Michael+M’s+OpEd+Article

There are five major issues with modern music. 1. The majority of teens **don't respect it** enough to do basic research. 2. We **eat up whatever scraps** the industry chucks in our direction. 3. The **image** of a band is **more relevant than the music**. 4. Music is **no longer a personal experience** and requires some kind of external force for appreciation. 5. **Stereotypes** are set into the different musical genres.

I don't mean to sound like a condescending indie snob, but I'm not going to lie, every time a person brags that their favorite song by Pink Floyd is “Dark Side of the Moon,” I die a little inside. And whenever a person claims that Lil’ Wayne is “the mostest influential rap icon of the 21st century,” I have to forcefully prevent myself from “correcting” these dim-witted statements. //Baba O’ Riley// is not titled “Teenage Wasteland”. And if you actually listened to the lyrics in Kendrick Lamar’s, //Swimming Pools (Drank)//, you’d realize that it’s an anti-drinking song, not just some fun tune to get wasted and f-d up to. I’m no musical expert, but if you’re going to act as if you’re some kind of cultured genius while you listen to Rihanna religiously, at least get some of your facts straight. It’s people like you who give the future of music a bad outlook.

Popular music these days has devolved into repetitive synth loops with interchangeable lyrics. Is there any real major difference between a song preformed by Katy Perry or Lady Gaga? The majority of songs on the radio aren’t even produced with real instruments, and sadly, some artists don’t even write their own lyrics! It’s ridiculous to call these entertainers, "musicians" while there are **actual** musicians struggling to make enough money to support themselves. Great, innovative, bands lack in popularity and recognition; Award-winning performers lack in depth and musical skill. The music industry is as corrupt as ever, and it pains me to see teens these days feeding its voracious belly by buying and listening to whatever it presents to them. Music has turned into an image, and no longer requires passion or technicality. Performers go up on big stages wearing ridiculous costumes and multi-colored wigs. Obnoxious teenagers pretend to listen to Beethoven to put on some kind of "smart persona" to make them feel better about their sad, capricious lives. This new phenomenon can even be seen with what one would consider a “good band”, as fan girls learn to only appreciate the traits of Julian Casablancas or Alex Turner’s rock and roll looks. Nothing bothers me more than a person pretending to like a band just because he/she wants to obtain that certain image associated with it. Music is music. If you don’t listen to it, why pretend like you know everything about it? Because you read a review off some "expert" music website like Pitchfork*? Do you really want to base your entire music taste off a number? Everyone should experience music for themselves. Not for the image. Not because someone told them to. Not because they simply want to fit in.

On a positive note, great musical artists actually do still exist, and with fairly large followings. It’s just very unfortunate that the majority of teens these days don’t respect music as they should, and render off legendary artists such as Bob Dylan and Neil Young as boring or slow. Music is an artform and deserves to be treated that way. Dark, curious paintings by Tim Burton could easily be compared to Edvard Grieg's, //In the Hall of the Mountain King// or Karen O's, //Hello Tomorrow//. The next time you turn on the radio, I advise you to really listen to what is coming out of the speakers. Open your mind to what the artist is really trying to portray, and disregard all sorts of imagery associated with what you’re hearing. If you still like listening to Nickleback's, //I Wanna Be A Rockstar//, then good for you. However, don't sell yourself short by refusing to listen to things just because they aren't on the "Top 40" radio stations. Don't hate on jazz if you haven't gotten a chance to try it out. Don't hate on all forms of country if you simply dislike Keith Urban's voice. Don't hate on all forms of rap just because you heard Lil' B say the n-word over 300 times. Keep your mind open and give music a chance.

Here, I've already got some songs for you to compare.

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 * Pitchfork gave Kanye a 10 for //My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy// despite the fact that his first line in //Runaway// includes the phrase, "sent a bitch a picture of my dick, I don't know what it is with females"...Seriously?