Random Rambles: Music
There seems to be a huge debate concerning modern music. On the one hand, people love modern music with its genres like electronic and dubstep. Music today is more about the vocals for some reason and most of the songs today that are popular feature vocals. There is less focus on the traditional instruments in lieu of synthesizers and digitalized songs that feature discordant song. There is also is a huge focus on the beat with a lot of the music meant to be played in the club. The bass in the background pumps out the beat and the idea of deviating from the 4-4 meter is almost heretical. Music today is simplistic since it always features the bass, the snare, synthesized instruments, and vocals that can be easily auto-tuned.
Many people, including me, believe modern music is mostly garbage. They believe that old bands and artists were better. Something about traditional instruments seem better to them. Personally, I like to dig further past the contemporary music since orchestral suites and music without vocals seems more interesting to me. I still like genres like country, electronic, rock and roll, but music without a cohesive narrative or vocals that tell me what to think of seems more interpretive. Songs that just talk about their ex-boyfriends (*cough* Taylor Swift *cough*) don't appeal to me since love is already a trite subject. Many songs also talk about the club, having a ton of money, drugs, or sex which also doesn't appeal to me since I can't relate to the rich life these celebrities have. The reason why I like electronic or traditional music more is that it doesn't require vocals to tell a story and seems more artistic. When I hear Nicki Minaj, who I still think is an alien, I just think about how watered-down this music is.
Of course, that doesn't mean all modern music is bad. I like Owl City and Of Monsters and Men because of how different their music is. I kinda like Skrillex for having a distinctive style though most of his songs sound the same. I just get sick when I hear the same rap about the same subjects though some raps are good. Music doesn't get the same attention today since each piece of music used to be an art form. The Baroque period had a discordant feel to it that seemed bizarre though it had a great complexity that required complete attention to pay attention to one's mood when listening. The Classical period felt familiar as it had its own form while the Romantic period had emotional exuberance oozing out each music piece. The Contemporary period is the most bizarre with different meters which is evident in composers like Aaron Copland but now these composers are only used in movies while artists get an absurd amount of attention. There's a reason why these artists are popular and it's mostly because of vocals and the simple beat that anyone can follow. But this simplicity sheds the complexity that ruled the traditional era. Sure you get complex songs but the complexity requires multiple composers and the artist gets all the credit for just having the vocals. "Starships" is one such example but it still doesn't mean it's good, rather it's just a dizzying mixture of electronic and synethized crap.
The music today is obnoxious and in your face to capture the attention of its listeners. I prefer quiet music that allows me to identify what the composer does with the instruments that had been used so many times before. In that way, I like abstract ideas that traditional music captures with its various melodies that allowed me to interpret how I feel. I like all types of music the same but the modern genres seem to be getting stale as each song sounds just like the other. I also like country so much because of how soothing it is with many bands and artists being great hits. To me, music is an art form. It has to be abstract to be an art form and modern music that talks about drugs, sex, the club, or something just as nonsensical doesn't speak to me as something that means something. While it may be catchy, the music may not have a great idea about it like "Call Me Maybe" has proven.
But to each their own, I guess. Music is up to the viewer to decide what they like. It's hard to define what you'll like for the rest of your life since tastes change quickly. It doesn't matter too much what music is better since everyone has their own opinion. Overall, just enjoy your music.
Many people, including me, believe modern music is mostly garbage. They believe that old bands and artists were better. Something about traditional instruments seem better to them. Personally, I like to dig further past the contemporary music since orchestral suites and music without vocals seems more interesting to me. I still like genres like country, electronic, rock and roll, but music without a cohesive narrative or vocals that tell me what to think of seems more interpretive. Songs that just talk about their ex-boyfriends (*cough* Taylor Swift *cough*) don't appeal to me since love is already a trite subject. Many songs also talk about the club, having a ton of money, drugs, or sex which also doesn't appeal to me since I can't relate to the rich life these celebrities have. The reason why I like electronic or traditional music more is that it doesn't require vocals to tell a story and seems more artistic. When I hear Nicki Minaj, who I still think is an alien, I just think about how watered-down this music is.
Of course, that doesn't mean all modern music is bad. I like Owl City and Of Monsters and Men because of how different their music is. I kinda like Skrillex for having a distinctive style though most of his songs sound the same. I just get sick when I hear the same rap about the same subjects though some raps are good. Music doesn't get the same attention today since each piece of music used to be an art form. The Baroque period had a discordant feel to it that seemed bizarre though it had a great complexity that required complete attention to pay attention to one's mood when listening. The Classical period felt familiar as it had its own form while the Romantic period had emotional exuberance oozing out each music piece. The Contemporary period is the most bizarre with different meters which is evident in composers like Aaron Copland but now these composers are only used in movies while artists get an absurd amount of attention. There's a reason why these artists are popular and it's mostly because of vocals and the simple beat that anyone can follow. But this simplicity sheds the complexity that ruled the traditional era. Sure you get complex songs but the complexity requires multiple composers and the artist gets all the credit for just having the vocals. "Starships" is one such example but it still doesn't mean it's good, rather it's just a dizzying mixture of electronic and synethized crap.
The music today is obnoxious and in your face to capture the attention of its listeners. I prefer quiet music that allows me to identify what the composer does with the instruments that had been used so many times before. In that way, I like abstract ideas that traditional music captures with its various melodies that allowed me to interpret how I feel. I like all types of music the same but the modern genres seem to be getting stale as each song sounds just like the other. I also like country so much because of how soothing it is with many bands and artists being great hits. To me, music is an art form. It has to be abstract to be an art form and modern music that talks about drugs, sex, the club, or something just as nonsensical doesn't speak to me as something that means something. While it may be catchy, the music may not have a great idea about it like "Call Me Maybe" has proven.
But to each their own, I guess. Music is up to the viewer to decide what they like. It's hard to define what you'll like for the rest of your life since tastes change quickly. It doesn't matter too much what music is better since everyone has their own opinion. Overall, just enjoy your music.
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