meandthestereo

Has Pop music negatively influenced the course of music in general?  I hope not, because I love Pop music.  I think I got my definition of using the term Pop music from a Michael Stipe interview that I have a vague memory of in the back of my mind.  I can’t find the interview (I just searched a bit), but I could’ve sworn that Michael Stipe said something about R.E.M. creating Pop songs, and R.E.M. being my all-time favorite band, it has given me positive connotations with the term.

I think Pop music is able to translate its message, whatever that may be, easily to many, many people.  You’re allowed to interpret.  You’re even allowed to sing the words wrong, guessing at unintelligible syllables and creating your own sentences that go along with the catchy melody, and then interpret this patchwork song with any meaning you really chose.  Maybe you think it’s about the songwriter’s own breakup, or maybe you personally identify with it.  Maybe, as Better Than Ezra lyricizes about in one song, a Pop song identifies with a particular memory or time period of your life.

The whole idea of anything being rigid and untouchable by a typical person is off-putting to me.  I feel like in my own life that is how the classical music world has appeared.  Someone, somehow declared the “right” way to play Bach and Beethoven and the rest, and everyone since has started to break their backs trying to live up to an impossible classical music perfection.  I loved playing cello in youth orchestras throughout my, well, youth, but I was certainly never good enough at it to have the confidence to dedicate my energies to it whole-heartedly as an adult.  It is great that classical musicians are able to perfect Mozart before the tendonitis sets in, but there is something wrong when most people feel left out of the process.  Rigid ideas stifle creativity.

I think my point is that it is okay for something to be understandable and accessible to many.  Pop music is not something for some type of imaginary elite; it’s something that is personal and universal at the same time.  The musician was inspired to jot down lyrics and chords, took the time to take that idea to the studio, and then the listeners eventually get to hear and interpret the song themselves.  Of course, there is still pretty real elitism in music unfortunately, as individuals try to out-do each other by naming obscure bands.  Everyone wants to have a special connection to some band, even if it’s only because they have taken the time to listen to the music and seek out albums by that band.

Pop music brings out creativity in its own creation.  Songwriting opened avenues for me just by allowing my bits and pieces of musical knowledge to be swept up in the ideas and creativity of the present moment.  Sometimes lyrics I string together give me insight into life the next day, when I interpret them again in a different way.  Probably my only listeners will be close friends and my Mom, but I still enjoy that songwriting’s pure creativity is able to bring out something vibrant in life for me.

If I can say anything undermines music, maybe I would have to say that music, even Pop music, is undermined by artists who can’t really claim to be musicians, but are really just performers.  Maybe there are some performers out there who make tons of money in the music world, but who are not at all musicians.  But hey, if music can inspire a performer to dance and put on an entertaining show for fans, that’s okay.  I guess I would just make a distinction between musicians and performers.

Listening to music is a very personal experience, probably even more so now in the era of ipods and ear buds.  The sounds, the melody and instrumentation, feel like they materialize directly in your own brain.  I love any excuse to stay up late at night, sit back, and let a particular album or a set of songs carry away my thoughts and emotions.  Maybe I listen to the lyrics, maybe I think my own thoughts and get carried away by the emotions evoked by the music itself.

I don’t really envy the responsibility that very popular musicians face when they have thousands of fans hanging off their every word.  That has got to be intimidating, if not outright frightening.  I admire any well-known person who can stay down-to-earth while still having the power to change more about the world than the average person.

I think many people have a vague idea that music is so universal, it somehow transcends the mundane details of everyday life.  Any time an individual is allowed the creative space to be as expressive as possible, it is inspiring for anyone.  However, I think the 21^st century is at risk of being one of the most cynical eras yet.  It is easy for one person to spend just a few moments tearing down artistic, creative work that someone has put so much energy and effort into.  I am not an expert on any of the Decemberists’s albums, but I was still chilled by an article I read in Slate that tore down the lead singer as being completely pretentious.  One of the problems with a global, online community is that we have the choice of being as judgmental and critical as we like, and then putting our foolhardy judgments online for anyone to see.  Many do not want to bother to be kind because they are guessing they will never be in the same room with the person they are being critical of.  I think true artistic freedom means we are trusting others to be at least somewhat respectful.

Music is certainly able to capture something special about life that is difficult to describe.  Pop music maybe tries to appeal to as many people as possible, but that’s okay.  If I can feel something from a catchy love song, or a fast-paced heavy, angry song, I don’t mind that anyone can hear it and feel something similar.  It is difficult to think up a strict definition or reason for the purpose of any art form, music included.  If I had to guess why art forms are important, I would guess that it has to do with individuals sharing part of the human experience with each other.  An art form like music captures a feeling about how it is to be alive that is difficult to express in daily, random interactions with others.  Unfortunately I think many of us can count on both hands the number of life changing, inspiring conversations we have had with others, but music can break down barriers between people with its expressive honesty.  There is a Nanci Griffith song with the lyric, “if you can’t find a friend, still got the radio.”  A lot of human connection these days is long-distance in some way or another.

Throughout life, each of us stumbles upon music that is inspiring to us.  Maybe one person loves Josh Groban’s music, another person loves music by Tool, and someone else is obsessed with Of Montreal.  I want to respect that you can make your own personal choices.  I also want to have faith in each individual to be able to go out, get a cheap guitar, and start hesitantly strumming some chords.  Sit down at a piano, get past feeling foolish, and express what you’ve been feeling for quite a while.  There is nothing elitist about raw creativity; there is nothing wrong with trying to express what life is like for you, whatever medium you may choose.