Noun. When white
people (see stuff white
people like) use a
single foreign song that has entered mainstream American music, generally through movies, to gain cultural entre into the music of an exotic country/region. By using pandora, related videos feature of
youtube, or other tools for finding similar songs the white person is able to build a
small, narrow understanding of music from a foreign place. The role of the gateway song is vital in the white person's understanding of a foreign music source because it will be the standard by which all other songs "discovered" in the genre will be judged. However, it is important to realize that the white person will never veer
far from the gateway song.
Finally, it must be noted that white
people are acutely ashamed of the gateway song because it proves that he/she was completely unaware of a genre of foreign music until exposed by the distinctly unauthentic mainstream media. White
people would prefer to be exposed to "world" music from browsing non-chain record stores, study abroad programs, and non-white friends. Bonus would be a combination of a musical "discovery" while falling in love with a foreign person. However, since these more authentic methods of "discovering" "world" music are not always available, gateway songs are a necessary
evil for the average white person.
Jai Ho-gateway song to bollywood, anything by
Bob Marley-gateway song to reggae, anything by Sean
Paul-gateway to
reggaeton, 12 girls band version of Clocks etc.
