Music is Socially Meaningful

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Does “Music equal life?” Have you ever wondered what this quote could really mean?

Well, music in society can play a major significance in our persona. Music, I believe is the

essence of defining yourself, other than our family and peers. This contributes to our

development not only emotionally and psychologically, but involvement within society. The way

we walk, talk and dress can be a determining factor from the music aspect as well. Our

involvement is all based on these assumptions of how we interpret and behave based on the

music we prefer. One of the most significant and astonishing outcomes of music in society is the

ways of communication. The most important thing to take from music is no matter the language,

we can communicate from many symbols. These symbols may include; rhythm, sound,

instruments etc. Sociologist can view music in many ways to see the behavior or effect it could

have in society. These ranges from many theories and preferences (genres) to have a

determination of how people could react/interact within one another.

Even though, music plays a big part of our individual lives it also contributes to society

as a whole. Society has a set of norms and rule where each individual should partake, and those

who do not choose to will be labeled. Many genres of music are labeled as well due to the

behaviors it contributes. For example, rock and roll. This genre of music is seen as dark, with

loud heavy music/sounds. Not only that, but the fashioned involved. Within this research I will

be focusing on the very controversial and slightly new genre, Reggeaton. As well as the multi-

Cucuta 2

cultural genre known as Salsa. These both come from Latin roots and therefore hav...

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...ummies

“Reggaeton”. 2011. Wikipedia.com. Retrieved March 1, 2011.

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reggaeton)

Reggaeton - From Puerto Rico to the World. (2011).

(http://latinmusic.about.com/od/genres/p/PRO019BASIC.htm)

“Salsa”. 2011. Wikipedia.com. Retrieved March 1, 2011.

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/salsa_music)

“Symbolic Interactionism”. 2011. family.jrank.org. Retrieved March 1, 2011.

(http://family.jrank.org/pages/1679/Symbolic-Interactionism.html)

Torres, E. (n.d.). Salsa:A brief history. Retrieved from

http://www.salsacentro.com/historyculture/salsahistory.html

Salsa music: national geographic society. (n.d.). Retrieved from

http://worldmusic.nationalgeographic.com/view/page.basic/genre/content.genre/salsa_781/en_US

Salsa - From Cuba to New York to You (2011)

http://latinmusic.about.com/od/genres/p/PRO09BASIC.htm)

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