Does music have less cultural meaning than it did 30 – 40 years ago? It seems what used to be voices of political protest, power movements and organized unity transformed into a low-culture melting pot of digitization and radio capitalism.
There are traces of quality in music today, but it’s harder to find. The classics used to reign the charts, rightfully so. But, now the best music only gets noticed by the indie audiophiles who look for it. Although Billboard means a whole lot less than it used to, it’s interesting to note the difference in mass appeal between now and then. The music just used to say more, even though I wasn’t there to experience it.
What constitutes quality? Music is entirely subjective, so I won’t attempt to answer that question. But, 30 years from now, will I look back on my era and identify with the message that music sent me? Doubtful. Disco sucked in the 1970s, but it was extremely culturally relevant and people still identify with the movement today. T-Pain sucks, but he’s completely culturally irrelevant and will be forgotten quickly.
I’m just an 80s baby, but I’ll take Neil Young’s rugged, slightly off key guitar solos over the obnoxious auto-tune any day. And you’d still probably call me a hypocrite if you saw my iPod. But, my key argument is backing cultural meaning and identity, not mindless entertainment. There’s room for both, but I prefer the former.
Did the music change, or did we change?
College students used to have the ability to identify and protest the violence in Ohio with their artists. It sounds selfish, and ironically nostalgic–but when will it be my turn to partake in a larger cause influenced by the harmonized voices and synchronized guitars of rock ‘n roll? These guys are about the only ones who make me want to activate political change.
To answer my original question, I believe music does have less cultural meaning than it used to. A whole lot less. Music used to stimulate protest and relevant action, while today’s mainstream sound supports head nodding and dancing. With power comes responsibility, and I’m sensing a lack of both.