FREE ESSAY ON GLOBALIZATION AND MUSIC

GLOBALIZATION AND MUSIC

Anthony Lanza
Final Paper
Professor Crabtree
December 11, 2001
From Dean Martin to Wyclef Jean: 
The Affects of Globalization on Music
"Won't you help me sing these songs of freedom?"
-Bob Marley
The influence that music has throughout the world is immeasurable. Music evokes many
feeling, surfaces old memories, and creates new ones all while satisfying a sense of
human emotion. With the ability to help identify a culture, as well as educate countries
about other cultures, music also provides for a sense of knowledge. Music can be a tool
for many things: relaxation, stimulation and communication. But at the same time it can
also be a tool for resistance: against parents, against police against power. Within the
reign of imported culture, cross cultivation and the creation of the so-called global
village lies the need to expand horizons to engulf more than just what you see everyday.
It is important to note that the role of music in today's world is a key tool in the
process of globalization. However, this does not necessarily provide us with any reasons
that would make us believe that music has a homogenizing affect on the world.
Globalization is becoming one of the most controversial topics in today's world. We see
people arguing over the loss of a nation's cultural identity, the terror of
westernization, and the reign of cultural imperialism. Through topics such as these we
explore the possibilities or the existence of hybridization of cultures and values, and
what some feel is the exploitation of their heritage. One important aspect that is not
explored is that such influences can also be more than just a burden and an overstepping
of bounds. These factors can create an educational environment as well as a reaffirmation
of one's own culture. 
With the music being the highly profitable, capitalist enterprise that it is today, it is
no wonder that it is controlled and regulated by a few large conglomerates that exist is
today's world. It is important to make clear that although evidence is being presented of
the positive aspects of globalization through music that there is overwhelming evidence
that cultural imperialism is more than it seems on the outside. One must keep in mind
that cultural imperialism, globalization and the creation of a global village is a
business. People are profiting at other people's loss of cultural identity, they are sold
a culture and heritage. With the every growing N'Sync fan clubs and Britney clones, the
world is turning into a stage for pop culture and its glamorous unattainable standards.
Through the processes that this world is going through we find ourselves blurring the
lines of difference that once existed. This has been referred to by Lomax as a "cultural
grey out." Basically what this theory says is that cultural lines are meshed together so
much that is almost impossible to distinguish between them due to the fact that they have
so many similar characteristics. Lomax also states that due to the widespread
distribution of "industrialized" music and the loss of music that exemplifies cultural
aspects and characteristics, civilizations are not maintaining a sense of national pride
and identity. Without these distinguishing lines, Schiller states that at one time it was
cultural diversity that flourished, and now we are witnessing the diffusion of such a
process. He goes on to state, as well as warn, that if such a process of cultural
breakdown were to keep evolving, we would have to face a "global consumer monoculture."
As stated previously, it is important to realize how big of a business culture has
become. Through the use of quantitative analysis we can see the control that the major
conglomerates have over the distribution of music. Burnett, in empirical studies of
market concentration in music (1990, 1993), reports that seven corporations together
controlled no less than 50 percent of market share in any country where they had
operations and up to 80 percent in some countries (1990, pp. 104-105). The seven
corporations, with their nation of origin and reported 1990 sales, are: Sony (Japan, $3
billion), Time/Warner (U.S., $2.9 billion), Polygram (Netherlands/Germany, $2.6 billion),
Bertelsmann Media Group (Germany, $2 billion), Thorn/EMI (U.K., $1.88 billion), MCA
(U.S., $1 billion), and Virgin (U.K., $500 million), total 1990 sales $13.88 billion
(1993, pp. 141-143). With number such as these it is nearly impossible to deny the fact
that these companies do not have a great affect on the influence of music and media that
they distribute. Conglomerates not only run the market for music, but determine which
music is to be distributed and to where, therefore pushing an idea or culture onto a
nation.
Seeing that westernization has become a industry term for many businesses it is
surprising that recently much of the profit that has been received from music
conglomerates has been non-U.S. artists. As shown in the July 17, 1995 issue of Forbes
one-third of the Warner Music's three hundred and eighteen dollar revenues in 1980 came
from non U.S. artists. This was then followed up by sixty percent of their 1994 revenues,
which totaled over six hundred and thirty million. Warner Music is not the only company
that has seen a boom in foreign artist sales. Consequently, EMI reports that it received
one-third of its three billion dollars in revenue has also come from foreign artists.
Polygram also reported that one half of its three billion plus revenues has come from the
evolution of foreign pop culture. So why has this become the product to import? Well once
again it is very well evident in the numbers. The bottom line is that Record companies in
the United States operate on a gross profit margin of thirty to thirty-five percent,
whereas overseas this margin can top forty-five percent. This comes from evidence that
American pop stars demand a higher sense of appreciation and perks compared to foreign
stars that demand less and cut less exclusive record deals. To top it off, the prices of
albums on foreign markets are higher than that of the United States market. 
Executives are not the only ones that are having an influence on the spread of culture
through music around the world, celebrities and pop stars are now playing a large role.
Artists such as Britney Spears, Tim McGraw, Faith Hill and Michael Jackson set out on
world wide tours to spread their music throughout the world. These artist have realized
the caliber and sheer numbers they can produce by not just focusing on one area. As site
by Farley (2001) artist sometimes do not conquer a civilization completely, but help to
create a hybrid form that has been formed using aspects of a person's own culture and
incorporating foreign attributes. For example, within Jamaica, there is a form of music
known as "ragga", which is a rap-influenced form of reggae. This is a perfect example how
music can have somewhat of a positive affect. However, there are negative affects which
come with such an influence. Along with the influence of the lyrics from rap came a lot
more than Jamaica bargained for. They find that with local ragga star "Elephant Man's"
lyrics such as "Badman nah run from police inna shootout/ Whole crew a government see dem
pon di lookout....", they have incorporated violence and hate. At recent concerts their
have been fights, injuries, gunfire and death. So as positive as it seemed to incorporate
foreign aspects into their music, it turned out to be a horrid influence.
Artists also have had a key role in promoting "world music". (World music is defines as
music that was written by artists from a foreign country in a native tongue.) U.S. based
artists such as Paul Simon, Peter Gabriel and David Byrne are seeking to improve
relations between U.S. and world music artists. Through promoting foreign artists these
musicians hope to show the American public the joy that can be experienced through native
tongues and unheard beats.
One of the major fears associated with the globalization of music is the creation of a
global monoculture. Barlow investigates how the global monoculture has infiltrated every
corner of the earth. He feels that North American corporate culture, including the music
industry, is destroying local tradition, knowledge, skill, artisans and values.
Specifically artisans have been affected through the fact that the product that they have
tried to market has been outdated and overrun by the popstar garbage that has taken over
the world and destroyed cultures. The premise of Barlow's argument finds that this is
corporate America is not only destroying traditions, but it is burying a cultures overall
identity. As best said by Nawal Hassan, a Egyptian artisan activist, " This is an issue
of identity. All our civilizations has ceased to be spiritual. Our civilization has
become commercial." (Barlow 2001) People in this world feel that they need to be
different from one another for many reasons. Maybe it is superiority or inferiority, but
there is a never dying need to be an individual. 
One of the main causes for the affects that music has had globally is the open-mindedness
of the people that have accepted it. For example in 1959, Richie Valens hit the top of
the charts with his song "La Bamba". After this large hit, it was forty years before the
world excepted another Latin rocker - Santana. With Santana's worldwide success sparked
room for artists such as Wyclef Jean. Wyclef formed a new hybrid formed of Haitian Creole
and English. Even U.S. based Christina Aguilera recorded an entire CD entirely in
Spanish. Within transitions to create a global market, these artists have found not only
how to make money and survive in a capitalistic world, but how to satisfy more than one
cultural group. This is not the first time we have seen something like this though. In
1958, Dean Martin recorded on of his biggest hits by recording "Volare". The importance
of this song is found not only in the fact that it is an original Italian song, but that
it is recorded incorporating both English and Italian into the song at the same time.
Frank Sinatra also tried this same approach in 1967. He recorded an album of songs done
by Brazilian composer Antonio Carlos Jobin.
As noted by the Music Council of Australia (MCA) it is globalization that has an affect
on music. They state: 
"80% of the world's trade in music happens under four giant transnational recording
companies whose fortunes at present depend on global marketing of Anglo-American pop
music. We can buy music of virtually any culture by ordering from massive catalogues from
internet music suppliers, locations unknown. Furthermore, the whole deal can take place
on the internet: the search, the ordering, the payment and the delivery. We needn't leave
the room. Music, more than almost any other commodity, has lent itself to globalization.
And globalization is upon it."