Not all musical groups or soloist begin like this. Many of these artists are original and talented but they may the stress of being underappreciated and turn to the money side for support. Often their songs are written by experts who know what is engaging to a certain age group, and musicians faces are plastered on as many magazine covers as possible. Soon their supposedly new and improves songs can be heard blasting out of car windows. But these songs are empty shells, deficient of creativity and the original thirst of the artist to make an impact or convey a message.
These songs only teach listeners that what’s on the outside is the only thing that is important and money really does make the world go round. These messages are also shown through music videos containing sexual themes as well as people wearing “grills” and other decorations meant to show their wealth.
MTV is beyond corruption. It has become increasingly racy and plays only what the public wants to hear. And unfortunately, the majority seems interested in either sickly sweet, generic pop, or stereotypical, bleeped-out rap. Kids and teens everywhere are swimming in these songs, which are often degrading to women and minorities.
Music is no longer just for pleasure, but instead is a huge part of the economy. It is valued for its power to influence people everywhere. Not only does the music business make money from songs but lots of useless products carry rap and pop stars’ names and faces.
Why do most teenagers constantly listen to pop and rap music when so many other genres exist? Maybe it’s because everywhere we look, we are bombarded with same music: on the radio, on TV, on the computer. Perhaps they have never listened to anything else. Or maybe peer pressure is part of it. Another reason some people listen to popular music is because it is easy listening, with no abnormalities, since anything unique is considered weird.
Unfortunately, there is no solution to the “pop problem”. It called popular for a reason - many people enjoy it.
My suggestions is to tell your kids to get off iTunes, turn Radio 1 off, and dig up some good old Bowie records, or maybe even some of The Smiths? Anything that will expand their horizons.
You have to see eye to eye that in this day and age, the ways we use and buy our music has vastly altered over the past decade. Technology is evidently one of the biggest culprits. iTunes and Amazon have taken over how we now buy our music. But of course, it makes perfect sense. Why would you take the time to drive to your nearest shop, to buy an overpriced album, when you can buy, download and listen to it within 30 seconds? Because of this vast slant on how we get our music, ‘The Top 40’ charts will never be the same again. I don’t think its feasible to stay at #1 for longer than a week.
Infact, the young people of today might as well just buy one track which seems to be the backing track to every song in the charts. I can frankly say I can’t tell the difference between, JLS, Justin Bieber or Jason Derulo. Those same backing beats that are only produced, its seems, because they go with the over exposed music video.
Unfortunately Jessie J it is ‘about the money’. If you were this inspiring musician as you so make out to be, why isn’t your album free?
The Evil-Factor
We all know that the X-Factor is one of the most watched programmes on TV across the UK. But, is it the most watched programme purely because of the talent? Or because of the ‘entertainment values‘?
When are people going to realise that these so called ‘wannabe pop stars’ are not real people. Even from the auditions, a clear winner is forced onto the public. Not even by the judges but by the producers themselves. Out of the millions of people that audition they only show a slim sample of these.
Once again, the media is a massive culprit for manipulating the public. They make people believe that the image and personality is what the contest is all about. They even go to the extreme of digging up peoples pasts and portraying these people as saints or sinners.
Sir Elton John has also got his own opinions on the X-Factor, he was quoted in the press that “It’s become boring, a***-paralysingly brain crippling.” he also forwarded concern for artists like Alexandra Burke and Leona Lewis saying that “they are at the mercy of the next song they can get. It’s important they write their own songs” he then added “Songwriters today are pretty awful, which is why everything sounds the same. Contemporary pop isn’t very inspiring.”
This show will be the death of the music industry as a whole. Unfortunately these artists that do win the X-Factor will never lose their tag. Everything was spoon fed to them and now they are in the big wide world they have no idea how to cope.
What do we want? FAME! When do we want it? NOW!
The youth of today are obsessed with the celebrity culture. It’s no surprise when they are continuously force fed by reality TV (which isn’t actually reality) such as Big Brother and again X-Factor. They have been brainwashed into believing that these are fast tracks into stardom.
Where are the next Radiohead or Rolling Stones? These bands worked their butts off to get where they are now. Through hard work and talent. Not through phone votes.
To quote The Who “The Kids are Alright” I’m sorry Roger but they really aren’t. Where’s our Bob Dylan? Who’s standing up against the joke of a government we have? The youth are so god damn lazy it is unbelievable. We need to rebel. We need to become anarchist.
At the end of the day, the music of today is such an embarrassment. Just ask yourself, what are we going to be look back on in 20 years?
