For centuries, music has been considered a form of artistic expression regardless of its origins. Hence, it is not surprising to learn that music is regarded as the universal language in our civilization. Nonetheless, opponents of such beliefs think otherwise. From my perspective, music has always been and will continue to be the lingua franca for humanity.
There are justifiable reasons why many people support this belief. First and foremost, music plays an indispensable and pivotal role in maintaining cultural exchange. Undeniably, music represents the culture as well as the history of a place. The popularity of music likely facilitates the spread and dissemination of one’s culture and the historical stories behind it. One typical example is Chinese opera. Through listening to and watching Chinese opera, the audience can gain a deeper understanding of ancient Chinese society, and more importantly, it encourages a growing trend of learning the Chinese language. Additionally, the powerful influence of music is evident in connecting people with various cultural backgrounds across the globe. Music can bring people together by eliminating geographical barriers. A case in point would be the rise of K-pop music, which has led to an increasing trend of learning Korean and choreography associated with these K-pop songs. In the digital era, those who love K-pop can gain new acquaintances from the Internet, even though they may not speak the same language; music becomes their common language.
Despite the reasonable nature of these arguments, there are voices that oppose this statement. For those who think differently, the function and existence of music are solely for entertainment, and they argue that it can hardly be the universal language people can use globally. What they perceive in music are just strong beats with melodic rhythms and nothing more. Far from being a communicative tool, they believe music cannot foster effective and clear communication among people. However, from a broader perspective, the presence of music is found in all aspects of life, ranging from entertainment to business; even in famous Hollywood movies, musical elements are included. All of which manifest how music is utilized universally as a language.
In light of the above discussion, it is my contention that music has been and continues to be the universal language of our world. Thus, it is of paramount importance that we encourage more creative and meaningful production of music.