The Beat Goes Online

Global impact

© iStockphoto.com/Dean Mitchell

Popular music is listened to the world over. But how does it spread from one place to another and come to have international appeal? Can it have a global impact? If so, then how does this affect the places where the music originated?

In general, 'global' suggests something that isn't local or national. It also suggests something even broader than 'international', which can mean simply many, or even a number of, countries. Global, however, means worldwide, with the sense of genuinely being everywhere. Drawing upon examples of popular music activity, particularly in Liverpool and its sister cities, this section of the Beat Goes Online will consider:

• Making music global - how popular music is promoted and marketed both internationally and globally. We will look at the promotion of music through the music industries and mass media.
• Global appeal: the Beatles - how popular music comes to have global appeal. We will focus on the Beatles and their global impact.
• Global connections and influences: 'music cities' - how popular music's global appeal affects its place of origin. We will explore the description and branding of some cities as music cities and how this has provided a basis for city twinning and friendship links.

By considering how music comes to have a global impact we can understand more about the place of popular music in the world today.