(JBC) Chapter 12: Music/Racism and Cultural Appropriation

Music has been around for centuries and has stemmed from many different backgrounds. Music has been a way for people to identify themselves and live off the music they hear. Many people have created their own styles of music coming from forms of slavery, aristocracy, protests, the golden age. Music has been impactful in society in many different ways stretching from forms of black power, war protests, global warming, and many more society issues. People have chosen to turn to music as a musical escape to face the current problems of society. Music has also looked toward how people react to make hit songs and sell more albums. Focuses on society have made it so music is encompassed around it and tells a story and sides with certain situations. Many people tend to relate to certain music more than other genres because of their background and what they grew up listening to. For example, Mexicans tend to listen to latin music and Banda rather than the hip hop Americans listen to. This creates a structure for musicians to target certain audiences. Meaning, an American hip hop artist wouldn’t usually go to Mexico to become a star. Musicians who have greatly impacted the music industry are usually made out to be idols and role models in the eyes of the public. This makes it easier for the audience to connect and want more to do with the music industry and what it stands for. A lot of the powerful music industries have gained their popularity by measuring the audiences and figuring out the audiences and what’s popular and what not. Music have come to change how people act and perceive social issues throughout the year. It’s impact is something that can be both seen and heard.