Earlier today at my school we had renowned trombonist Rob McConnell come and do a workshop. He's a very interesting guy, and raised a lot of good points, but one of them was especially poignant. What has happened to beautiful music? The things I hear on the radio and TV these days are definitely not beautiful to me. People today, especially youth, seem to be so much more concerned with image (or rebelling against that image) that artistry and the depth of the music takes a back seat to the image of the performer. Are the days of the tuneful ballad and the memorable up-tempo melody gone for good? Jazz and classical music are two of the least-popular forms of music out there, and they continue to decline in popularity as time wears on. Why is it that beauty is no longer important? Or am I just outdated, and people find power chords, angry lyrics, and popular commercial appeal to be beautiful these days?
Whats the phrase, beauty is in the eye of the beholder? Ah yes.... Every generation has that problem. Parents of the 50's thought Elvis was the devil, "wheres the big band music?". The 40's wanted the swing of the 30's, etc etc etc...every generation thinks their music was the best, don't gag but I love folk music of the 60's and pop from the 80's. Just because someone loves currently written music, doesn't mean you can't appreciate older music though. Classical will always be around, hasn't it survived for hundreds of years already? My kids think that music from 1995 is ANCIENT! What worries me though, is that a lot of current music is so, hate filled, so violent. Cop killing, wife beating, people thinking society owes them something. Society owes us nothing, we owe society everything. So if current music bores you or gets you tensed, listen to whatever era of music that makes you happy. I'd bet if someone created a poll (hint hint) you'd find with the huge numbers of people here, that a hundred different kinds of music would be represented as beautiful. Heck I live most of the time in Wisconsin, some people here LOVE the accordion and polka. I'm sure a lot of our readers listen to some pretty offbeat stuff. Bye the way, I love your question, we've had too much hate on here lately, and music is beautiful.
I think it's gone to the same place as beautiful art and beautiful fashion (go ahead, KT, open up a few more cans of worms. ) I, too, have a hard time finding any beauty in most modern music (certain show tunes and movie themes excepted), but I generally avoid the problem by listening to classical music, of which there is an amazing quantity.
Yeah, you're outdated. Things change, deal with it. As was said before, beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. I find heavy drums, loud horns and extremely heavy bass beautiful, if you don't then listen to something else. I also find lots of creativity in the lyrics. For example "I'm the fella with the perpetual arms, mother of pearl delivery, voice of God ... Don't make me put your heart in your lap, forget riding the beat, I'll parrallel park on the track". Ah, the beauty of wordplay. As far as that goes, I'm tired of people telling me that the music I listen to sucks. I think the some people listen to is wack as hell, but I don't say anything.
Actualy I think that most of today's music is just generally bad. I'm a teenager and can't say I like well... much if any of it. I like my oldies. Or maybe I'm just a daddy's boy who ended up liking just what his dad did. I'd like to think otherwise though bye liek
If u look hard enough you can still find the beauty in music, bands like nightwish, within temptation and flowing tears all produce amazing music. Also more mainstream bands like muse produce some quite beutiful pieces of music. just what i think is beautiful music anyway peter
Interesting replies, everyone. While I agree that beauty lies in the eye of the beholder, I still can't help but think that there must be some objective and universal qualities that can define it. Dictionary.com defines beauty as "The quality that gives pleasure to the mind or senses and is associated with such properties as harmony of form or color, excellence of artistry, truthfulness, and originality." I suppose what we're seeing today is a rejection and rebellion against that traditional definition. I realize that this is a natural thing, and that experimenting with the norm has been the driving factor behind art since pretty much the beginning of time, but I still can't help but feel like we're losing something in the process. I'm sure there are many out there who agree with you, Scarlet. I'm all for people listening to the type of music they like, and that's the great thing about music: there's some for everybody. Personally though, I feel like something very essential to music is being forgotten. Kwaj's point is quite true; there have always been people who dislike "modern" music because it goes against the type of music that they grew up with. Still, things have changed so much lately, and I think it's difficult to disagree that the music of today is definitely less...I dunno. Less something. Even though people like Scarlet find it beautiful, is it the same kind of beauty, or does art these days give a different type of "pleasure to the mind and senses" than it used to?
I have listened to several types of music as my aged matured. For the last 4-6 years though im stuck on the heavy beat, rap, and "heavy stuff" as some have called it. Remebering back though, hate (hating old wifes, murder, etc.) is found in almost any type of music. Direct interpetation of the lyrics would yield this perspective on many songs in a defined type. Saying the music of today is less is a statement purely of perspective to me anyway. Looking at rap from an outside view you would probably directly interpet the lyrics, hear the beat and automatically assume something negative gang related and bad. Hear the type and place a negative no no. You would probably listen for the lyrics which sound bad and stick out. You would probably also assume negative views because it is simply rap, and "everyone" knows rap is made by gangs who beat up old ladies... Many of the lyrics are negative and many artists fall into this flow, but much of it has a deep and very STRONG meaning. This is what i like about it. The underlying meaning is portrayed so well and strongly. First time listers tend to get caught up in the direct interpetations of a lyric here and there. Same can be applied to any style. I see Jazz as depressing because all ive seen of it and its stereo type is people talking about sadness and depression (blues jazz), classical as something not to get me moving and in the mind set (I do use it for meditation and relaxation.), and then there are hybrid forms like Enya which i listen to anywhere any time. Saying it is less is something ive heard my great grandpa say about my grandpa; my parents to me, and me to them. In the music i listen to theirs so much new information learned from the song everytime you listen, because sometimes theirs three or four lines almost going at once, and it sounds good and you pick up on it. Hope ive shed some more light and not just babbled on. Can see this as getting into a huge debate. Nice post. More than anything todays music just seems to have more power and force, which helps to really add the extra morale and confidence in everything you do, like a adreniline attack.
Th3 GOD, I'm not debating whether music is losing its meaning or not. I'm quite certain that the popular music of today carries a lot of meaning for its listeners, otherwise it wouldn't be so popular. It just seems like there has been a shift in the way that meaning is interpreted. Whereas before meaning was conveyed through artistry and compositional talent (i.e. beauty), it's now more focused on image and force, like you said.
It's true that most of the music aimed at teenagers is not "beautiful". But then again there are many popular artists doing beautiful songs. Some examples I think of: Lou Reed, Suzanne Vega, Alicia Keys, Neil Young, Dr John, Nick Cave... And just listen to the last albums of Johnny Cash. We are not talking about the same thing if you don't find some of those songs very beautiful. And even Snoop Dogg has some beautiful songs. What about the Usher/Alicia Keys duetto...
