Articulations of Identity and Distinction: The Meanings of Language in Dutch Popular Music

On the basis of interviews with music audiences, heritage practitioners, and cultural industry workers, this article explores how language use in Dutch popular music relates to local and historically situated taste patterns and music practices. Most popular music in the Netherlands is sung in English, Dutch, or dialects of the Dutch language. We discuss how these languages are used in Dutch popular music as an expression of cultural taste, cultural identities, and local heritages. Furthermore, we describe historical trends in the attention to various languages and their associated genres, focusing on processes of classification and cultural legitimization.

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article Articulations of identity and distinction A.J.C. van der Hoeven (Arno), M.S.S.E. Janssen (Susanne) and S.M.R. Driessen (Simone)