Final thoughts and cosmopolitanism

David Held’s “Cosmopolitan after 9/11” (2010) says “Perversely, globalization seems to have dramatized the significance of differences between peoples; far from the globalization of communications easing understanding and translation of ideas, it seems to have highlighted what it is that people do not have in common and find dislikable about each other (Bull, 1977)” (53).

I have tried to be very cosmopolitan in my discussion of the globalization of music. I have looked at Asian music (rock, hip hop, and current hits), a variety of European music, music corporations, South American music (Argentina and Brazil for comparison), and rap and rai music which originates from Africa. I have covered pretty much every corner of the world in my discussion and have tried not to let my western views influence these studies. Ethnocentrism is something that many Americans seem to be unaware of and therefore inadvertently impose some of our cultures on others. While I have stated my opinions, such as saying that personally I don't like a particular song or style- I don't not like that song because it isn't American or is strange compared to the culture of music I am used to. As a musician and song writer myself, but also as a media communication major and international studies minor- I am almost more prone to dislike a song from outside of the U.S. if I feel it is too westernized and not remaining true to it's own culture. For example, I was most impressed with the music from Argentina because it had very little American influence and was so unique from our culture and our music. Out of the countries in which I did my own research on, the degree of American influence on music from greatest influence to least is as follows: America, of course with 90%, United Kingdom, also not a surprise since we have the same national language, with 50%, Germany with 47.5%, Brazil with 45%, China with 40%, Finland with 35%, the Netherlands with 32.5%, France with 25%, and finally Argentina with 6.25%. Germany is the country that is closest to losing some of it's own unique culture due to globalization, so the fears are well founded. It is no surprise why there was such a huge effort to get the radio quota France has in place. Brazil and China are not far behind either, although with 50% local artists on the top charts in China, they are still maintaining their own culture without being completely absorbed by globalization. Brazil also maintains it's own culture with 45% of music being local. However, Germany is far behind everyone else with only 15% of music being local and even less being sung in German. 

Globalization is definitely present throughout the world, especially seen in the music charts for each nation. However, it seems each nation is at least attempting to maintain it's own culture and the globalization of music is only reinforcing their views of their own culture and reconnecting them with local music and language.