The glocalization of music refers to global musical trends and influences are adapted and blended with local cultural traditions, sounds and languages. But what does that mean for music and the music industry that supports it?
What is the Glocalisation of Music? Why It Matters
The term glocalisation of music – a combination of globalization and localization – highlights how global genres, artists and styles are embraced and reinterpreted by local musical scenes, often creating something unique that resonates both locally and globally.
Here are a few ways glocalisation manifests in music:
- Fusion of genres: Artists blend traditional local music styles with global genres. For example, in Latin America, artists might combine reggaeton with traditional rhythms like cumbia or salsa. Similarly, African musicians might incorporate Western pop, rock, or hip-hop into their local musical expressions.
- Language and lyrical content: While a global music genre might dominate, local languages, dialects, and cultural references are often used in lyrics. K-pop, for example, blends global pop music trends with Korean lyrics, creating a hybrid that appeals both locally and internationally.
- Instrumental adaptation: Local instruments or sounds may be incorporated into globally recognized musical styles. For example, an EDM track might feature traditional African drumming or sitar melodies, or a pop song might have elements of traditional Irish folk music.
- Fashion and visual aesthetics: The visual presentation of music, such as music videos or live performances, may also reflect a fusion of global fashion trends with local cultural elements, further emphasizing the hybrid nature of the music.
- Global collaboration: Artists from different parts of the world collaborate on projects, incorporating both global appeal and local cultural elements. A famous example is the collaboration between artists from different countries, such as the mix of African rhythms with Western pop in collaborations between artists like Beyoncé and Nigerian artist Wizkid.
The glocalization of music helps create a dynamic music landscape where local and global influences are not in opposition, but rather in a synergistic relationship. This blending often leads to the creation of new sub-genres, movements, and musical identities that resonate with diverse audiences worldwide.
Glocalisation in 2024 and beyond: Will Page
In his latest report on the soaring $45 billion Global Value of Music Copyright, analyst Will Paige offers specific examples from 2024 that show how much music glocalisation matters to the global value of music in terms of trade, exports, and culture.
Mexico & Columbia
“When relatively poor countries like Mexico ($24,900 GDP per head) and Colombia ($21,400) export music to the richer United States ($86,600 GDP per head), we can calculate the trade‑impact of these rich-country royalties flowing back to poorer countries.
If we calculate the value of Mexican and Colombian artist streams exported to the US at the US royalty rate, and then deduct from that the ‘equivalent value’ of those same streams at their (lower) domestic rates, we can capture the ‘export boost’ effect.”
Music Exports (US, UK, Sweden and South Korea)
“Switching lanes from artists to songwriters, historically, there have been three net‑exporters of music: US, UK, and Sweden. These countries brought in more money in from the exploitation of their songwriters’ rights internationally than they sent out for domestic exploitation of foreign songwriters. Now there’s a fourth: South Korea.”
YouTube Matters
“Another way to think about music exports is to look at the geographic trends of channel-subscribers on YouTube. Think about it this way: is the rest of the world peering into your country’s artist base more than your own fans are peering out? To answer this, we sum the number of overseas channel-subscribers of a country’s domestic artist base, and deduct the aggregate tally of local subscribers to overseas artists.”
Diasporas Matter
“According to the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, there are 35.4 million non-resident Indians and People of Indian Origins residing outside India. That’s not far off the population of Canada, where at least 2 million such individuals now reside.”
“You might not be surprised to learn that English and Spanish are the first and second-most streamed languages in Canada. Perhaps more surprisingly, this is followed by Punjabi in third place, while French (one of Canada’s official languages), falls into fourth.”
Bruce Houghton is the Founder and Editor of Hypebot, a Senior Advisor at Bandsintown, President of the Skyline Artists Agency, and a Berklee College Of Music professor.
