The Wonder of Music

The world listens to music frequently because it creates the mood that is desired. If music meets the needs of the listener, it might be deemed popular. Popular music permeates our daily activities, and the mood it creates either directly or indirectly affects our lives and the lives of people near to us. Various genres of popular music, including jazz, hip-hop, protest songs, flamenco, country, blues, Romanian bocet, and funeral songs, can be categorized. Jazz is a style of music that makes sense when the performer is singing. The musician in this context is tasked on how to convince his audience that his song has verity in it. Flamenco songs are those whose genesis is Spain. The song involves stamping of feet and clapping in rhythms. Hip–hop is a type of song which entails rhyming. This particular song includes rapping, and the speech in it is usually incanted. The Romanian bocet is a song which is in a folk mode originally from Romania. It is conventionally sung by more than one person while tears are vivid in their countenance. Protest songs are performed during political demonstrations. They are employed individuals protesting against a particular political matter (Mann, 2015). Funeral songs are embraced during funeral occasions. They are used to offer solace to the bereaved families in question. Country songs consist of slow tunes which are mostly played by guitars. They are soothing songs. Blues music is similar to country songs except they are slower and offer a smooth atmosphere.

Popular music can be portrayed in the cultural forms to convey the forms they can be categorized into. It is listened to by many people from different language groups, thus breaking the barriers in languages. Those who cannot understand the spoken language need translators so that they can understand it. When people listen to foreign music, they promote globalization (Stroud, 2016). There is growth in the society as a state of oneness is enhanced. During the consumption of this music, a lot of economic activities are conducted. These activities boost big businesses leading to a greater production.

Since there is the presence of communication facilities and media groups, music has become diversified as cultural information can be spread fast among many bands. There are different formats of music that are diffused throughout the society. These communication facilities aid in spreading the cultural information faster. There are cultures which can be diffused through different forms of music. There are different ways of spreading these cultures. It can be done through documentation of materials such as providing information that is valuable to graphics and also written materials. Documents that are written provide limited information concerning notations. Graphics information delineates how music is practiced (Katz, 2014).

There are also recordings of sounds from traditions. These recordings have become an imperative source of knowledge. Practices that were common in these traditions could be perceptible in many musical forms. An example is the songs composed during hunting season. The hunters utilized these songs while chasing game. The songs were meant to motivate them and form a success basis. They would later recount the stories in these musical forms to others who were not part of the hunting activities. One could also hum to himself. This is an example of a proto-music. This is done when one wants to entertain oneself in a thrilling manner without deliberating on others views. Chimpanzees also can communicate to each other through funny sounds they make. These sounds can only be understood by each of them (Barbee, 2014).

Popular music has to sprout from its cultural context. Each culture has a divergent form of producing music. It is necessitated that people from a certain culture fabricate music from what they are accustomed to. This will enable an easier learning of the music by the relevant communities. Music is paramount in every culture as it plays roles that promote the existing culture. It commences when producing some sounds in events such as hunting. It is then performed continuously during these events until a target is attained. When hunting for the game, songs are used continuously while chasing the game until they are caught. This can also be done in a symbolic manner like whistling. The hunters regulate the whistling such that the game cannot get wind of their approach. Music is also performed during religious events. The religious leaders recommend to their flock the type of music to be played and the events they are required to participate in. Music that is not presumed to be performed in religious events is played in other areas where the interested parties can listen to it. Each person in some communities is anticipated to sing or dance. This promotes music as it’s a way of their culture. Particular songs are practised in events that relate to it. Others choose pay performers to come sing for them. These performers are highly skilled in the songs they are performing (Ho and Law, 2012).

Music is performed in some societies during important ceremonies. The national anthem as an example is employed in all countries to symbolize a particular event. A country like the United States of America, it is recited every time the president appears. The country’s national anthem is an old revolutionary song titled ‘Hail to the Chief ‘. For Britain, it is normally played when theatrical performances have been completed. It is titled’ God save the Queen.’ The country’s military also uses the anthem during military operations. Ships also play particular music alerting people to come on board them. The boatswain whistle is used when creating announcements or warning passengers what to do. It is also used to issue commands to those already on board (Bishop, 2013).

Ancient countries relied on music to pass a certain message across. Asia performed songs which had royal authority. The songs were performed in the courts to signify the presence of the king. Japan played religious music during religious ceremonies and festivals. The music boosted the worship session and encouraged respect among the people. The ‘Kagura ‘as the song was titled, meant the song being performed was to please the gods. The Zimbabweans used music as a connection to their spirits. Specifically, the Shona people performed songs that pleased their spirits (Lundskaer-Nielsen, 2015).

The Western culture has embraced the aspect of popular music in that the young generation has been authorized to study music at school. Very many institutions that offer music have been set up in these countries to offer music. Professionals that are highly skilled and experienced in music are hired to tutor the young people. Many places in these societies hold concerts. Tickets are sold out during these concerts and the proceeds benefit those involved. They also sell CDs which need music to play. During the production of these CDs, preferred music is played to the audience. Some societies regard professionals as amateurs. Little respect is accorded to them and thus they have less influence on the people. Countries like Turkey acknowledged individuals that have devoted themselves to classical music. Those individuals who are born in special families are allowed to perform music unlike those who come from non-musical societies who do not practice music.

Politics have been encouraged in some popular music. Some songs have been composed to promote politics in areas so as to favor a particular candidate. John Hinckley in the United States of America shot the then president Reagan out of his love for film star Jodie Foster. The love he had for her on the screens made him shoot the president. The popular culture has become part of politics in the society (Lightman, 2012). Many politicians are using popular music to persuade their goals. The composers of this music are being lured with lots of money to perform in political events. During the general elections that were held in 1992 in Britain, the conservative party through the ‘Sun Newspaper’ declared that they had attained victory. This did not go well with other people as they felt the newspaper was being used for selfish gains of the politicians yet it had to serve all (The pain of popular culture, 2017).

The popular culture has been embraced all over the world. This has been achieved through televisions, radios, cinemas and available communication media. The content of these media stations has been administered through the application of copyright laws. These laws protect the music as it cannot be played without the relative authority of the producer. These laws are drafted by the managing team of these musicians. Broadcasting regulations have been enacted to curb perpetrators of online content. Advertisements are regulated in such a way that it is suitable for the general audience. The trading policy has offered an advantage to artists as they can profit from their music in different places. Music that is played in other countries offers the artists a good marketing platform for their talent. International music pays well and this is an added advantage to the musician (Mueller, 2012).

Policy on education has been obtained through the government orders. The education that is being transmitted to those in institutions has been controlled by the government. The learners are taught based on their abilities Censorship programs have been introduced in the society such that obscene content is eliminated. Films and music that display bad content are eliminated from the society (Preparing Students to Work with Older Adults in 21st-century Musical Contexts, 2016).

The music industry has expanded quickly than other industries like technology. This is because it has quicker ways of diffusing the information. Cassette recorders are used to reach out to people in undeveloped areas like small villages. These recorders can be played anywhere as they do not require power to perform. The first American educators taught the individuals how to use these cassettes. Popular music is used as a channel to object to certain conditions or events. Those in the society who are against some issues use music to voice out their demand (Echols, 2014). The less privileged demands are met during this platform. Their interests in the socio-economic area are represented.

Music like rap emerged as a result of politics. The Persian Gulf War and the Panama Canal were invaded during the war. These areas were used as zones where prisoners were tortured silently and interrogated by the army from the United States of America. Their geographical location enabled the army to hurt them over a long period estimated at fifty years. The American music society protested against these injustices through music. The prisoners were freed after these protested were articulated worldwide (East, 2015).

Protest songs are used to avenge matters concerning the social life of the individual and the political matters regarding a society. Rap songs like ‘Fight the Power’ became a landmark hit because it advocated for social injustices against the individuals. Songs which were against war formed part of protest songs.

Institutions which teach popular music should offer a curriculum which offers good performance and is able to improvise measures regarding the composed music. The improvised measures should provide good music to the audience. Popular music highlights demands related to consumers’ needs. Individuals can market their products through this music. They can also emphasize capitalism and promote solidarity in a society. Popular music has boosted the economy as it is widespread in the world (Basu, 2012).

Politics has made individuals from different societies view songs in their own ways. This is because these songs are only related to areas which surround them. Americans of the African descent only listen to music produced by their fellow Africans because they easily understand it. There has been a massive rise in politics which show identity. These politics have led to globalization. The females and males in these societies produce music that is different. This music is composed with a lot of intelligence leading to its widespread. The music promotes the cultures of different societies enhancing globalization (Nethsinghe, 2013).

Music reproduces the social aspect within an individual. When it is performed, both the mind and body are used. It shows how the individual brings in the social aspect while the music itself shows the social aspect within an individual. During its performance, an individual familiarizes with the social life-enhancing his performance. The aesthetics regarding the music are also placed into context. Since the body is part of the music, it should relate to the song and give its meaning during its performance. The social aspect is brought in the song when the aesthetics part is also active (Manuel, 2012).

Bohman explains the difference between low and high music. He says there is no difference according to classical music. He further says the meaning is only achieved after performing the texts. High music is performed when the audience needs high notes like rap music while low music is performed when the audience requires a smooth atmosphere like blues. He further explains that social activities are responsible for the high and low music. Bohman states that music from western cultures does not require styles to function. The music does not include repetition in its field (Kallio, 2017).

Hip-hop music entails new ways of producing texts. The labor used in the songs is used for interpretation. The pleasure in the songs is derived from juxtaposition. Rhyming words are employed to give meaning to the song. The listener has to be keen to understand the whole meaning of the song. The rap music requires one to be attentive when the words are being quoted. The song always has authority to use any words as long as they are musical. The jazz music has the tendency to convince the audience that their music is based on truth. The music depends on the musician’s prowess to convince the crowd that the content of the song matters (Emielu, 2011).

History of the music has been brought out in many songs. Emphasis has been placed on the work done on songs. This is because it is a performing art hence the output has to please the audience. The way in which the music has been performed determines the history of the song. The effect the song has on its audience comes later after the whole performance. A good performance has a positive impact on individuals who might want to listen to it over long periods. The musician benefits from a good performance because its demand is high (Sheather and McIntyre, 2015).

The music effect may be distorted sometimes by the audience. Individuals might use it during social events to bring in a mood different from the original intended meaning. Historical events also destroy the meaning of the songs. Materials employed in the performance of the songs are totally different from the original ones (Leach, 2015). Many musicians seek to modernize songs which have a historical background rendering the song meaningless. Black music has enabled the audience trace the history of black people through it. When much has been discovered about the blacks, unity is portrayed. Politics is also expressed in these songs in form of folk songs (Kornbluh, 2016).

Popular culture has been viewed as avenues for creativity. Individuals who have talent in a certain genre of music can practice it freely without restraint. The elites have engaged themselves in the popular music part of their lives. Majority of them practice it as part of their jobs. This has infringed the freedom of the non-elites. They feel only the elites can perform in certain places and the profession belongs to them as they command a huge crowd during their performance (Götz, 2016).

Technology has led to the revolution of popular music. Artists can perform anywhere since their music has spread through the technologies. The internet has been instrumental since sites like YouTube can be used to download music produced by any artist. Journals have been produced concerning each type of music and reference were given to established artists. Articles have also been written regarding popular music which has marketed it even faster. The fact that music has been democratized has enabled many youths to practice it. The youth can sing anything they like since it is a contemporary society. Majority of the youth employ metaphors in their songs such as hip-hop to pass their message across (Connolly, 2014).

References

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