How does music tastes differ from country to county?

schubert
The greatest sarod musician of India think the same... After that my own opinion is not of much value but I will add it to your affirmation....

Just for the pleasure to tease you tough and express my experience, Scriabin after Bach.... :)

Bach composed the greatest music  that has  ever been written .
And is known worldwide .

Amen to that.

An Indian raga speak to the heart like a Muddy Waters blues when you learn to listen to it with an unknown part of your heart dedicated to it....Different music, same heart.... The heart is too complex to beat on the same rhythm forever....

'...it's been great for me to see how the other half rolls in this grand ol' world."

An insensitive figure of speech, given the moment - (I hope that can be pardoned). 

But, I keep placing my faith that this, too, shall pass.

"So yeah, musical tastes vary widely and Western music is very, very far from being as universal as many appear to believe."

I for one am relieved to hear that, as I’m glad other cultures may have largely escaped the force-fed diet we have here of pop culture. And, yes, I fully appreciate that that is not really at all what you were trying to imply - that we should export it wholesale...nor do I think Dylan is so much pop-culture noise by any means.

But, if other cultures, written and oral can largely escape that kind commercialism, then all the better for the world, I’d say. I’d certainly hate for the entire world to know only one kind of music.

The JVC World Sounds CD series has been a joy to collect and listen to for me, I have more than 30 discs and counting. For the curious type audiophile that I am, it’s been great for me to see how the other half rolls in this grand ol’ world.

I was in Turkey when Bob Dylan received the Nobel Price for Literature and mentioned it to some people I chatted with one evening, asking what they thought about it. They all had to google him, having never heard the name before.

So yeah, musical tastes vary widely and Western music is very, very far from being as universal as many appear to believe.

Moe, were you  anticipating a response by Miller? To answer your query, I agree cultural tastes vary widely and factor in the age of the listener and we get tremendous variety.

I thought its a very good question, nevermind the irony of previous member. Perhaps the best answer would be to look record sales or musical programs in places you have interest.
But, imho, its the corporate media that dictates the taste of popular music (not only music) among younger population.
As for the rest, I guess I could say and not be wrong that (talking about Europe) is that states that have invested more in broader cultural education (that does not relate always with the average gdp) of their citizens have in general 'better taste' in music or in culture in general.
Than again, I would say also that genral trend is dumbing down, but cinics will say that that was always the case

Music varies by region. Here in Seattle and the PNW in general its all Gospel music. Well except for Portland, where its all 80's. 1880's. Los Angeles is heavily classical, except the hip hop community inexplicably goes almost entirely small ensemble chamber music. Down South of course it is and always has been disco. All through Montana and well into the Dakotas it is hard to get anything but death metal on the radio. 

Rhythm, Religion and Rhyme.
The three Rs.   The universal language of music has many dialects that differ infinitely in these three fundamental ways.