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Streaming
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Music streaming can play a role in the spread of cultural understanding.
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According to a Rolling Stone article, listed in Recommended Readings, streaming platforms like Spotify have been focusing on trying to “increase intercontinental musical exchange” by showing its users the tops songs globally in other countries and not just in the west. (Leight, 2019)
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Lately music from all around the world is more readily available and accessible because of social media platforms and streaming platforms. Apple Music, Spotify, SoundCloud, and similar platforms connect people from all over the world through music.
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Many of these platforms will have playlists with recommended songs and some with top charting songs for its users to enjoy. Through these playlists, users are able to discover music that they may not have been interested in at first or may not have even known it existed. You could be listening to one of your old playlists on one of these streaming platforms and see a playlist recommended for you, so you become intrigued and give it a listen.
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You could just simply feel the need to find some new music, but you don’t know where to start and you can see a playlist filled with some of the most popular songs all over the world and from other cultures. Just one click and a tiny bit of curiosity could lead you to enjoy the music of other cultures and evidently become more interested in that culture as a whole and not just the music. In this way, music streaming can play a role in the spread of cultural understanding.
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Next time you are using a music platform, take a moment to look at the recommended playlists and the top global songs. Who knows, you might end up learning about another culture and find a new genre of music that you enjoy!
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