Defined by creativity or consumption?
What defines a generation?
My son and I were conversing today, as we often do, about "pop music." The question was whether or not older pop singers need to update their repertoire to attract younger listeners. It was a good, rollicking conversation.
Most people enjoy music of one sort or another. And we love the fact that people love music. Watch American Idol or Singapore Idol to hear all the people who enjoy singing in the shower. Now, according to the great jazz musician, Duke Ellington, if music "sounds good it is good." All music is popular to someone, even church hymns. So there should be no argument about styles of music. One could certainly argue about the appropriateness of any one style of music for particular social settings. Normally you would not sing a funeral song at a wedding, nor a party song at a funeral service.
I myself enjoy listening to a range of music, from what might be defined broadly as "classical music" to folk, blues, jazz and the Beatles. All of this music has been and remains "pop"-ular music to someone out there, including myself. In fact, isn't it amazing that some music written 2-300 years ago can still be found on the radio playlist?
There is certainly room in the social spectrum for all kinds of music, including current Disney voice, Demi Lovato. God bless us all.
What I can't stand is the systemic pegging of each generation according to what music it likes to consume. Rock, Adult rock, Hip hop, Techno, etc. A few generations back folks on the farm and in the small towns were defined, if at all, by what they created and produced, not by what music they listened to on the radio. They sang hymns on Sundays and maybe during the week they joined social groups that sang and played music that everyone could get into. Music was not a commodity to be consumed but a social activity that people created together. Now all people can think about is what consumer marketing slot they fit into. Because, more than creating music, or creating anything for that matter, we mostly consume. Music is commercially synthesized for mass market consumption. Even religious music today is a label before it is the spiritual expression of a gathered community.
Ok, I'm a baby boomer. Always protesting something. But who wants to be pigeon-holed anyway? I'm glad my son likes music, and he sings well. I hope he continues to create and not just consume. --georgos
My son and I were conversing today, as we often do, about "pop music." The question was whether or not older pop singers need to update their repertoire to attract younger listeners. It was a good, rollicking conversation.
Most people enjoy music of one sort or another. And we love the fact that people love music. Watch American Idol or Singapore Idol to hear all the people who enjoy singing in the shower. Now, according to the great jazz musician, Duke Ellington, if music "sounds good it is good." All music is popular to someone, even church hymns. So there should be no argument about styles of music. One could certainly argue about the appropriateness of any one style of music for particular social settings. Normally you would not sing a funeral song at a wedding, nor a party song at a funeral service.
I myself enjoy listening to a range of music, from what might be defined broadly as "classical music" to folk, blues, jazz and the Beatles. All of this music has been and remains "pop"-ular music to someone out there, including myself. In fact, isn't it amazing that some music written 2-300 years ago can still be found on the radio playlist?
There is certainly room in the social spectrum for all kinds of music, including current Disney voice, Demi Lovato. God bless us all.
What I can't stand is the systemic pegging of each generation according to what music it likes to consume. Rock, Adult rock, Hip hop, Techno, etc. A few generations back folks on the farm and in the small towns were defined, if at all, by what they created and produced, not by what music they listened to on the radio. They sang hymns on Sundays and maybe during the week they joined social groups that sang and played music that everyone could get into. Music was not a commodity to be consumed but a social activity that people created together. Now all people can think about is what consumer marketing slot they fit into. Because, more than creating music, or creating anything for that matter, we mostly consume. Music is commercially synthesized for mass market consumption. Even religious music today is a label before it is the spiritual expression of a gathered community.
Ok, I'm a baby boomer. Always protesting something. But who wants to be pigeon-holed anyway? I'm glad my son likes music, and he sings well. I hope he continues to create and not just consume. --georgos
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