The Research on the Communication Mechanism of Western Popular Music and the Construction of Youth Cultural Identity in the Internet Era

DOI: https://doi.org/10.62517/jnme.202610403

Author(s)

Qiuru Li

Affiliation(s)

Shandong Experimental High School, Jinan, Shandong, China

Abstract

This study explores how the dissemination mechanisms of Western pop music in the internet context influence the cultural identity construction of China's Gen Z listeners. Algorithmic recommendations, community interactions, and cross-media narratives on digital platforms are reshaping the musical aesthetics and cultural cognition of young groups, but their specific mechanisms remain unexamined in systematic research. The study randomly selected sixteen China's Gen Z youth (aged 18-25) and divided them into 2 groups: control group exposed only to traditional music platforms, and experimental group exposed to algorithmic recommendations and social media interaction features. Researchers measured differences in musical preferences, cultural identity, and value orientations among users with varying exposure frequencies and interaction depths through content analysis, questionnaires, and in-depth interviews. The results demonstrated that the experimental group exposed to algorithmic recommendations and social interaction features showed significant improvements in interpreting cultural symbols, emotional resonance, and identity formation within Western pop music (p<0.05). These findings indicate that digital platforms' algorithmic recommendations and community interactions effectively facilitate cross-cultural communication, enhancing cultural engagement and identity construction among youth populations. However, this phenomenon may also lead to fragmented and superficial cultural consumption. Although the study was constrained by limited sample size and regional representativeness, it validates the substantial potential of digital platforms as cross-cultural communication channels, providing empirical evidence for understanding youth cultural identity in a globalized context.

Keywords

The Internet Era; Pop Music; Platform Interaction; Cultural Identity; Generation Z

References

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