Data-Visualization
The impact of immigration trends on the rise of Afrobeat music
Part I
Outline
This project is indicative of the education we receive at Heinz. With it, my goal is to use data to explain an observable phenomenon in society, and in the context of this class, use data visualization techniques to illustrate it. With this topic, I am able to explore how immigration trends (and presumably the policies that undergird them) can have an impact on the music scene through cultural exchange. Ideally, this project will be an illustration of one of the ways good immigration policies can produce net societal benefits. The artists and charts that will be displayed will make an account of the evolution of the music genre as well as its progressive elevation to the global scene. The story that I will be telling is one that illustrates how deeply connected the African diaspora is to the continent.
I) Timeline panel – The ascension of Afrobeat Music
a. Early 2000s: the renewal beginnings
b. 2010s: the P-Square domination
i. Rising stars
ii. New arrivals
c. 2015 – 2016: break out years
d. 2019 – present: African Giant
i. Prestigious Awards and Nominations
ii. Viral dances
II) Some benefits of immigration policy on the music industry a. Cultural exchange as seen by the boom of the international music scene b. Diffusion of norms and adoption of internal laws (intellectual property) c. Additional efficiency gains (collabs and features
III) Acknowledge the cofounders Obviously, Immigration trends alone do not sufficiently explain this exponential rise of the genre. It can be explained by various factors: a. Increased exposure over the years with the internet b. Audience’s search/thirst for novelty c. Etc.
IV) Call to action a. Calling for the free movement of people b. African Union must establish and enforce piracy laws to protect African artists
Initial Sketches
Main destinations of African immigrants as of 2019, by world region
Accumulated streams by the top 10 Afrobeat Artists overtime
Data
For this project, I am compiling data from a variety of sources primarily because immigration and streaming data are scattered. However for my explanatory variable which is immigration trends, I will collect most of it from the United Nations International Migrant Stock.
As for my dependent variable, I will be collecting from three sources: (1) The Sportify streaming numbers of the current top 10 afrobeat artists that I will tabulate in the separate excel sheet. However, the original data source can be found here (2) The RIAA certifications garnered by the same top 10 artists that I will also tabulate myself from the RIAA official website. I will use it to compare their achievements with aforementioned artists during the early development of the genre (3) I also intend to use various facts and figures from Spotify to highlight their established status on the global music scenes
Part II
The title of my project is The impact of immigration trends on cultural exchange: Using the rise of Afrobeat music as a case study. The impact of immigration trends on cultural exchange is a topic that has garnered significant attention in recent years, particularly in the music industry. One area that has seen significant influence from immigration trends is Afrobeat music, which has grown in popularity globally in recent years. The motivations behind a project on this topic include the desire to understand the role that immigration plays in cultural exchange, the impact of immigration on the music industry, and the potential benefits of immigration policy on the industry. To do so, I put together a storyboard (found here) that illustrated the link between immigration and the rise of this genre of music. Mainly how immigration has shaped the development of Afrobeat music and other forms of music around the world.
User Research Protocol:
The audiences for a project on the impact of immigration trends on cultural exchange, using the rise of Afrobeat music as a case study, would likely be diverse and varied. However, I chose 3 typical personas.
- Music fans in the U.S. and U.K., particularly those who are interested in Afrobeat music and other forms of global music.
- Policymakers and advocates for immigration reform here in the U.S.
- The diplomatic corps of other African countries.
Having identified those people, I started my interview process to get some feedback. I typically gave this blurb to my correspondents along with the link to the storyboard so they have some context going into it. “Afrobeat music, which originated in Nigeria in the 1960s and 70s, has been heavily influenced by a range of cultural traditions and influences. In recent years, the genre has seen a surge in popularity globally, with artists like WizKid and Burna Boy gaining widespread recognition and acclaim. This globalization of Afrobeat music has been facilitated in part by the movement of people and ideas across borders, and a project on the impact of immigration trends on cultural exchange could help to shed light on the ways in which immigration has contributed to the development and diffusion of this music. Tell me what you think.”
| Goals | Questions |
|---|---|
| Gathering first impression | What do you think of the project? |
| Trying to collect areas of technical improvement | Noticed anything confusing or funky? |
| Knowing if the current design convinced them of the story I was trying to tell | Is the story compelling? Why? Why not? |
| This was to get their last impressions, after the questions I asked earlier | What stood out to you? Any recommendations needed? |
User Research Findings:
|Interviewee | What do you think of the project? | Noticed anything confusing or funky? | Is the story compelling? Why? Why not? | What stood out to you? Any recommendations needed? | —————-|———————————–|————————————–|—————————————-|————————-| |Dad | I think it’s really interesting and informative. I love learning about the history and evolution of different music genres, and I think Afrobeat is a really unique and exciting genre. I also appreciate the focus on other genres to illustrate the link you were trying to make.| Not really, everything seems self-explanatory. The way the data is presented is really clear and easy to understand. |Yes, I think it’s definitely compelling. It’s a really unique topic that I think a lot of people would find interesting. I have to admit that perhaps as an Immigrant, I was able to make the link immediately and I am not sure others would be able to make that connection so easily.| One thing that stood out to me was how much Afrobeat music has grown in popularity in recent years. The globe of the immigration migration was very eye-catching. That is how I was able to make the connection. But I also think it would be interesting to see more about the specific artists and their immigration stories, as that would add a more personal touch to the story.| |Celine| I think it’s really interesting and relevant to my work in the music industry. It’s always fascinating to see how different cultural influences shape the music we hear. I love how you attached a playlist at the end. | Not really, everything seems to be well-explained and organized. The colors were very captivating.| Yes, definitely. I think the data is presented in a really clear and engaging way, and the story is definitely compelling. It’s interesting to see how immigration trends have impacted the success of Afrobeat artists, and I think that’s something that would be of interest to a lot of people in the music industry.| One thing that stood out to me was the recommendations section, especially the focus on the benefits of immigration policy for the music industry. For each of these target audiences we can notice how the story tracks and would make sense to them. I would recommend splitting the audiences however because focusing on one will enable you to create the same story with 3 different feels to it. | |Chamy| I think it’s really interesting and informative. I’ve always been a fan of Afrobeat music, and it’s cool to see how the genre has evolved over time and been influenced by different cultural traditions.| The comprehension was very clear since it was easy to follow. However, the resolutions of some of the graphs are off and hard to read at times. | The data is presented in a clear and engaging way, and it’s interesting to see the relationship between immigration trends and the success of Afrobeat artists. I have to say that it did not wow me. I was a bit light because the text rarely mentioned any statistic that explicitly made that link. It has the two elements there, but the link is missing. |One thing that stood out to me was the focus on the success of Afrobeat artists. I also like that you incorporated a lot interactive visualization. I think it would be interesting to see more about how these artists have contributed to the genre and their impact on the global music scene. Like I said, I wanted to see that connection. For example what percentage of these successful artists spent some years abroad? How did their own migration impact their music style and success?|
Based on the user research, it was found that the ease of comprehension was generally well-received, with users finding the story easy to follow and understand. The interactive data visualizations were also praised, with the Florish map on sub-Saharan immigration in the U.S. being particularly noteworthy. In addition, the use of in-text colors and images was effective in keeping audiences engaged. These findings suggest that the overall design and presentation of the immigration story was successful in communicating the information to the intended audience.
In terms of suggestions, my interviewees had a few suggestions for making the immigration story even more compelling. One suggestion was to include more artists and the role of immigration in their personal rise to fame. This could add a personal and emotional dimension to the story, as well as highlighting the cultural and artistic contributions of immigrants. Another suggestion was to fix any resolution issues and ensure that audiences can better consume the graphics. This is important for effectively conveying information to the intended audience. Finally, it was suggested that the story could be improved if it was tailored to specific audiences. This could make the story more relevant and engaging to a wider range of users by addressing their specific interests and needs.
Part III
In creating my final data story, I made several changes to better appeal to my identified audience. Originally, I had planned to focus on the rise of Afrobeat music as a whole, but after conducting interviews and creating personas, I realized that my audience was primarily interested in the relationship between immigration trends and the success of Afrobeat artists.
To narrow the focus of my project, I collected data on the top 10 Afrobeat artists and their immigration histories, as well as data on the rise of immigration from African countries to the United States as well internationally. I then used this data to illustrate the relationship between immigration and the success of Afrobeat artists. I used data from the United Nations International Migrant Stock to explore the immigration trends of Nigerian artists who have contributed to the rise of Afrobeat music. I also used data from Spotify and the RIAA to show the success of these artists and highlight their established status in the global music scene.
In terms of design, I made several decisions to create a visually appealing and easily understandable story. I included charts and graphs to clearly display the evolution of the Afrobeat genre, especially compared to other genres. I also included information on specific artists to add a personal touch and make the story more engaging.
Throughout the process of creating my data story, I learned the importance of thoroughly understanding my audience and tailoring my project to their interests. I also gained a deeper understanding of the technical aspects of data visualization, such as choosing the right type of chart or graph to effectively display data. Overall, my final data story successfully illustrates the relationship between immigration trends and the rise of Afrobeat music. It highlights the benefits of immigration on the music industry, and showcases the unique role of the Nigerian diaspora in the success of Afrobeat artists. By providing a clear and engaging narrative, I hope to inspire audiences to support the rise of Afrobeat music and policies that would lead to the free movement of people.
Here is the link to my final data story: https://carnegiemellon.shorthandstories.com/the-impact-of-migration-on-cultural-exchange/index.html