POPULAR MUSIC AND MEDIA IN THE CONTEXT OF FREEDOM AND ALIENATION: PROPOSALS FOR SELF-DETERMINATION

Abstract

Popular music and media create a dynamic that deepens social alienation by restricting freedom and self-determination rights. However, music is an art form that has established itself by effectively addressing all aspects of society, such as its problems, joys, sorrows, and pains. Therefore, music must appeal to the essential and structural functions of the society it exists within. Popular music, from its production to its delivery to the consumer, is subjected to various structural, cultural, and ideological influences, which renders its function of directly serving humanity and art questionable. This study examines contemporary music within the framework of capitalist production modes and their associations, evaluating both musical production and consumption processes together, as music is not only a commodity but also because cultural institutions and organizations related to music are integral parts of the same market structure. The aim of the study is to propose solutions such as independent music production, media literacy, the preservation of local cultural values, and the support of democratic media structures, offering strategies for societies to reclaim their musical and cultural identities. In this context, it is essential for societies to act consciously, resist cultural imperialism, and explore their own creative potential. When music is liberated from being merely a consumption object and repositioned as a free art form reflecting society’s shared values, social bonds can be strengthened again. In this regard, the relationship between popular music and local musical values depends on societies’ determination to preserve their cultural and artistic heritage in the future.