There are many types of music in the world today. Why do we need music? Is the traditional music of a country more important and should it be preserved or is international music that is heard everywhere nowadays more useful to a society? Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own experience or knowledge. v.2

Music exists in some form or another in every culture around the world and it provides enjoyment to millions of people. However, some people are concerned that traditional music is being lost because of the popularity of international music. Without a doubt, music is a necessity. Firstly, the music is important as it provides enjoyment and pleasure in daily life. People listen to music to relax at home, to relieve the boredom of long journeys, and to dance to in the evening at the clubs. Not only this, music is also an expression of culture, often being an essential part of religious ceremonies such as weddings and funerals or yearly festivals. It is also now common in educational development as children learn to play music at school. In considering which kind of music is the most important, international music is certainly useful to society because it can be argued that it helps us to understand and relate to other people, cultures and countries as we all listen to the same songs. This has occurred as globalization means Western music is heard around the world. However, it is critical that this is not at the expense of traditional music. It should be a priority to preserve this since it teaches people about their history, and helps societies remember and retain their national and cultural identity. To conclude, I would argue that one type of music is not more important or useful than another. Traditional music is vital and should be preserved as it is part of a country’s cultural identity, but both are needed as they provide enjoyment to people in different ways.