Music is a cultural tool for expression, defining various cultures worldwide, and communicating with each other for entertainment, celebrations, and commemorations. Character in music depicts the human condition which, as explained by ethnomusicologists and anthropologists, music is a human behavior phenomenon that is shaped by the environment and experiences and telling a particular story that is passed on to future generations and enjoyed by the current ones (Welch et al., 2020). Through composting, singing, and listening, music engages the creativity and expertise of individuals or groups whose talents are showcased in how artistic their music is created and performed. Beyond entertainment, music vividly expresses inner emotions, which becomes beneficial in cognitive and emotional development. Formal and informal music types in contemporary times result from music being intentionally and unintentionally taught in a structured and systematic way. However, most believe music comes from within an artistic communication channel for talented individuals to engage others in expression, entertainment, and cultural celebration (Welch et al., 2020). Music varies from place to place; each culture has its language and unique experiences that warrant different music genres. Therefore, there is a need to understand and appreciate all these cultures and their music and ensure their continued existence over time.
Through the decades in the 20 th century, music has experienced many shifts and movements based on the technological advancement and experiences that invoke expressions of a specific nature. Genres existing having resulted from the improvement of existing music, the merging of different music types, or the new creation of a movement. Moreover, music was now a career path and business opportunity, regional and international music scenes changes to incorporate flooding artists, genres, and music labels all while protecting the very essence of music and what it represents. The 1960s is attributed to many pioneers and inventions in music hence being coined the swinging sixties. Racial integration in music provided a significant leap for the African Americans artists in the music industry (AIMM Team, 2017). The first music video was also produced in this decade, revolutionizing how music was perceived to how it is made today. The Beatles and Rolling Stones were the infamous bands that rocked the era. Their music was the hallmark of the decade, with influence felt in the current world. The song of the decade would be Bob Dylan's Subterranean Homesick Blues , which was the first music video that led audiences from the world of audio music. The 1970s define a decade of rock and roll with a significant leap in the genre showcased by two bands, Aerosmith and KISS (Fowler, 2020). These groups revolutionized the rock game by incorporating new acts in performance such as fire breathing, blood spitting, face painting, all under a creative wardrobe. Younger audiences appealed to this newfound approach to rock music and the aggression involved.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
The 1980s was the pioneering decade to a diverse and indulging music industry with significant leaps in all genres and the music business. The music game was first heavily aided with the establishment of music television, MTV, in 1981 that showcased music videos. The society was awed by this establishment and was able to see the various music videos from different artists singing different genres of music. Public awareness was improved, and people were more accepting of new genres as they could see and appreciate their music on TV (AIMM Team, 2017). The decade also saw rock diversification with sub-genres like glam metal, heavy metal, and hard rock being popularized. The decade's song would be Call Me by Blondie, her biggest hit and became certified gold with millions of copies sold. The decade also saw the genesis of hip hop music that allowed African American artists and Latino Americans who also shared a piece of the pie in the music industry. Run-D.M.C. had a strong hip hop influence and later became the first band in this genre to be nominated for a Grammy by reaching gold record status.
Technology has been a significant factor in the influence and success of music. Both in the creation of music and its distribution, technology has changed the game providing a seamless experience for making and listening to music. In the current world, social media platforms are essential in marketing music where artists get reactions from the fans and audience on their music. Therefore, artists opt-out from record labels to market their music and use a direct approach to access their followers' reactions. Social media also allows fans to give their input to the artists directly. These critique aids artists in improving their music and becoming better artists (Cole, 2019). Digital platforms such as Spotify and YouTube are upload sites where artists put their music, and fans can listen, watch, and download at a reasonable cost. Technology also aids indie artists to make and market their music without external support from record labels. Hence, upcoming artists can produce, market, and share the reaction of their content quickly and in real-time with fans using technology, all attempting to improve and highlight music's progression.
References
AIMM Team. (2017, Jun 17). Evolution of Music from the 1950's to the 2000's. Retrieved from AIMM Blog : https://www.aimm.edu/blog/evolution-of-music-from-the-1950s-to-the-2000s
Cole, S. (2019, Sep 9). The impact of technology and social media on the music industry. Retrieved Econsultancy : https://econsultancy.com/the-impact-of-technology-and-social-media-on-the-music-industry/
Fowler, S. (2020, May 27). Music through the decades: how music has shaped our world view. Retrieved from The Tower Pulse : https://thetowerpulse.net/33544/entertainment/music-through-the-decades-how-music-has-shaped-our-world-view/
Welch, G., Biasutti, M., MacRitchie, J., McPherson, G., & Himonides, E. (2020, Jun 17). Editorial: The Impact of Music on Human Development and Well-Being. Frontier in Psychology . Doi: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.01246
