Belfast, Northern Ireland welcomed the MTV Europe Music Awards this past weekend, and – surprise, surprise – Lady Gaga and Justin Bieber were among the top winners. Even across the pond, these stars have a huge influence on music fans, which goes to show just how linked we are through music. As MTV Iggy continues to bring global acts to the spotlight, the world seems to get smaller and more connected, music-wise. We’ve got Coldplay, Muse and Adele gracing the U.S. airwaves, and even today’s dubstep claims its beginnings in London. But take a quick look at history, and you’ll find many genres have their roots engrained even further back and traveled even farther to get to the United States music charts.
To show this visually, UK-based travel website Thomson recently posted an interactive infographic allowing viewers to check out the evolution of Western dance music in less than 20 seconds. Whether or not you’re a dance music fan, we think this is awesome – not only can you learn where different genres originated, but you’ll see just how they influenced other genres and which areas they traveled to next. The map begins with the traditional folk music from Africa, Europe and the Caribbean, and continues on through history with the beginnings of jazz, blues, R&B and all of the chain reactions in between.
Head on over to the interactive image here or view the static image below, and you’ll see what we mean!
So open your mind, do some research and discover some new music! Next, stop by our Facebook page and let us know what you think – how globally-diverse is your own music collection, and what do you think of all the connections?
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Suzy S.