Jingsi Song

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Jiangsu Press and Publishing College, Nanjing, China.
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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.

Keywords: Popular Music, Critical Analysis, Authenticity, Social Issues, Propaganda

Cite this paper: Song, J. (2022) Musical and Extra-Musical Factors Contribute to the Meaning of Popular Music: A Critical Analysis of “Zombie” by the Cranberries. Advances in Journalism and Communication, 10, 199-208. doi: 10.4236/ajc.2022.102013.

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