English language learning and popular music: a study in the Indian context

Abstract

During the last few decades sweeping changes are being seen in the lifestyle of India’s urban youth, brought about by huge intrusion of digital media into their lives. One of those sweeping changes is the level of accessibility of music into their daily existence. Music today is ubiquitous, incessant, and indispensable. In this era of iPods and IPADs, music is everywhere. Most radio stations are devoted to music. There are TV channels and internet sites that promote and sell music, in addition to karaoke bars, rock concerts, and the inescapable music that haunts us in restaurants, stores, gyms, and in mobiles. Most young people submit themselves to this aural stimulation ceaselessly; they listen to music while driving, walking, working, eating, and studying. Life and music are inseparable. And the languages of their choice for musical stimulation include both English and other Indian languages. Today in India, knowledge of English is considered to be highly essential for better opportunities in life, in addition to being a trendy component in the cultural ethos of the youth. In the background of this persistent aural stimulation among teenagers and young adults, the paper aims at studying the influence of English songs on young people, and to examine the extent to which English songs have been able to support English language learning among the said group. The objective is to study how new media technologies can be utilised in improving language learning, with special focus on popular English music. A survey design was employed among a representative sample of teenagers, young professionals, home-makers and graduate students, to fulfil the objectives of the study.