Popular culture continues to be a strong suit of America’s global image, and views of American music, movies and television have improved in many countries since 2007.
Two-thirds of publics in countries surveyed five years ago and again in 2012 say they like U.S. music, movies and television. That contrasts with significantly smaller percentages who say they like American ideas about democracy, ways of doing business and the spread of American ideas and customs in their countries.
Ratings for U.S. popular culture have generally increased in Europe, and solid majorities across the European Union nations in the survey say they like American music, movies and television, including more than seven-in-ten in Spain (79%), Italy (74%) and France (72%).
Meanwhile, 69% in Japan and Brazil say they like these U.S. cultural exports. The same percentage now embrace American popular culture in Mexico, up from 53% in 2007. It is also more popular today among Russians than it was five years ago (48% now, 38% in 2007).
The Chinese remain divided on this question (43% like, 43% dislike), while Indians on balance say they do not care for American music, movies and television (19% like, 47% dislike).
U.S. popular culture also gets generally poor reviews in most of the majority Muslim nations surveyed, especially Pakistan, where 78% dislike it. Read More