Music has undoubtedly evolved as the days progressed and I have witnessed the transition in my taste in music as well. From a young age, I developed a liking for rhythms and beats. Traditionally, parents use music to communicate to their children because unknowingly children respond positively to music as stimuli. The music I like when I was a child is not the same kind of music that I listen to currently (Thomson, 2018). Growing up I was more of a pop and R&B’s type of person, but as I grew older, I discovered a whole different genre that has changed my life. The house music genre is by far one of the most popular types in the industry right now with artists such as Marshmello, Martin Garrix, and David Guetta topping the list of the most paid DJs of all time. The songs entail of an ingenious use of rhythm and a mastery in the combination of words.
However much I like my current playlist, occasionally if not often I find myself listening to some of the music I used to listen to when I was a child. For instance, I have the song ‘Love the Way You Lie’ by Rihanna and Eminem on almost all my devices (Sinclair & Tinson, 2017). My friends have teased me a few times about it because they do not understand why I would still have in my playlist. Often I dismiss their commentaries and listen to the song regardless. The truth is, however, that the song holds some sentimental value to me. I first heard the song with my best friend, and it soon became our ringtones. Although, after my family moved to another town I lost all contacts with her and the song was all that was left to remind me of her. Stern (2014) elaborates that music invokes an emotional reaction amongst listeners. Thus, music stimulates the brains imaging function which brings back specific memories attached to the particular song.
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Labels & Sub-Labels
When comparing two major artists from this era, I considered the famous Jay-Z and Kanye West who are both signed by Roc-A-Fella Record label. The two artists have had an unbeaten run in the music industry by achieving various milestones in their careers. Nonetheless comparing the two, Jay-Z has been perceived to be more successful than Kanye West as a majority of the listeners now regard him to be one of the most successful music artists in the world (Martin, 2014). As a result, the two artists have developed a drift that has wedged them apart after a long time of friendship and collaborations. Roc-A-Fella Records has been witnessed to treat the two artists differently without regard that Jay-Z is the owner of the label.
Jay-Z and Kanye West released an album named ‘Watch the Throne’ in 2011 which both thrilled and disappointed the fanatics of the two artists. The album which has been released by three record labels namely, Roc-A-Fella, Roc Nation, and Def Jam included various singles and collaborations by guest artists such as The Dream, Frank Ocean, Beyonce, and Mr. Hudson. The performance of the album was fairly good as 436,000 copies were sold within the first week of the launch (Sinclair & Tinson, 2017). However, when the artists released their albums, the situation was not the same. For instance, Jay-Z’s latest album ‘4:44’ received a better reception than Kanye West’s ‘Ye’ album which was released in 2016. 4:44 was praised for its emotional content by critics while Kanye’s album got a backlash from some of the fan who claimed that the ‘Ye’ failed to meet the expectations of the fan base. Kanye was of the perception that the record label was biased in its treatment of the two artists.
Music and Politics
Politics is musical in that it contains both harmony and conflict (Thompson, 2016). Music plays a significant role in the life of man and politics is no exemption. Music and politics contain a substantial similarity which is notable without further analysis of the two subjects. Politics like music intends to inspire specific targets. The relationship between music and politics is mutual thus both use each other to attain set objectives (Chilton, 2018). Politics uses music to express the various grievances of individuals. The world has witnessed the organization of political rallies which have used great compositions to raise their concerns. The campaign period in the country is characterized by various political affiliations using different songs to represent them and the specific candidates.
The relationship between politics and music has been ongoing for the longest time now. The national anthem is itself a political tool meant to bring the country together in the act of patriotism. Every citizen of a particular country has mastered their national anthem by heart. Music, in this case, has been used to pass a specific political message often a prayer for the country. Hence, music and politics are complementary tools which are applied to serve the same purpose (Stern, 2014). In the event of numerous political crisis, songwriters and artists in the world have been seen to use their craft to write messages of peace and love. The study reveals that music has been used effectively in war-prone areas to preach the word of unity and cohesion. Additionally, music has been used to address various cases of political injustices done to multiple communities in the country. Music is, thus, an essential aspect of politics.
References
Chilton, M. (2018, May 16). Nostalgia And Music: How The Past Is Always Part Of The Future. Retrieved from https://www.udiscovermusic.com/in-depth-features/musical-nostalgia-past-present-future/
Mark Joseph Stern. (2014). Why Are We So Nostalgic for Music We Loved as Teenagers? Retrieved from https://slate.com/technology/2014/08/musical-nostalgia-the-psychology-and-neuroscience-for-song-preference-and-the-reminiscence-bump.html
Martin, B. (2014, January 23). Music and the Politics of Resistance. Retrieved from https://www.huffingtonpost.com/barrett-martin/music-and-the-politics-of_b_4087557.html
Sinclair, G., & Tinson, J. (2017). Psychological ownership and music streaming consumption. Journal of Business Research , 71 , 1-9. doi:10.1016/j.jbusres.2016.10.002
Thomson, R. (2018, November 6). The Intertwined Relationship Between Music And Politics. Retrieved from https://liveforlivemusic.com/features/the-intertwined-relationship-between-music-and-politics/
