(cue Star Wars music)
Lately I felt kind of troubled when I listened to Spotify for a while. I tried to listen to some new people, some old ones and also tried to find gems among those artists I really don't like.
To get to the point quickly, I wondered about how music is valued and could be valued and what I think are some complicated matters to consider.
Lately I felt kind of troubled when I listened to Spotify for a while. I tried to listen to some new people, some old ones and also tried to find gems among those artists I really don't like.
To get to the point quickly, I wondered about how music is valued and could be valued and what I think are some complicated matters to consider.
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| Considering today's music? What do you expect me to do?!?! |
What Is Music All About?
A very simple question which actually determines a lot of what you think. Why?
Merriam-Webster says the following about music:
It's “the science or art of ordering tones or sounds in succession, in combination, and in temporal relationships to produce a composition having unity and continuity; vocal, instrumental, or mechanical sounds having rhythm, melody, or harmony; an agreeable sound“
Merriam-Webster says the following about music:
It's “the science or art of ordering tones or sounds in succession, in combination, and in temporal relationships to produce a composition having unity and continuity; vocal, instrumental, or mechanical sounds having rhythm, melody, or harmony; an agreeable sound“
That is the definition we'll stick with for a while. (As I write right now) I find it very interesting that it requires unity and continuity. So three parts of good songs slapped together isn't by definition music. It makes sense, because who would say chart shows are music?
On the other hand, it shows the big skill of opera and classic tunes. There are so many different emotions processed through music, and it sounds like it, BUT it still feels united and not discontinued. That's what makes this era so brilliant to most admirers of this era.
On the other hand, it shows the big skill of opera and classic tunes. There are so many different emotions processed through music, and it sounds like it, BUT it still feels united and not discontinued. That's what makes this era so brilliant to most admirers of this era.
On the other hand, there are people who like “simpler“ music styles (most would think techno is pretty simple...if you wanna do it right, it's definitely not!).
Let's take what people like to hate on: dubstep.
Can dubstep stuff be called music? Definitely. Is it good? When it's done right, surely. My biggest complaint towards “simpler“ music styles is that so many people use them but just can't do it right. Heck, even some pop songs slap dubstep or techno passages onto their songs to look cool and pander to more people. And as half-assed as the reason to use it sounds, as half-assed is the song.
Let's take what people like to hate on: dubstep.
Can dubstep stuff be called music? Definitely. Is it good? When it's done right, surely. My biggest complaint towards “simpler“ music styles is that so many people use them but just can't do it right. Heck, even some pop songs slap dubstep or techno passages onto their songs to look cool and pander to more people. And as half-assed as the reason to use it sounds, as half-assed is the song.
Most fans of certain genres complain about “fake“ artists of their favorite genre because they aren't “true“ - translated it means that it was made without soul or without trying to use the whole complexity the genre gives others.
That brings me to the next part of music.
Where Is The Love?
That's one very big part because it makes or breaks our taste in which artists we like. How come?
For that, let's look at certain artists which have different backgrounds and different experiences: Olly Murs, Eminem, Britney Spears, and Kesha.
These four belong into two groups - casting show/kid show participants and those who haven't participated in one to get discovered.
Now, the problem is definitiely that the participants will inevitably encounter some bias as in "commercial product" instead of "singer". That complaint is often heard. And let's see how it is.
Olly Murs - second place in The X Factor but he becomes very famous. I only knew him from the song Troublemaker and Dear Darlin'. I tried to look his albums up in Spotify and I must say...I'm actually very impressed. I pretty much like him and his music (but quite some discounts for his most recent album) and I was more than surprised and especially pleased. So would I say that this casting destiny was something bad? No. I think he does his songs with very much passion despite whether it would sell or not.
Eminem - not a casting kid, he got himself pretty much up and I think it's as clear as clean white bathroom tiles that he's got his passion
Britney Spears - she got some fame earlier back then in her Disney Club days and participated with 11 in Star Search so she qualifies for the participant group. There are not too few voices who'd say that she doesn't do too well with music (or at least that she isn't that good compared to others yet she got damn famous). Worse, one could accuse her of not being able to create a song all by herself without the help of producers (and I'll cover that in the next music-related post).
Kesha - welp, you may get where the hate for her is coming from I think, so case closed.
So, we covered these four and it should be pretty clear what it says: even when you participated in casting shows, it doesn't mean that you'll make soulless, unremarkable and crappy music without any love put into it because casting shows (I may also cover that in another post). But not participating in one doesn't mean that you make better music. It all depends on...on what exactly if it's not music?
Who Are You? An Image Or A Person?
I covered it briefly in another post earlier on - just because you dislike or even hate somebody doesn't mean that you should hate every creation or action of said person or group. I took 1D and JB as contrasts to each other and said that I don't like both's music they spew out but that I still can like 1D as a group or the people behind it but on the other hand dislike JB as a person.
I also scratched the thought that most of the hate (applies less to it but it also works for love) from who you are. You will look at music differently depending on the person behind it. I'm sure most people wouldn't like "I See Fire" that much if it wasn't Ed Sheeran but an 'ugly' person with Ed Sheeran's performance. Justin Bieber, One Direction, Jennifer Lopez, Taylor Swift - they all wouldn't be there if it wasn't for their image or for what they are known for. I'm totally sure if Pink made love ballads à la Leona Lewis from now on, she would be kinda done with the fans (or if Avril Lavigne did- oh wait...).
Image is an important part - sometimes so much, that you as a person begin to disappear. Miley Cyrus hasn't been running wild until Disney said she could because her radical image change could hurt the Hannah Montana movie (or the rest of the series...or whatever else it was). Kesha's "Tik Tok" was originally a parody as was how she was portrayed; but due to money and other things, she stuck with her image as wild party vixen. If she did a country or average happy-go-lucky song, her newly won fans would be confused and turn away...that's how important image and sticking to music is.
And concerning that issue, I am sometimes baffled at how fans fade because their idol's music isn't pop, real rock or another genre you personally like anymore (I look at you, groupies and holier-than-thou fanatics). Simple saying I go by: "If it sounds good, why not?"
A change of pace isn't occasionally bad and it prevents from getting stale. And it isn't bad as long as the music doesn't get dull or bad per se.
And next time, there will be more areas I will delve into while the image topic isn't even done yet. This also means that I will have LOTS to muse about and also discover where my opinion lies. It will be interesting, so see you next time, folks!
Topic list:
First musings:
Technical definition of music
Music and feelings
Image
What one can influence:
The artist
Song writing/message
Morals
What one cannot influence:
Producers
Song Aids
Music as product
What we can influence:
What is music to us?
What do we convey?
Should there be a consensus of how music should be?
P.S.: It may happen that I don't cover the topics in the blocks I have defined for now - they are just here so that I have a certain structure of ideas on what to write about.
Now, the problem is definitiely that the participants will inevitably encounter some bias as in "commercial product" instead of "singer". That complaint is often heard. And let's see how it is.
Olly Murs - second place in The X Factor but he becomes very famous. I only knew him from the song Troublemaker and Dear Darlin'. I tried to look his albums up in Spotify and I must say...I'm actually very impressed. I pretty much like him and his music (but quite some discounts for his most recent album) and I was more than surprised and especially pleased. So would I say that this casting destiny was something bad? No. I think he does his songs with very much passion despite whether it would sell or not.
Eminem - not a casting kid, he got himself pretty much up and I think it's as clear as clean white bathroom tiles that he's got his passion
Britney Spears - she got some fame earlier back then in her Disney Club days and participated with 11 in Star Search so she qualifies for the participant group. There are not too few voices who'd say that she doesn't do too well with music (or at least that she isn't that good compared to others yet she got damn famous). Worse, one could accuse her of not being able to create a song all by herself without the help of producers (and I'll cover that in the next music-related post).
Kesha - welp, you may get where the hate for her is coming from I think, so case closed.
So, we covered these four and it should be pretty clear what it says: even when you participated in casting shows, it doesn't mean that you'll make soulless, unremarkable and crappy music without any love put into it because casting shows (I may also cover that in another post). But not participating in one doesn't mean that you make better music. It all depends on...on what exactly if it's not music?
Who Are You? An Image Or A Person?
I covered it briefly in another post earlier on - just because you dislike or even hate somebody doesn't mean that you should hate every creation or action of said person or group. I took 1D and JB as contrasts to each other and said that I don't like both's music they spew out but that I still can like 1D as a group or the people behind it but on the other hand dislike JB as a person.
I also scratched the thought that most of the hate (applies less to it but it also works for love) from who you are. You will look at music differently depending on the person behind it. I'm sure most people wouldn't like "I See Fire" that much if it wasn't Ed Sheeran but an 'ugly' person with Ed Sheeran's performance. Justin Bieber, One Direction, Jennifer Lopez, Taylor Swift - they all wouldn't be there if it wasn't for their image or for what they are known for. I'm totally sure if Pink made love ballads à la Leona Lewis from now on, she would be kinda done with the fans (or if Avril Lavigne did- oh wait...).
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| I'm sure most former fans wanted to forget that THAT indeed happened... |
And concerning that issue, I am sometimes baffled at how fans fade because their idol's music isn't pop, real rock or another genre you personally like anymore (I look at you, groupies and holier-than-thou fanatics). Simple saying I go by: "If it sounds good, why not?"
A change of pace isn't occasionally bad and it prevents from getting stale. And it isn't bad as long as the music doesn't get dull or bad per se.
And next time, there will be more areas I will delve into while the image topic isn't even done yet. This also means that I will have LOTS to muse about and also discover where my opinion lies. It will be interesting, so see you next time, folks!
Topic list:
First musings:
What one can influence:
The artist
Song writing/message
Morals
What one cannot influence:
Producers
Song Aids
Music as product
What we can influence:
What is music to us?
What do we convey?
Should there be a consensus of how music should be?
P.S.: It may happen that I don't cover the topics in the blocks I have defined for now - they are just here so that I have a certain structure of ideas on what to write about.
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