TITLE:
Musical and Extra-Musical Factors Contribute to the Meaning of Popular Music: A Critical Analysis of “Zombie” by the Cranberries
AUTHORS:
Jingsi Song
KEYWORDS:
Popular Music, Critical Analysis, Authenticity, Social Issues, Propaganda
JOURNAL NAME:
Advances in Journalism and Communication,
Vol.10 No.2,
June
13,
2022
ABSTRACT: From the perspective of communication, this paper
puts the study of popular music in the field of media, communication, and
culture, discusses the interaction between popular music, culture and society.
It is worth mentioning that when people become the audience of a musical work,
they not only pay attention to its musicality, but also discuss social issues,
publicity, and even extra-musical information related to the performers of the
song. Such extra-musical information sometimes goes beyond the musicality of
the work and affects the public’s judgment on the meaning of the musical work.
As a part of the cultural industry, popular music is worth studying. This study
focuses on a specific song, “Zombie”, and analyzes the impact of musical and
extra-musical factors on its meaning construction. It attempts to provide a
broader perspective on the interpretation of the music market and tries to
bring enlightenment to the promotion of the cultural industry.