Audio equipment briefly catching American songs etc (5)
I believe the answer is:
music
'songs etc' is the definition.
(songs are a type of music)
'audio equipment briefly catching american' is the wordplay.
'audio equipment briefly' becomes 'mic' (short for microphone; 'briefly' indicates a short form).
'catching' indicates putting letters inside.
'american' becomes 'US' (United States).
'mic' going around 'us' is 'MUSIC'.
(Other definitions for music that I've seen before include "'If ... be the food of love, play on'(Twelfth Night)" , "Shakespeare: 'If . . . . . be the food of love, play on'" , "Audible art form ..." , "Composed sound" , "Organised sound" .)