Answer: No, I would not say that “Billie Jean” by Michael Jackson is cultivated music. Cultivated music is a term that refers to the classical or art music tradition that originated in Europe and is characterized by complex forms, structures, and techniques. Cultivated music is often contrasted with vernacular music, which is the everyday music of ordinary people that reflects their culture, language, and values.
“Billie Jean” is a song that blends post-disco, R&B, funk, and dance-pop genres3 It uses informal, colloquial, and slang language to tell a story of a woman who claims that the narrator is the father of her son, which he denies. The song has a simple structure of verse-chorus-bridge, and uses a bass-driven arrangement that creates a groove and a catchy hook. The song also introduced a more paranoid lyrical style for Jackson, a trademark of his later music.
Therefore, “Billie Jean” is more vernacular than cultivated, as it uses the popular musical styles and language of its time and appeals to a mass audience. It does not follow the rules or conventions of classical or art music. I hope this helps you understand the difference between cultivated and vernacular music in this song.