that we are “living in our own little bubble here.” I completely agree with that statement and would strongly encourage anyone and everyone to broaden their horizons and see what else is out there instead of just sitting and accepting the media fed to us daily. Matthew’s presentation on cultural imperialism really sparked my interest because I too have seen that first hand in Spain and Africa. Having been there really enhanced my learning on the subject of globalization of media because I can think of a personal example for almost every concept. I think this is an exceptional topic of controversy and discussion and I am glad to have had the opportunity to look a little deeper into the global aspects of music and see how it is actively changing due to this process of globalization. Below are a few great links to check out if you’re interested! Thank you for reading!

[Kalli D. Wesson]

http://www.mtv.com/mtvinternational/ MTV International

http://www.firstmonday.org/issues/issue5_5/dolfsma/ Great article on the globalization of the music industry.

http://yaleglobal.yale.edu/display.article?id=8640 Yet another great article discussing the changes in music due to globalization.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHwFzOBnXao Really amazing glimpse of globalization! Please watch!!