Pop Cultures: A Comparative Analysis of the American and South Korean Record Industries

As the oldest recording industry in the world, the United States has set industry
standards regarding record labels, publishing, live entertainment and music services.
Since the beginning of the 20th century, American music has become a staple in
worldwide pop culture, spreading to all four corners of the world. Indeed, the U.S. music
industry has held the number one position in the ranking of the world’s top 10 largest
music markets since its first record label, Columbia Records, was founded in 1887.
However, a relatively new genre of music is rapidly taking over the world’s pop music
scene: South Korean pop music, otherwise known as K-pop. This thesis analyzes the
similarities and differences between the two diverse music industries – with an emphasis
on pop music – by first delving into the copyright and recording aspects of the business,
followed by identifying key differences in each industry’s standards and aesthetics, and
finally examining media consumption and marketing implications in the two countries.