Music

I wanted to talk about #music tonight. I’ve always heard people say that they like a certain genre of music. It might be pop, rock, or hip-hop, but everyone seems to have some kind of preference. I don’t think that I really have a preference musically, though. I can listen to metal one minute and the next minute listen to pop radio. It isn’t that I like all music. It’s just that I see certain parallels. The genre and subtle sound that is applied to music is nothing more than packaging for a product. A lot of what people are saying in lyrics is very similar across all genres. I guess that what I’m saying is that music seems to be a reflection of the person who wrote it, and if that reflection is beautiful, I’ll like it no matter what category it falls into. For that matter, I’ve always hated categories. When you write something as complicated as a song, how do you put that into a category with a million other songs. Is it not unique? If the answer is no, then it’s not worth anyone’s time. I’m into anything different and anything that seems to come from a place that’s real rather than engineered. When you start trying to sell me what people typically want to hear, that’s when you lose me, but I still can’t blame the musicians who make music with a certain formula. That’s all people seem to want to buy, and if you want to have your fifteen minutes of fame, that’s exactly the type of music that you should write. Occasionally, though, someone comes along who blows my mind with something that’s like nothing I’ve ever heard before, and I don’t mean just lyrically. A good guitarist can speak to me just as much as the words do because when you pour your soul into an instrument it shows. A good drummer can show me the frustration in their life, and a singer can spell out exactly who they are. I love writing, but I don’t know if there’s anything as unique as music. When several individuals pour themselves into what they’re doing, something incredible happens, and when the right combination of people come together, we get to hear something truly special. I think that people often hear the music, and maybe even hear the words, but it’s not very often that they see the soul behind it all. A lot goes into anything creative. The next time you turn on the radio, don’t miss out on the story behind the story. I know I never have, and I also know that music has been one of the few things that has truly made me feel content and connected to others.