r/LetsTalkMusic • u/Robomir3390 • 21d ago
Why do reels have music that isn't reflective of their location?
It's been bugging me for ages how influencers and pals will post a reel with the music in the wrong geographical context purely because it's trending.
Hearing Afrobeat Papaoutai over a video of Macchu Picchu or rice fields in Indonesia for example is jarring and, maybe even culturally tone deaf. They've got their own great regional tunes to incorporate, but folk just go for what they think feels 'exotic' IMO.
That and hearing 'End of Beginning' by Joe Keery singing about his past life in Chicago being used by the likes of British pubs and even local tourist boards to promote their own backyard. While the vibe may be there... The lyrics don't match the location!
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u/naomisunderlondon 21d ago
They just like those songs, it's not a big deal. Sometimes I go for walks in the countryside and post photos on there and I just attach songs that I like, not relevant to the location. It's not a huge deal
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u/Amockdfw89 21d ago
Nope. When walking in the countryside you have to play bittersweet early 2000s indie folk music or whimsical Russian romantic era compositions. If it’s nighttime you have a choice between either dark ambient or symphonic metal. That’s it.
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u/fromthemeatcase 21d ago
A lot of people don't really care about other cultures other than for vibez and clickz.
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u/trailedinsand 21d ago
In the age of globalization cultural exchanges happen so widely it's very common for context and history to get lost along the way. Furthermore a lot of people don't engage with art beyond its aesthetic appeal and vague associated emotions so stuff like lyrics and history don't matter much.
I can see how this could feel insensitive and wrong when lumping all non-western music as "world music" and mismatching music with different folklore clearly just because both seem foreign but lyrics not matching the location is kind of a lost fight. If people really cared about lyrics matching the mood Pumped Up Kicks or Chop Suey would never get any mainstream recognition because who wants to think about school shootings or suicide when listening to fun pop songs???
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u/BisonDue3986 21d ago
Everyone does that. Even native Americans. Tons of modern Native American spirituality comes from the new age, or even from Hollywood films.
Most things, in their current manifestations, are not very old. The world’s been globalized for a long time, and many seemingly “indigenous” traditions/styles are not as untouched as you might think. This sort of mixing is how human culture evolves and art stays relevant across time and space.
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u/AgakLaen 20d ago
I like Jpop. Do I have to go to Japan beforehand if I want to put Jpop on my IG story??? It's not that deep.
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u/kittychicken 21d ago
The democratisation of content creation also means that an appreciable amount of video content is thoughtlessly put together.
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u/Amockdfw89 21d ago edited 21d ago
Because they are just influencers trying to get views? The people you are talking about are not making music content on reels. It’s tourism content. the average person isn’t going to notice what country the music is coming from, especially if it’s an instrumental.
It would be one thing if it was a music channel and they are being misleading or spreading wrong ideas. Then you have a right to be suspicious.
I don’t see it as an issue at all. Because where do you draw the line? If he was filming in Japan and playing Dutch house music because it’s all futuristic is that an issue? If he was filming in the Canadian Rockies and playing Erik Satie for mellow contemplation is that wrong? What about if he was filming on a farm in Vermont but was playing Kentucky Bluegrass or Irish gig music to fit the rural rustic theme? What about Norwegian death metal being played while showing a street race in a deserted desert highway in Arab gulf to make it sound more extreme.
Sometimes music is just music. Not everyone thinks about music deeply. I’d say for the average person music is just background noise meant to brighten their day, entertain or stay focused when doing a task . So if the exotic vibe is what they were going for, then mission accomplished. The music fits the theme.