American Pop

Influence and Integration of American Popular Music 1. The original people of the United States were Native American tribes, who played the first music in the region. Beginning in the 17th century, immigrants from the British Isles, Spain, and France began arriving in large numbers, bringing their musical traditions with them, new styles and instruments. African people brought musical traditions, and each subsequent wave of immigrants contributed to a melting pot giving birth later to American popular music. As long with the globalization of the economy, American popular music also named western pop music, has been produced, marketed and consumed throughout the world.

2. American music exposes the country’s multi-ethnic population through a varied range of styles. Rock, country, R&B and blues, jazz, and hip-hop are among the country’s most internationally renowned genres. Since the beginning of the 20th century, popular recorded music from the United States has become increasingly known across the world, to the point where some forms of American popular music are listened to almost everywhere.

3. The recorded music industry has grown over the last fifty years, as we know it today, from American born artist as Elvis Presley but also great international contributors like The Beatles, spreading American or western popular music throughout the globe. Today’s western (American) popular music has become a global industry worth more than $33 billion. (Global Recording Industry, www.ifpi.org, 2006).

4. As American music, culture and artists have a large influence on the rest of the world, especially the Western world, many international musicians have influenced American music as is heard in many other countries. This is in severe distinction to the early days of the American republic, when the country was generally seen as an agricultural backwater with little to offer the culturally advanced world centers of Asia and Europe. Nearing the end of its third century, nearly every major American city offers both classical and popular music; dance performances, musicals and plays, etc. This development is a result of contributions from different cultures and socioeconomic growth having the ability of taking in influences from across the world and creating distinctively new methods of cultural expression.

5. What has become American culture also exhibits a tendency to hybridize pop culture and generally questions normative standards for artistic production. This is likely an effect of the country’s open tradition, and the nation’s history of constitutionally protected freedom of speech and expression. It is important to mention, that while America tends to be a net exporter of culture, it absorbs many other cultural traditions with relative ease. It can be argued that this ability to easily absorb parts of other cultures and other languages is its greatest strength and helps American culture throughout its popular music to spread. At a first glance the American music industry in general do not worry about protecting their “indigenous culture” but instead eagerly create and adopt new things developing new products, artists and music to market them their own.

6. In this sense the United States is an enormous exporter of entertainment, from movies to music. This readily consumable form of culture is widely and cheaply dispersed for entertainment consumers worldwide. This brings up the so-called phenomenon of globalization. It enables foreign companies to distribute American cultural products, including popular music in markets abroad. In recent years, American popular music has consistently gained more and more audiences around the world.  The products of popular musicians are also likely to be distributed by non-U.S. companies such as Japan-German alliance Sony/BMG, France’s Vivendi, or UK’s EMI Group. It results remarkable to note that foreign media groups contribute to expand American popular music as well. 

7. For better or worse, many nations now have two cultures: an indigenous one and a “globalized” – American popular culture influenced at great extension by American popular music. On the other side, while one society reflects on the market given a certain value to music and entertainment is not necessarily reflective of the “true values of culture” of its people or in another markets. Music industry globalization and popularization of American music is being driven by purely economic factors but rather than freely cultural choice of tradition.

BEAT IT - MICHAEL JACKSON They told him, "Don't you ever come around here" "Don't wanna see your face, you better disappear" The fire's in their eyes and their words are really clear So beat it, just beat it You better run, you better do what you can Don't wanna see no blood, don't be a macho man You wanna be tough, better do what you can So beat it, but you wanna be bad Just beat it (beat it), beat it (beat it) No one wants to be defeated Showin' how funky and strong is your fight It doesn't matter who's wrong or right Just beat it (beat it) Just beat it (beat it) Just beat it (beat it) Just beat it (beat it, uh)

CAN'T HELP FALL IN LOVE -ELVIS PRESLEY Wise men say Only fools rush in But I can't help falling in love with you Shall I stay? Would it be a sin If I can't help falling in love with you? Like a river flows Surely to the sea Darling, so it goes Some things are meant to be Take my hand Take my whole life, too For I can't help falling in love with you Like a river flows Surely to the sea Darling, so it goes Some things are meant to be Take my hand Take my whole life, too For I can't help falling in love with you For I can't help falling in love with you

CRAZY FOR YOU -MADONNA Swaying room as the music starts Strangers making the most of the dark Two by two, their bodies become one I see you through the smokey air Can't you feel the weight of my stare? You're so close but still a world away What I'm dying to say, is that I'm crazy for you Touch me once and you'll know it's true I never wanted anyone like this It's all brand new You'll feel it in my kiss I'm crazy for you Crazy for you

HALO -Beyonce Remember those walls I built? Well, baby, they're tumblin' down And they didn't even put up a fight They didn't even make a sound I found a way to let you in But I never really had a doubt Standin' in the light of your halo I got my angel now It's like I've been awakened Every rule I had you breakin' It's the risk that I'm takin' I ain't never gonna shut you out Everywhere I'm lookin' now I'm surrounded by your embrace Baby, I can see your halo You know you're my savin' grace You're everything I need and more It's written all over your face Baby, I can feel your halo Pray it won't fade away I can feel your halo, halo, halo I can see your halo, halo, halo I can feel your halo, halo, halo I can see your halo, halo Halo

BAD ROMANCE - LADY GAGA I want your ugly, I want your disease I want your everything as long as it's free I want your love Love, love, love, I want your love (hey) I want your drama, the touch of your hand (hey) I want your leather-studded kiss in the sand I want your love Love, love, love, I want your love (love, love, love) (I want your love) You know that I want you And you know that I need you I want it bad, your bad romance I want your love, and I want your revenge You and me could write a bad romance (oh-oh-oh-oh-oh) I want your love and all your lover's revenge You and me could write a bad romance