music inspiration
Entertainment can take many forms, but its purpose has always been the same: to provide merriment and a break from reality. Music is by far the most popular form of entertainment these days. The main reason for its popularity might be that there are different genres and types from which people can choose their music. However, for quite a number of other reasons, music just resonates with people better than any other form of entertainment.
Music has been practiced from as early as 500 AD. From then on music has progressed exponentially. May it be the way in which it is produced or in which it tends to be heard. Thus, music is mercurial. This is one of the distinctive extremities of music. It is key to note that music plays varied roles and not just as a form of entertainment but also in other spheres of life such as the individual’s conscience, society, our beliefs as well as the culture. In that key phase, we can say that music is interactive.
Wherein it has the ability to both influence and in return be influenced by those who project it. We need to understand that, this is the main propensity that has helped music evolve and inspire. While it may be argued that music has been progressing according to the origin and stem of the social influences surrounding it, there are certain evidences that show that while there may not be a common pattern in the way musical genres have begun to rise, there are evidences that suggest music undergoes continuous advancements in a similar trend. It is important to note that while a pattern denotes recurring traits a trend represents a general overview in this context.
Instruments were the primary source of music in the ancient times. All of music was purely for the purpose of spiritual and cultural practices that existed then. Slowly music earned voice. Sacred musical chants and classical music came into play. At this point in time, music was being produced within the limits and abilities of a human being rather than an instrument. However, that does not exclude the usage of instruments in the background. During the medieval period between the timeline of 12th and 13th centuries, polyphonic music was widely preferred and this continued way up until the 20th century.
Polyphonic music is a form of complex harmony that includes two or more harmonical notes hitting together at the same time. Beyond this timeline exists the widely known musical period. The classical era. The era which brought forward artists such as Beethoven, Mozart, and Tchaikovsky who weaved beautiful symphonies and sonatas into this plane.
The period which has contained the most significant changes in this domain would be the 20th and 21st centuries. This era encompassed the revolution of music dividing into jazz, blues, pop, and more importantly, digitalized music. The common trend that was earlier mentioned meant the evolution of music in each geographical region. The setting of a place influences the music, but despite this obligatory trait, we can however find a drift that first starts with instrumental music and descends into the current digitalized music.
Any subject that looks appealing tends to have a lot of studies based on it. Likewise, music connects to a lot of studies that delve into how they affect mental health, cognitive brain functions, and societal faith. One such interesting study about music would be the impact of music on the expression of ideas. Music helps convey new ideas, and how we feel, and most importantly it helps connect our emotions. Hence music would be the most direct form of expression. Certain controversies ride around this very effect of music.
Popular songs sometimes contained words that seemed to shake off the traditional outlook that we were taught to follow. This was considered as “deviant”. When asked about the lyrics the artists cited it as their means of communication. Their expression of ideas. It is however debatable as to whether the mindset of the youth can change due to the structure of lyrics. This study mainly focused on the youth because they are the main consumers of this market. And this study is undetermined because to classify the effect we would have to differentiate people by age and gender and subject them to listen to a particular set of atypical music.
The gray factor that we need to look at would be that the respondents would also be thrust to external influence beyond the research conditions. Like the influence of social media, friends, and their milieu could unprecedently affect the conditions for the survey. This leads us to the question ‘Do people listen to a song because of the lyrics or the beat of the song?’. This topic can go forth and back and still remain hazy.
Back in the 20th century, it is critical to understand that music was published differently. The only ways to listen to music would be through records, radios, cassettes, or CDs. Though certain means did not seem available to all the people. It seems that this industry did undergo a lot of notations that have evolved as time goes by. For instance, record companies had a preselection system that concluded if the music would be a hit or a flop even before it aired. The main downside of this system would be that it was hard to determine exactly what the crowd wanted.
So, if the managing authority decides that a particular music material might be a hit single and somehow manages to publish it, there are tons of chances that it just might not be received the way it was anticipated. But if the song is a hit then the artist will be enlisted to create new songs that will be promoted. Music styles and trends kept changing from one place to another. It never stayed constant. Thus, it made the task of publishing music even more hard. The release of a song felt more of a luck factor. This considering how potential music singles could have been rejected because the managing director didn’t like the music.
So, if the managing director feels that the music is not what the people want, the music will be cast off and never played again. Thus, it was music for the masses. It destroyed the whole idea of people having their own interests and being unique. Many could argue that people don’t really know what they want or what they like, instead, they are forced to choose from what they have been offered. They have been made to choose from the available alternatives. The cast-off songs could also have been popular or it could have helped people find a new groove but now they are forced to choose a music style that just might be better than the other options. Thus, luck ruled the game then.
This luck or loss situation forced people to use illegal ways to promote their music. Back in those days, music that aired on famous networks became popular. This ultimately became the way songs were popularised among people. However, to get them to air on such networks the record producers bribed the record sellers to convey to those networks that this music was a sure hit among people even though it was not. This indirectly helped create the publicity of the song. Breakout of a song in one area generally influences other places. Often this meant cross countries.
Promotion is the key to the outcome of the material. Hence record companies often use it to ‘hype’. Hype in this context refers to the illegitimate means that were used to procure an airplay. Later on, laws were brought forward to ensure such means weren’t employed anymore. These points highlight that previously promotion of some artists came at the cost of others. The interests of a few were suppressed to support conformity. Music for fame was more evident than music for passion. It was clearly very hard for an artist to publish or promote their music on their own considering how much the choice of music was being influenced by record labels.
But that has changed these days. Technology has paved the way for artists to release their music material in various platforms that reach out to people. In this way artists can follow their passion. Transparency in the music field is slowly reaching the crowds. It now allows us to listen to music of our choice. Digitalization has changed music in different ways. It has brought in new tunes, blends and styles. Creative artists can come up on their own.
To summarize music is dynamic. It has the unique effect of connecting people by bringing together people who listen to the same music as well as dividing those who listen to different music. It is certain that music will undergo more changes in the future. No matter music will always have a special bond to people. It helps us to spread new messages. And each new setting gives in new inputs and affects how we perceive and feel about them. It rejuvenates us beyond comprehension. And on a brighter note, it helps us to embrace our inner selves. No wonder music remains popular in the hearts of many.
By: Sreenika.R
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