To over simplify, World Music is music from around the world. Generally people would interpret World Music as a style of music that is specific to a non-Western Culture, although this is not just the case. The term World Music includes traditional music of any culture that has been created and played by indigenous people (local to a certain group of people) These are sounds that reflect a particular culture or social reality. World music is a very broad concept. World Music can be as simple as pop music with lyrics in a language other than English.
It seems that the term World Music is being used as a marketing tool by the western world. Although by making World Music Westernised, indigenous music is being promoted to a wider audience. Music is universal and to discover music of a culture it is important to know and see the culture as a whole.
Would you suggest that "Komm, gib mir deine Hand" or I wanna hold your hand by the Beatles becomes world music because it is performed in German? While there is certainly something in what you say, this and your suggestion that by westernising indigenous music it gains audience, these are only one side of a much more complex argument.
ReplyDelete