Music has impacted me more than anything else in this world. Music fills the silence when it becomes too much and says the things we’re too afraid to say, or even the truths we’re too afraid to face. With that being said, I don’t believe music could never have a negative impact on society, much less any one artist. Music is a form of self-expression. What makes music so incredible is the fact that it says the things we are too afraid to say and too afraid to face. It’s why one single song can mean a thousand different things to a thousand different people. If Miley Cyrus sings about sex and drugs and a twelve-year old-girl decides she wants to participate in those things, it’s her decision and her individual response to that song. I think there are probably a lot of other different factors in play when it comes to making that decision. Miley Cyrus or any other musical act shouldn’t have to behave a certain way because “kids might listen to this.” Miley is just being who she is the same way a Christian rock artist is being who they are, and I think telling that twelve-year-old girl “you shouldn’t be who you really are because some people might not like it” is way worse than singing about sex and drugs. People do have the ability to think and decide for themselves, and I’m not going to go out and drink just because Miley Cyrus told me to. And if I do decide to go out and drink, it probably will have nothing to do with Miley Cyrus.
What excites me the most about music today is what has always been exciting about music – how it’s growing. There are so many types of music and so many new artists emerging constantly. Music can also be communicated in different ways. With YouTube, people all over the world can share their versions of their favorite songs. I personally love YouTube covers of Billboard Hot 100 hits, because there are more ways than one to interpret a song.
An artist I’ve always loved since I was 10 years is Billy Joel. The first song I’ve ever listened to by him is “Vienna” and it is my all-time favorite song. It’s a song about growing up and realizing that you don’t need to have everything right at this very second, that your time will come. My favorite line is “Dream on, but don’t imagine they’ll all come true.” It’s bittersweet, but I like the message. Basically, don’t be afraid to dream big, but don’t assume you’re going to get every single thing you’re asking for. At this point in my life, at this age, a song like “Vienna” definitely holds true in many ways and has perfectly captured all of my feelings towards music since I was ten years old.
What excites me the most about music today is what has always been exciting about music – how it’s growing. There are so many types of music and so many new artists emerging constantly. Music can also be communicated in different ways. With YouTube, people all over the world can share their versions of their favorite songs. I personally love YouTube covers of Billboard Hot 100 hits, because there are more ways than one to interpret a song.
An artist I’ve always loved since I was 10 years is Billy Joel. The first song I’ve ever listened to by him is “Vienna” and it is my all-time favorite song. It’s a song about growing up and realizing that you don’t need to have everything right at this very second, that your time will come. My favorite line is “Dream on, but don’t imagine they’ll all come true.” It’s bittersweet, but I like the message. Basically, don’t be afraid to dream big, but don’t assume you’re going to get every single thing you’re asking for. At this point in my life, at this age, a song like “Vienna” definitely holds true in many ways and has perfectly captured all of my feelings towards music since I was ten years old.
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| Billy Joel's fifth studio album, including "Vienna" |
You make a really good point about everyone making their own decisions to go out and do things projected in songs like drink, smoke, or have sex. I think that people will be more likely to go do those things if they are influenced by peer pressure but I agree that ultimately we make our own decisions. Billy Joel has so many good songs, I love his work. He is realistic about things in life which I think is really important.
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