What is world music and why does it exist?

World music is often associated with something from minority cultures or with music from the third world countries. In the Western countries it is often recognized as ‘the other’. It is produced locally but outside the Anglo-American countries. Music can be performed with their native language and unusual instruments (to the Westerns) and styles can be applied. However, not in all cases is world music produced locally. Major Western record labels have signed indigenous artists and discovered their unique sound as a money making machine. In these cases the original sound may be altered to sound more like Western music. Sometimes this hybridity in music has led to a change in their own local environment. Great examples of this are the popularity of Hip Hop in Asia and Western bubble gum Pop in Japan. Guilbault brought up the idea of transnationalism in music that has emerged as a result of post colonialism. Cultural Imperialism has ensured that Anglo-American music has become the standard form of pop having its’ main language English. Funnily enough, in many cases that is enough to have a CD categorized in the ‘world music section’ in HMV.

Is Popular Music a Commodity or is it Art?

Popular music is a business, out of which people make a living. A record may have been produced and then again reproduced a number of times. Some might argue that the artist’s expression may have got lost in the process. Adorno branded pop a standardized commodity and wasn’t open to the evolvement of the music culture. He appreciated classical music and drew a distinctive line between the styles. Can a song be produced to give it a new meaning? Electronic music uses sampling and mixing as it’s main element in making new tracks. A DJ or producer can give a piece their personal touch, a unique new sound. That could be considered an expression of an artist. In my opinion, Adorno’s view is too dry and negative. There’s Art -Modern (Pop-!) Art -Classical Music -Modern Music... Music changes! With time it takes influences but that doesn’t make it any less valuable. Pop can be a particular, but it is not consumed like other commodities are.