Cultural influences: Different cultures have unique instruments, rhythms, scales and structures that influence the creation of music. For example, Indian classical music often employs sitars and tabla, and African music frequently uses polyrhythm and call-and-response structures.
Social and political context: Music can be a way of expressing social and political views, with many artists using their work to comment on society, politics, or other topical issues. This context can significantly shape the content and style of music that is created.
Education and tradition: The education and traditions in a particular culture can heavily impact music creation. Certain cultures have rich musical education traditions, such as Western classical music or African oral tradition.
Inspiration and creativity: Different cultures draw inspiration from different sources, often leading to unique musical styles.

The Distribution of Music across Cultures and Societies

Local vs global distribution: In some cultures, music might be primarily distributed and enjoyed locally, while in others, music is created for a global audience.
Digital platforms and accessibility: Digital platforms like Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube have drastically altered music distribution, as they allow instant global access. However, access to these platforms can vary, depending on factors like technological infrastructure and economic conditions.
Language barriers: The language of music can sometimes limit its cross-cultural distribution. Music in English often has the broadest reach, due to the predominance of English in popular global culture.

Cross-Cultural Music Consumption

Cultural familiarity: People might be more likely to consume music that reflects their own cultural background or experiences.
Cross-cultural influence and borrowing: Despite cultural familiarity, there’s a long history of musical styles crossing cultural boundaries, such as the global popularity of American jazz or Latin pop.
Media and marketing influence: Global media and marketing play an important role in shaping music consumption patterns. For example, Hollywood films and K-pop music have spread cultural products globally.

Cultural Influence: The impact that a specific culture or community has on the music styles, instruments, and rhythms utilised in music creation.
Social and Political Context: The societal and political environment in which music is created, often influencing the themes and messages within the music.
Local vs Global Distribution: The reach of music, whether it is primarily consumed within a local area, or distributed and popularised globally.
Cross-Cultural Influence and Borrowing: The process of incorporating elements of one culture’s music within another, often leading to unique and popular musical styles.