Is Pop Music losing its fun?

I found this article in BBC by Fraser McAlpine, discussion over the question “Has pop music lost its fun?”. The article gives some studies that show a suggestion that our parents or older people might have been having more fun or enjoying more popular music than our generation. It starts with the claim that popular music nowadays is sadder and slower, giving an example of James Arthur’s song, Naked. With this song the article expresses that popular music is losing its fun, and it is becoming even more slower. Another claim given is that the popular music nowadays is simpler and louder, comparing to earlier times. Also, popular music today is antisocial and angry is another critique given, with an example that according to researchers the top 10 most popular songs in America from 1980 to 2007 can transmit anger, or sometimes contain words that are antisocial, but yet everyone listen to it because is the trend. The last two claims given in this article about popular music are that it is not just as good as it used to be and also it is more repetitive, using the example of Big Shaq’s song, Mans not Hot.

Now my question is, who reached to this claims or conclusions? Because I think it all depends and by that, I mean not everyone could share the same opinion about the popular music nowadays, especially not everyone can participate in those conclusions. There are a lot of elements that have a totally different point of view or definition of fun, a definition of an amazing popular music, of taste, of style, and of enjoyment. Everyone has different experiences, different feelings and music is something that is related to the emotions, feelings, experiences, moods and so on. I could say that someone finds fun on a slow music because that is what they are feeling. Music is listened not because you have to, but because you need to. I am not going to deny that nowadays people tend to be on trend, tend to be out there with the new not with the old, but that is not something to be considered obligation. People find fun in different kinds of music, experiencing different situations in life. Music has meanings for each and every one out there, maybe it is related to their culture or else. What I am trying to say is that the past has a great influence on the present, and the popular music that once was could return again nowadays as a lot of examples that I have seen. Old song’s rhythms, melodies, words and more have been returning nowadays in another style but the same idea. Therefore, we can’t say that pop music it is losing its fun, on the contrary people create the fun with the popular music.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/articles/fb84bf19-29c9-4ed3-b6b6-953e8a083334

Pop Music / Pop Culture

For my post, I decided to use an article I found based on current day music, coming from Dave Grohl in the Foo Fighters. In this article, Grohl talks about how he can’t stand when he asks his kids what they are listening to in today’s day in age, and hears that it has to do with songs coming from singers such as Katy Perry. Grohl goes on about how he thinks that the music that people are creating, as well as listening to in modern day society, is basically trash in comparison to what used to be considered “Chart Toppers”. I found this article to be extremely one sided, although I may not necessarily agree or disagree with what Grohl was arguing. He uses the line “It’s fun to listen to, to turn up in your car when you’re in traffic, but there’s no substance at all. It’s devoid of any meaning.” While Grohl may not see the meaning behind certain songs and genres played on the radio today, such as Katy Perry for instance, that does not necessarily mean that they lack meaning, but perhaps just the meaning he is looking for. For Grohl to argue that there is no meaning behind these songs and lyrics, it is just as easy for someone to say that there is no meaning behind songs that Grohl was a part of, as well as listened to in prior years if it lacks the meaning they are looking for. 

www.nme.com/news/music/foo-fighters-140-1219744

Green Day's "Holiday" as an Anti-War Protest Song

For the topic of Protest Music, I thought about a lot of the rock bands who have commented on politics and the world around us in their music. From Muse's Uprising, to the multitude of songs by bands like Rise Against, there was a lot to choose from when looking for a song to share.

The song Holiday by Australian band Green Day illustrates some very clear anti-war ideas as the lyrics twist from the viewpoints of the people, to soldiers, to religious leaders, and to politicians. It speaks to the general outrage towards global conflicts decided upon by leaders who send out soldiers to die for seemingly no cause. It speaks to the unrest felt by citizens who are also fighting amongst themselves about these issues and inevitably making the situation worse while their elected leaders continue making all the decisions while they are distracted with each other.

"Hear the sound of the falling rain,
Coming down like an Armageddon flame, (hey!)
A shame,
The ones who died without a name."

This first verse illustrates the general distaste for warmongering, and alludes that most people won't even know the names of those who died (on either side) fighting for a cause - most likely this song was a commentary on the American war on Terrorism in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"Hear the drum pounding out of time,
Another protester has crossed the line, (hey!)
To find, the money's on the other side."

This verse speaks more about the citizens fighting with each other about the issues that face their society, it could mean between political parties, between social and economic classes, and different protest groups against the establishment. In the end they find that the money being funneled into the war effort has more effect on the situation than their voices - even if every voice combined and spoke out against it.

Green Day themselves have been outspokenly anti-war, and have been interviewed several times about the song and the album it's on. In fact, the album in its entirety can be a sequential story about their stance. Holiday  is on the album "American Idiot" and the album begins with that song. It quite literally speaks about those who wish to be informed or rebel from the establishment, or about those who think they are well-informed who are not. Jesus of Suburbia is the second song and talks about a young person who is in a terrible place in life, drugs and alcohol, poverty, and thinking that it's all normal. He eventually figures out for himself that this is not the way life should be, and that there are better things, so he leaves that area. Then, Holiday, would be the continuation of his story, where he is now out in the world and finding that it isn't just his home town that is messed up, it's the whole country, the whole world even. What a shame it all is.

Holiday segues directly into the song Boulevard of Broken Dreams, which is entirely melancholy and dark, the supposed protagonist feeling absolutely alone and hopeless. The album wraps-up with the songs Wake Me Up When September Ends and Homecoming, which also mention the characters of the Jesus of Suburbia and St. Jimmy who was the titular character of another of the album's songs.

Overall the song and the album paint a picture of frustration, but it must at least hope to be a reflection of how the majority of society feels. They can take solace in knowing that they are not the only souls to feel such things.

Module 4 Example: Bennett on Today's Music

Prompt 

Find an article, podcast, or video on the web that critiques some element of popular culture through a mass culture theory approach (Note: The piece does not have to directly say "mass culture theory" but should clearly invoke the ideas of mass culture theory). It should have been published within the last 5-10 years.

1. Provide a brief synopsis of the piece and the link  (1 paragraph)
2. Identify how the article is making a mass-culture theory argument  (1 paragraph)
3. Then provide a counter-argument that identifies some of its flaws--especially those that are relevant with the Problems of Mass Culture Theory video  (1 paragraph).

Relevant Tags:  mass culture theory, [name of popular culture being explored]

Example:  Bennett on Today's Music

This article is a partial interview with the famous singer, Tony Bennett.  In it, Bennett says that modern music has gone down the drain in that they don't produce "quality" music.  He believes that the music industry is just pumping out music geared towards youth and is solely focused on making money.  He also believes that the general audience is largely "ignorant."  

All of these comments represent the mass-culture theory approach in that somehow the capital focused companies are producing lots of irrelevant music.  They are not investing time and money to produce real music (supposedly like what Bennett himself produces).  Ultimately, Bennett is arguing that the public has simple and unsophisticated tastes that the companies are capitalizing on.  

Of course, this line of thought doesn't really consider how people who listen to modern music appreciate or make sense of it nor does it consider what is authentic about Bennett's music that is somehow inauthentic about modern music.  How does he know what "quality" is or means?  After all, he is not the sole musician and there is much variation among musicians in his time and since.  The only difference is that some of his music has withstood the test of time, but he would have been also labeled "popular" in his time and seen the same criticisms that he now places upon today's musicians.  He relies on elite taste rather than fully exploring individual artists and music and exploring how fans actually experience such music.

Music Tells Your Story

Music truly can speak to your soul. It allows you to relax, or gets you in the mood to dance. It can be happy or sad, upbeat or slow. No matter what type of music it is there is something for everyone. As for me, I listen to a wide variety of music to speak to whatever mood I may be in.  The great thing about music is there is always something to be able to listen to fit any need, and my IPod is a random mix of everything to do just that.

When I am "mad" my go to music is super angsty. Think Taking Back Sunday, or Four Year strong. Something about that rock, or post-hardcore music allows me to relieve my stress. I will go on drives and blare it to clear my mind, and it works! Being able to connect with the emotions of the lyrics allow me to realize how miniscule my problems are.

Then there's my sad moods. Enter Adele. Is there anything that girl can't sing? I mean really. She speaks to my soul. I'm happily married, but that girl can make you feel like you just broke up. It doesn't really make sense to be happy and listen to depressing lyrics, but again it's the connection to the lyrics that really seem to brighten my mood.

Ready to turn up? I have everything from JayZ and Rihanna, to NSync and One Direction. Judge me if you may. But honestly, this is my happy music. This is the dance along, sing along music. This is also my workout playlist. Those fast dancing songs that keep you on pace during a miserable run, and it somehow seems to make it go faster.

Lastly, and most importantly to me is country music. As a backstory, I heard country and went straight to Johnny Cash - but country has evolved so much, so PLEASE don't knock it until you try it. Country music (for me) has it all. Happy, sad, angry - and it all is so fitting to me. I never liked it until I moved to Missouri and met my husband. Now it is everything to me. The lyrics tell a story ( and no not the whole "My wife left me so I'm sitting in my truck it my dog...though those still do exist), and are extremely relatable. What I like best is that there are so many "party" anthems in country now. For example, my last year's favorite was Lee Brice's "Drinking Class" which was about the working class getting out on Friday and having a drink. I mean, it's simple music like that that is so incredibly relatable. Take a listen if you're interested - keep an open mind y'all.. you never know you just may like it.

What's so great about music is that it will continue to evolve. There will always be something for everyone. Regardless of status, color, age you will be able to connect with the lyrics in music. Happy listening everyone! :)

Pop Culture - Music, Fashion, and Style

Ever since I was a young child I have loved music. I remember sitting in the back seat of my parents car and listening to whatever they happened to have on the radio. I eventually started to develop my own wide-ranging taste in music, which includes Bob Dylan, U2, Tom Waits, Pavement, Pearl Jam, Florence and the Machine and even old school Bossa Nova. On of my favorites was David Bowie, who died last week, studying his career would give one a good sense of what was happening in popular culture over the last forty years as he was consistently ahead of his time. Here's a great video someone created which embodies many of David Bowies changing styles! It's also a great song.

Music is an important part of my life. It’s something I can take with me wherever I go, whether it’s to the gym, on my way to work or at home. Music can also affect a mood or create a mood. It can motivate me, calm me down after a stressful day or create whatever atmosphere your looking for. I also find it interesting how fashion is closely associated with particular music, 70s rock, 80s pop and early 90s grunge definitely conjure up specific styles. I think this course will allow me to understand how music can affect our society as well as how society can influence musical styles and movements. Today those songs that played in my parent car take me back to my childhood.