Made in Thailand : Studies in Popular Music (Routledge Global Popular Music Series)

Made in Thailand: Studies in Popular Music serves as a comprehensive and thorough introduction to the history, culture, and musicology of twentieth- and twenty-first century popular music in Thailand. The volume consists of essays by local experts and leading scholars in Thai music and culture, and covers the major figures, styles, and social contexts of popular music in Thailand. Each essay provides adequate context so readers understand why the figure or genre under discussion is of lasting significance. Discussing musical development and shift of sociocultural spheres of Thai popular music among nationhood, media platforms, and identity politics from the early years to the present, these scholars explore and rethink the connections between the development of Thai popular music and politics of music genres in Thailand. Made in Thailand includes a general introduction to Thai popular music, followed by essays organized into four thematic sections: Histories, Contemporary Issues, Politics of Sound, and Region and Cultural Politics. Offering a comprehensive look at popular music phenomena in the country, Made in Thailand is an essential resource for scholars and students in the fields of popular music studies, ethnomusicology, popular musicology, Asian studies, and Thai studies.