2008 Woodie Awards
Old School vs. New Skool
Brittany Jones
Section: Opinion
How many times have you heard this argument: "The music of today has nothing on the music of the past"? To many people this statement is true, particularly to older people who grew up during music's golden era, when artists could actually sing and the songs meant something. Is that to say that today's music has no meaning and all of the artists are just studio-generated performers? The answer to this question is definitely one that varies from person to person.
Many critics would argue that today's artists have no real talent. In an industry where the old cliché "sex sells" is dominant, nowadays all it takes is a cute face, a hot body, and the latest dance moves to become a star. Many of the songs aren't about real issues and are only designed for entertainment, and that's all that they should be taken as, entertainment. Sometimes the criticism of today's music is too harsh. This music isn't made to change the world; it's not meant to have socially redeeming value; it is just meant to make you dance; and often it does just that. That's not to say that all of today's music and artists are shallow and without talent. During the 60's and 70's, artists made songs about the issues taking place during that time, such as Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On," for example. Many artists today do the same thing, just with a different twist. Look at today's rap artists. While many of their songs are filled with negative images, others talk about their struggles and what they went through in their own lives, exposing the listener to real issues that are delivered in a non traditional way.
And who is to say that there is no talent in today's music world? Two examples of true musicians are Beyoncé and Chris Brown. These two artists are attractive, they can dance, and they both have bonafide vocal ability, giving them a fan base that spans generations.. Their music is relevant to today' audience, but their artistic talent is what garners them appreciation from older fans.
Now for every Beyoncé and Chris Brown there is a Britney Spears and a Souljah Boy. The former artist uses a combination of looks and popular music; the latter, hot beats and a dance craze. While they may not possess "true" talent in some people's opinion, they do have appeal. Their music is made to entertain, not to give moral instruction. So that is exactly how it should be judged, as entertainment, not as a testament to how today's music is so much worse than the music of the past.
Of course, this is just my opinion, and I am sure there are readers out there who will agree as well as disagree with me, but on a subject such as this, there really is no right or wrong, only a matter of opinion, right?
Many critics would argue that today's artists have no real talent. In an industry where the old cliché "sex sells" is dominant, nowadays all it takes is a cute face, a hot body, and the latest dance moves to become a star. Many of the songs aren't about real issues and are only designed for entertainment, and that's all that they should be taken as, entertainment. Sometimes the criticism of today's music is too harsh. This music isn't made to change the world; it's not meant to have socially redeeming value; it is just meant to make you dance; and often it does just that. That's not to say that all of today's music and artists are shallow and without talent. During the 60's and 70's, artists made songs about the issues taking place during that time, such as Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On," for example. Many artists today do the same thing, just with a different twist. Look at today's rap artists. While many of their songs are filled with negative images, others talk about their struggles and what they went through in their own lives, exposing the listener to real issues that are delivered in a non traditional way.
And who is to say that there is no talent in today's music world? Two examples of true musicians are Beyoncé and Chris Brown. These two artists are attractive, they can dance, and they both have bonafide vocal ability, giving them a fan base that spans generations.. Their music is relevant to today' audience, but their artistic talent is what garners them appreciation from older fans.
Now for every Beyoncé and Chris Brown there is a Britney Spears and a Souljah Boy. The former artist uses a combination of looks and popular music; the latter, hot beats and a dance craze. While they may not possess "true" talent in some people's opinion, they do have appeal. Their music is made to entertain, not to give moral instruction. So that is exactly how it should be judged, as entertainment, not as a testament to how today's music is so much worse than the music of the past.
Of course, this is just my opinion, and I am sure there are readers out there who will agree as well as disagree with me, but on a subject such as this, there really is no right or wrong, only a matter of opinion, right?
Current
Be the first to comment on this story