The Degradation of Music for Mass Consumption Essay -- Argumentative P

The Degradation of Music for Mass ConsumptionFrom the very first period that someone decided to experiment with a musical theater tradition, the cry has gone out that true, pure, and good music is dead to society, and that music itself is on a invariant slide to oblivion. All apostrophe aside, this is a serious matter to consider. Music inhabits a significant place in all cultures. Musical sort is very much a function of the Zeitgeist, reflecting the prevalent tone of the dynamics and pulse of a specific time. As an artistic medium, music has as much to do with the organisation of society, or as a shaped response to society, as do television, literature, language, or art. The fact that we find music pervading so many of our endeavors bears this out. There is energy like music. A musical composition is a singular, tangible, emotional and intellectual outlet for our expression, so it should be no surprise that the direction of music resonates grandeur with so many people. Which brings us to the topic Is the popular music of today of any value, and what does it bode for future music? In the introduction, I have suggested that the style of popular music of a particular period reflects that period. The particular style that is chosen is the artists response to the agony and ecstasy, or something in between, of the time. The great thing intimately music, though, is that it can express anything. The Zeitgeist serves as a filter for the form of the music. In this way, the artist can make his point in a medium that is two accessible and acceptable to the listener. Not unlike language, the artist wants to communicate with his audience, and in order to do that, must speak the audiences language. Of course, music, essentially, has only on... ...40 radio, one can easy hear a drum sampling or melody from one popular song sampled directly onto another, an horrific development. Here is music offered to the public, involving virtually no effort by the artist, with ma ssive monetary reimbursement not just expected, but demanded, by todays arrogant performers. The public sucks up image everywhere ability, style over substance. This abominable trend will not right itself until a desire is expressed by the public for some real music, on a prominent scale. As with any business, the most effective method is purchasing power. Especially in todays market, music production is expensive, and a panhandling amateur will not go away long without financial backing. By identifying and understanding objective values in music and associating them with ones own subjective values, we may yet find an egress from our musical morass.