We the hipster trend setters

Skinny jeans, glasses, pumpkin spice latte, and a Macbook Pro, sitting in a Starbucks acting like your normal hip self. That would be America if all countries had personalities. There is no denying it, America starts the trends.

Pop culture flourishes in America. Other countries use our music, our movies, and much more. Hollywood dwarves any other industry like it on the planet. It is something Americans take great interest in and other countries follow. This article nicely explains how we run the movie system.
http://www.businessweek.com/1998/49/b3607069.htm

It's not only movies either, America is constantly pushing the tech industry forward, and while it is not the only contributor, it strongly influences what technology looks like today.