MUSIC AS A MEDIUM FOR SOCIAL MEMORY FORMATION: THE CULTURAL ROLE OF POPULAR SONGS IN SHAPING COLLECTIVE IDENTITY IN UZBEKISTAN
Abstract
Music constitutes one of the most enduring and emotionally potent mediums through which societies construct, preserve, and transmit social memory. This study explores the role of popular songs in shaping collective identity and social memory in Uzbekistan. Using an interdisciplinary framework rooted in cultural memory theory, ethnomusicology, cognitive psychology, and media studies, the research investigates how songs encode historical narratives, foster intergenerational continuity, and function as symbolic carriers of national identity. The study adopts a mixed-methods design combining (1) content analysis of 96 Uzbek popular songs (1960–2024), (2) a 2024 sociological survey of 812 respondents aged 16–35, (3) digital platform analytics from YouTube, Spotify and local streaming services, and (4) comparative analysis with South Korea, Türkiye, and Germany. Findings reveal that songs serve not only as emotional triggers but as structured mnemonic systems that embed collective memories through linguistic symbolism, melodic archetypes, and cultural metaphors. A conceptual model—Musical Social Memory Transmission Model (MSMTM)—is proposed to explain how musical texts become instruments of cultural continuity. The implications for cultural policy, music education, and memory studies are discussed in detail.
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