Nowadays, people are more into electronic music where the beat drops and DJs add dozens of tones to their songs to create such unique music. People get very excited to hear a beat drop in a song. I think this is an appropriate type of music if you are going out partying or having some friends over on a weekend, but I do not feel as though this is an everyday type of music I would choose to listen to for myself.
Rock music, on the other hand, which originated as “Rock & Roll”, has been rocking the world since the 1950s. It is a form of music that started actually around string instruments, but now uses other modern instruments too making it a little difficult to give a completely accurate definition. Its loud and strong beats make it extremely popular among the youth. According to a source online, “Some of the rock stars who have popularized the culture include Little Richard, Bill Haley, and Chuck Berry, while rock bands like Pink Floyd, The Doors, Metallica, Nirvana, and Megadeth are the modern bands who have taken the culture by storm” (GiGlue). They are all very talented artists who are well-known in the rock music genre and who have impacted the music industry with their talent.
Jazz is identified with swing and blue notes. It has its roots both in West African and European cultures. It is said that Jazz is “One of America’s original art forms” and possesses a unique combination of creativity, coactions, and interactivity, and I couldn’t agree more. This music genre dates back very far and has always been a hit on the top of the charts. As previously stated, music during the 1920s was dominated by jazz. This genre has various fans of all ages. Originating in the late 19th to early 20th century, Jazz has also played an important role in introducing the world to a number of women performers like Ella Fitzgerald, Betty Carter, Abbey Lincoln, and Ethel Waters (GiGlue). I find Jazz to be very relaxing and soft. It is the type of music that will put you right to sleep. It is so calm and peaceful and truly a great genre of music for all ages. However, next on the list is dubstep, which falls right underneath electronic dance music, and is completely opposite of Jazz music.
Dubstep uses instruments and attracts people for its bass and rhythm. People often consider it to be a slightly darker form of music, but since its birth in the late 1990s, this genre has successfully made its place in the industry. I feel as though most dubstep music sounds exactly the same and begins to all mush together. I was honestly quite shocked to see this genre placed so high in the top ten.
Rhythm and blues include some artists from present-day times including Rihanna, Mariah Carey, Beyoncé, and Usher. Plus, of course, it includes the one and only Michael Jackson. They have all made it huge in the music industry with their love and appreciation for this genre of music. Originating in the 1940s, this African-American music is a combination of hip-hop, funk, dance, pop, and soul focusing on themes like relationships, sex, and freedom (GiGlue).
Furthermore, you may be familiar with hearing techno while clubbing, but according to the article Top 10 genres of Music Industry, “it is Detroit techno that is considered to be the foundation of this form of music” (GiGlue). As opposed to when this genre was on the rise, the use of technology nowadays has greatly enhanced the quality of techno-style music making it much more familiar to people day by day. Back in the day, there was not nearly as much technology involved in music.
The next popular genre of music originated in the 1920s: country music. This style of music has its roots in a mixture of American folk and Western music. It is played by simple instruments tuning together ranging from electric and steel guitars to drums and mandolin or mouth organ, another instrument closely related to a harmonica. There are a multitude of popular country artists these days such as Taylor Swift, Johnny Cash, Kenny Rogers, and so many more. This type of music is one I enjoy listening to while I drive around in the summer with my windows down. It makes me feel so happy and peaceful.
Electro is another one of the top ten genres in the music industry today. This is a blend of hip-hop and electronic music, very similar to Disco. One way to differentiate the two: electro uses a drum machine, vocoder, and talkbox. A vocoder works by taking a musical sound input and passing it through a multi-band dynamic equalizer filter, synthesizing sound. This is kind of similar to autotune, but not quite that. In my opinion, this genre should not be in the top ten. This type of music is so different from classic Jazz or Rock music, and I find it slightly unsatisfying to listen to.
Indie Rock falls closely in the same genre as alternative rock music. Indie originated in the 1980s and has changed the entire music industry over time. After many years, Indie related music styles such as math rock, emo, noise pop, post-rock, and lo-fi formed. I like indie music because I like listening to bands, I like guitars, and I like to be swept away by the whole sound of a track.
Lastly in the top ten is pop music. “Pop” is a term derived from “popular”, and with this being said, Pop music is known to be a genre of popular music. With its roots in the rock and roll style, this genre includes any form of music that ranges from urban and dance to rock, country, and Latin. The most frequently used instruments are electric guitars, synthesizer drums, and bass. This genre has countless artists and millions of songs. Of course, as previously mentioned, the “King of Pop”, Michael Jackson, is a very popular pop music creator. His nickname explains it all. He is truly the king of pop and is known for so many amazing songs that truly speak to you and so many people in this world love to listen to.
Music speaks differently to everybody, which is why there are numerous genres. There are few people you will come across who all like the same genre of music. Personally, I am a fan of quite a few of the genres I just finished explaining. One thing I love about music is how I can listen to whichever song fits my mood. If I am sitting around and relaxing, drinking a cup of coffee, I will listen to some type of Jazz music. If I am going out on a Saturday night with my friends, we will listen to some type of electronic dance music or Pop music. There is so much beauty in the music industry and the way it can affect your mind or have such an impact on your mood.
The way that music affects mood and impacts personal perception is an art in itself. Music is such a beautiful type of art that is able to sway somebody’s mood and change their entire day. Without even realizing it, people understand the impact music has on someone’s state of mind. No matter what you are going through, there is a song or a melody that you could relate to or that could help cheer you up or allow you to realize you are not the only one going through that same issue. There is a genre of music for any type of way you are feeling. A website online called Connoly Music describes how music impacts personal perception. It states, “In a well-known study conducted at the University of Groningen, researcher Jacob Jolij discovered that music genres affect visual perception in an extraordinary way. The study was designed to understand how music and the brain interact and involved participants who were instructed to identify either “happy” or “sad” face images, like emotions, while listening to specific music. The results found that even when presented with “neutral” faces, the participants chose “happy” or “sad” face reactions, based on the music that was playing” (Team, Revelle). I thought this was very interesting to read about because it proves the point I have been making in the previous paragraphs. Music truly does have an effect on your mood and can make you feel happy or sad. Of course, there are a lot of other emotions that are felt while listening to music, but those are two of the most common. The slow or fast beats, the number of instruments that are used, how loud the instruments are portrayed, and other characteristics all distinguish the difference between a happy song and a sad song. “It is confirmed that major chords are tied to happiness, and minor chords to sadness” (The Secret Behind What Makes a Song Happy).
Because music has such an impact on people’s perceptions and moods, it plays a significant role in commercials. One example that stands out to me as clearly as day is the music used in the commercials for the ASPCA, or The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Every time this commercial comes on the television, I hear the song being played and immediately my mind knows it is something sad. The song that is played during this commercial is called “Angel”, written by Sarah McLachlan. While playing this song has been a huge fundraising success for ASPCA, it is not an easy couple of minutes to watch. There are few instruments used, including McLachlan herself on the piano, and a subtle upright bass being played. You look at the television and see so many innocent puppies and you hear the sad, downbeat music and just begin to feel so bad for these dogs and feel like something must be done about it. Well, that is the entire purpose of the commercial and adding this music to play over it. The people who created this commercial know how sad this song is and that it will immediately signal sadness to anybody watching, so they figured it will help raise their donations and awareness of animal cruelty. They have definitely not been wrong about that.
It is also quite evident that in any genre of film, such as drama, horror, or action, the type of music played matches the scene that is occurring. For instance, during a death scene, you will not come across an electronic dance music song. Rather, you will hear a sorrowful, melancholic tune that will express the tragic scene taking place. An example is in the film The Titanic when one of the main characters dies. During the death scene, the song being played is called “Hymn to the Sea”, written by James Horner. This is a very downbeat melody with no words being sung. The song speaks for itself without having any lyrics. Hearing this song signals to your mind that something devastating is occurring and it makes it that much more sad. If you were to be watching this scene with a Rock & Roll song, it would be hard to shed a tear or truly allow yourself to become emotional because your mind would be unfocused on the fact that someone is dying.
Horror films, on the other hand, play music that will send chills all over. An article by BBC says that “the sound of fear can’t be constrained by a single genre or instrument, but at its best, this music is as gripping as the scariest visual, and it is timelessly evocative” (Haider, Arwa). The example provided is from Bernard Herrmann’s Hitchcock soundtracks, especially the sleek, highly-strung score for Psycho. Its “stingers” defined a device that has been echoed in countless other films. Those slashing violins are designed to shred your nerves each time you hear them. “Non-linear sounds like Psycho’s violin stingers mimic the sound of animals in distress; they trigger our fear of being chased by dangerous predators. Things that feel harsh and unfamiliar manipulate us emotionally” (Haider, Arwa). There is no certain instrument that is used in a horror song but there are commonly used sounds that create distress. For example, the sound of a heartbeat is added to create an eerie feel and make for an uncomfortable atmosphere. The different music and sounds provide tension. There is usually a buildup of sound right before something frightening happens or something pops onto the screen. The purpose is to build suspense by having the music start quiet and slow and then eventually be fast and loud, while still having that eerie effect, and preparing the viewers for a horrifying moment.
Art is such an important feature in our lives. It allows us to feel the beauty of freedom. It is a free expression of the human mind and senses. “The importance of art to mankind can be understood by looking at the fact that every one of us has either a TV set or a music system in our houses. It is music which has the power to make us feel happy when in a bad mood, pump us with motivation or help us get through depression” (Why Is Art so Important to Mankind?). Art makes people optimistic about their future. It can be used to help spread a message that will result in inspiration and achieving great things in life. Art can be a form of communication between people, perhaps a musician and those listening, to focus on common issues for the betterment of humankind. You really get to know a musician through their works of art and the songs they produce. Inspirational music is the best form of creative art. I hope you now have a better understanding of why the art of music is so important to me and how much of an impact it has on human lives. The beauty of music and the way it influences the soul is something so pleasing and inspiring.