Americanpopularmusichadaprofoundeffectonmusicacrosstheworld.Thecountryhasseentheriseofpopularstylesthathavehadasignificantinfluenceonglobalculture,includingragtime,blues,jazz,rock,R&B,doowop,gospel,soul,funk,heavymetal,punk,disco,house,techno,salsa,grungeandhiphop.Inaddition,theAmericanmusicindustryisquitediverse,supportinganumberofregionalstyleslikezydeco,klezmerandslack-key.Theappealofthesestylesliesintheirsupple,energeticrhythms,theirappealingvocallines,andinmanycasestheirsymbolicassociationswiththeplightoftheunderprivileged.

　　DistinctivestylesofAmericanpopularmusicemergedearlyinthe19thcentury,andinthe20thcenturytheAmericanmusicindustrydevelopedaseriesofnewformsofmusic,usingelementsofbluesandothergenresofAmericanfolkmusic.Thesepopularstylesincludedcountry,R&B,jazzandrock.The1960sand'70ssawanumberofimportantchangesinAmericanpopularmusic,includingthedevelopmentofanumberofnewstyles,includingheavymetal,punk,soul,andhiphop.Thoughthesestyleswerenotpopularinthesenseofmainstream,theywerecommerciallyrecordedandarethusexamplesofpopularmusicasopposedtofolkorclassicalmusic.

　　Americanpopularmusichasbecomeextremelypopularinternationally.Rock,hiphop,jazz,countryandotherstyleshavefansacrosstheglobe.BBCRadioDJAndyKershaw,forexample,hasnotedthatcountrymusicispopularacrossvirtuallytheentireworld.Indeed,outof"allthecontributionsmadebyAmericanstoworldculture...(Americanpopularmusic)hasbeentaken(most)toheartbytheentireworld".OtherstylesofAmericanpopularmusichavealsohadaformativeeffectinternationally,includingfunk,thebasisforWestAfricanAfrobeat,R&B,amajorsourceforJamaicanreggae,androck,whichhasprofoundlyinfluencedmosteverygenreofpopularmusicworldwide.Rock,country,jazzandhiphophavebecomeanentrenchedpartofmanycountries,leadingtolocalvarietieslikeAustraliancountrymusic,TanzanianBongoFlavaandRussianrock.

　　Rockhashadaformativeinfluenceonpopularmusic,whichhadtheeffectoftransforming"theveryconceptofwhatpopularmusic"iswhileCharlieGilletthasarguedthatrockandroll"wasthefirstpopulargenretoincorporatetherelentlesspulseandsheervolumeofurbanlifeintothemusicitself".

　　ThesocialimpactsofAmericanpopularmusichavebeenfeltbothwithintheUnitedStatesandinforeigncountries.Beginningasearlyastheextravaganzasofthelate19thcentury,Americanpopularmusichasbeencriticizedforbeingtoosexuallytitillatingandforencouragingviolence,drugabuseandgenerallyimmoralbehavior.CriticismshavebeenespeciallytargetedatAfricanAmericanstylesofmusicastheybeganattractingwhite,generallyyouthfulaudiences;blues,jazz,rockandhiphopallfallintothiscategory.