If there is one thing that the multiple differences between cultures proves, it is that people have very little in common. The differences, however, also makes it easier to see what every person in the world has in common, music. Music is something that everyone can relate to no matter who they are or how they are feeling. It can rejuvenate, express, excite, and take the place of love if need be. Music is the unsung hero of the emotional world.
Lately music has gotten nothing but a bad reputation, and has been blamed for the faults of people. New music is all about who can spit out the most words in two minutes and thirty seconds, or who can make themselves sound the coolest. Close your eyes and pick a song that was released in the last year out of a hat. Chances are that song is about one of three things: Drugs, sex, or how much money they have. People these days, especially the newer generation, listen to these songs and wish they could be the person singing. And that’s all they do, wish. On the other hand you have the music that inspires. Music that makes people want to go out and be a better person, and to be the person that everyone said you can be when you were a kid.
I wanted to try and keep this blog proper and in third person, but the best way to show the power of music is to share my own personal experience. Last year as I was watching play-off hockey with my Dad a commercial came on. The commercial showed the greatest moments in the play offs with a song. The song was, “Meant to Live,” by Switchfoot. Hearing the lyrics to that song combined with the greatest hockey moments clarified my life. I knew as the thirty second commercial ended, that if I did not put one hundred percent into baseball, I would regret not knowing what could have been. Since then I have worked to create a playlist of more inspiring songs. Now I am waking up at four-forty-five nearly every morning to get my run in. I do something every day after school to improve my baseball skills, and if it hadn’t been for that song I would still be sitting on my couch watching cartoons.
Music is a powerful tool, and one that is underused. It has the power to not only waste time, but to inspire. Everyone has a song that will motivate them to be a better person; they just have to find it. I found mine; maybe you will find yours too.
ya music is awesome. i agree that most songs today, though really good, do not inspire as much anymore. your closing paragraph was great, but i disagree that any music is a waste of time, every time i listen to a song i try to really hear the lyrics, and i feel like every time i hear a song i am learning something new or reviewing it
ReplyDeleteI agree that music is simply awesome. I enjoy almost all types of music with few exceptions. (country being the only type I can't stand)I think that even today's music has a lot to teach and inspire, but sometimes it is more difficult to find under the image that most artists hide behind. Being a musician, I really enjoy hearing that people appreciate the art and can relate to music. I also liked that one song was able to change your entire life. That is the kind of effect that I love seeing come out of music.
ReplyDeleteCody, great post as usual. I agree music today is very good. However, it does not contain the same inspiration that songs once had. Some of it still exists, but mainly it is about who can produce the music that people want to hear and this generation only cares about those three things. Give J. Cole a listen. He's pretty deep and insanely good
ReplyDeleteCody i really liked how you started this post by saying how music is something everyone can relate to because its true, music affects everyone in the world no matter what type or genre it is. Music affects everyone differently no matter what kind of music it is based on how the person listening to it, interprets it. I liked how you showed how it affected you.
ReplyDeleteFirst off, you're right; "Meant to Live" is definitely an inspiring song. You're also right to say that most music of today is meaningless, but there is also a lot of it that is not. It's what is popular that is meaningless (sadly). What sells is meaningless lyrics to a catchy jingle written by someone (most likely) other than the performer. This way, the probably prepubescent girls who buy into this crap don't have to actually use their brains to interpret lyrics or musical value.
ReplyDeleteBut I won't lie, I love 94.5 and I'll always find myself singing a Katy Perry song or two. The stuff is appealing to the ear and that is really what music comes down to most of the time.
Anyway, music definitely ties the world together. It shows that different people do think alike. It smashes down any racial prejudice of one thing being specific to one group. I'm studying music a lot lately and there are infinite things to learn about it. One of the greatest wonders, however, is its effect on people.