Chapter 14 Popular Music Activity

One of the key themes of Chapter 14 is the ways in which popular music of the period was influenced by artists and styles that fell outside the margins of white American culture. The idea of the "outsider" played an important role in connecting American audiences with what was both foreign, and at the same time exciting and novel.

Listen to “Forever My Love” (J Balvin with Ed Sheern) (lyrics) on Spotify or another streaming service. (Note: Spotify may not provide full accessibility for all users.)

 

Quiz Content

not completed
. Colombian-born singer J Balvin has quickly risen to the top of the pop charts with over 35 million records sold worldwide. That success is likely due in part to the music's appeal to what genre audience?

not completed
. In what ways does a song like "Forever My Love" illustrate the power of music to transcend cultural barriers?

not completed
. In what way does the beginning of the song depart from traditional pop song structure and expectations?

not completed
. The overall musical structure of the song can best be described as falling under the pop genre of a

not completed
. What significance does the predominance of the guitar accompaniment throughout the song play in supporting the overall mood and message of the song?

not completed
. What feature of both Balvin's and Sheeran's voices contributes to what makes this song work as a duet?

not completed
. The chorus is sung solely in Spanish, which may signify what important fact about the song's appeal to a pop audience?

not completed
. In what way can the structure of the song, which works on a steady beat and and unchanging dynamic level, be heard as building toward a climax?

not completed
. What is the significance of the only occurrence of lyrics in the last chorus that are sung in English?

not completed
. What general appeal does a song like this have to pop industry marketers?

Discussion Question

Choose a contemporary crossover artist of international renown, and analyze one of their songs based on the features that define their particular musical style. Note how their songs employ elements of their native culture, and to what extent those elements are fused with the styles that define popular music. Also include in your account how their lyrics serve to support or contradict any stereotypes related to male/female romantic relationships portrayed in popular culture.

Back to top