FEATURE:
Joy Division
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Has Music Lost Its Sense of Fun?
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THE answer to the question, I guess, depends on whether…
you view things in binary terms. One can say things are not the same as they were and, when it comes to the mainstream; maybe there is not the same festivity and frivolity as past decades. It is a complex debate but I think there is a definite shift between the mainstream Pop artists and talent elsewhere. It is not as though the 1980s and 1990s were banquets of good times and uplifting anthems: plenty of downcast songs were around; if it was all fun and glee then that would be cloying and pointless. I have been looking at the music coming out at the moment and there are a few sparks here and there. Some have criticised the lack of genuine excitement and innovation in modern music. In some genres, such as Grime and Alternative, you might see flickers of progression and the unexpected but, when it comes down to it – most of the results are quite serious and angry! I am pumped new bands like Shame are coming to the forefront. They seem genuinely able to capture a mood and desire for change and motivation. I have heard few bands able to get under the skin and get me excited – the last was Royal Headache a (fair) few years ago now. I am sure their careers will be long but their qualities and kudos come from other areas.
PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images
They are angry but intelligent; they document the realities of life and youth but, although there is wit and humour; it cannot be accused of being too much ‘fun’. Perhaps that is a drawback of genres like Punk and Rock. That said; genres like Pop and Electro/Dance, the most reliable when it comes to fun music, has become a bit more serious lately. There are hotly-tipped acts like Sigrid and Billie Eilish – they are going to take some big steps in 2018. They are fantastic teen artists who are pushing Pop forward but you have to wonder whether, in a bid to be seen as mature and against the commercial grain, they are sacrificing a certain frivolity for depth and meaning. That may seem an insane criticism – being serious and intelligent is more important than shallowness and empty fun – but, if you see music as a complex and diverse scene – should we not have more fun to balance out the seriousness and study?! I worry too much emphasis is being played on making songs downbeat and emotional; trying to get into the heart – rather than make the body and mind dance and jump. There are acts around in the mainstream – like Tune-Yards, Superorganism and The Go! Team – who I am excited about. Invention and alacrity run through their sounds; they fuse genres and sounds to provide the listener something wildly exciting and engaging.
IN THIS PHOTO: Shame/PHOTO CREDIT: Dan Kendall/Loud and Quiet Magazine
They are proof modern music can be serious and good without being too po-faced and lacking energy. I will come to the differences between older scenes and music today but, before then, a look at a BBC article that has been on my mind. They have been looking at modern Pop and noticing a movement towards something slower and sadder:
“In a 2012 paper entitled Emotional Cues in American Popular Music: Five Decades of the Top 40, E. Glenn Schellenberg, and Christian von Scheve analysed two key elements in hit pop songs. Taking the biggest hits in the Billboard charts from 1950 to 2010, they charted a song's tempo - how fast the backbeat is - and whether it is in a major or minor key. As a rule of thumb, music which is written in a major key tends to sound happier, and minor key songs sound sad.
This isn't a foolproof measurement of a song's overall happiness - some of Coldplay's most sob-worthy choruses are in a major key - but they did find that the public taste is towards more minor key songs with a slow tempo, such as Naked by James Arthur. Even the major key pop songs have got slower, suggesting fun is becoming a scarcer commodity, highlighting, as they put it, "a progressive increase of mixed emotional cues in popular music".
IN THIS PHOTO: Superorganism/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images
Songs have become less tonally interesting and complex: modern songs are simpler, angrier and more personal. The melodies being used today are not as rich and varied before; there are fewer chord shifts and there is a homogenisation of musical discourse – songs are becoming steadily louder and easier to understand. Maybe this is because, in order to grab attention, songwriters are going for something instant and uncomplicated. There is so much competition and choice: can anyone risk being overlooked if they go against the tide and provide songs that hark back to past days? The diversity of transitions between note combinations has decreased over the past fifty years. Artists are no less talented but the scene has changed. Artists, now, are expected to get their songs heard and racking up streaming numbers; appeal to demographics who do not want to dig too hard to find pleasure. Tomorrow; I will look at why we need a modern-day David Bowie in our midst: an innovator and icon that can last through the ages and compel generations. I do not think that is impossible. Now, we are seeing too many brief and transitory artists: few are sticking around and enduring for as long (as Bowie). Innovation and progression do not need to mean you lose a sense of fun and captivation.
Maybe, as the BBC article investigated; we are seeing a general weakening of the music scene. Do we favour sounds from the past? Is modern music able to last in the imagination?
“…That said, it's interesting to note the results of a 2014 poll conducted by Vanity Fair, in which 1,017 adults were asked a series of questions about their musical preferences.
When asked which decade has the worst music, their responses fanned out in broadly chronological order, with the 2010s getting 42% of the vote, the 2000s getting 15%, and the 1990s, 1980s and 1970s coming in fairly equally with 13%, 14% and 12%. This might lead a casual reader to conclude that the people polled were all of a certain age, but it seems to be an evenly held opinion. Of people aged 18-29, 39% voted for the 2010s, while the figure for the over 30s was 43%, which indicates most of the fun is in digging up old songs, rather than keeping up with the new”.
Most of my tastes go back to past days: I keep digging up big 1990s Dance anthems; themes and bangers that compelled me when I was young. I am listening a lot to Oasis and Blur; to dizzying 1980s Pop acts like Madonna and Talking Heads. I know those decades had their fair share of depressing artists but I can rely on older music to get the spirits up and blood racing. A few songs from the past few years, naturally, has left their mark and made me smile. Maybe the rules have changed and the consumer is looking for something different.
IN THIS PHOTO: Madonna/PHOTO CREDIT: Pinterest
Whereas, before, complexity and lyrical exploration was the mark of a great song: now, tracks are becoming more compressed and ‘economic’. Fewer words are being utilised and there is a push towards repetitiveness. Listeners will skip past a song – on Spotify or YouTube – if they are not hooked and won within a few seconds. The first minute of a song is crucial: people will wander off if there is not something immediate thrown at them. The brain likes familiarity and knowing what is coming next. One would think, in an attempt to achieve that, songs would be able to look back to glorious days and how those tracks lodged in the head. A lot of modern Pop has become sadder and self-examining. There is a tendency towards the first-person: songs are less about communities and crowds; it is to do with the self and an individual’s mindset. Does the move from overtness and bonding the masses to a more confined and personal style of music mean it has to become more emotive and serious?! I can understand a need to project truth and a certain anger as the world becomes more tense and unfair. The planet has always been in a bit of a state: turmoil and division are not new or out of the blue. There is a fear ‘fun’ has to be cheesy and juvenile. It does not have to be that way. Over the past few weeks; I have looked at bands like ABBA: able to summon enormous fun and energy whilst writing undeniably detailed and deep songs. It might sound simple on the surface but there is exceptional musicianship at the core.
We know Pop music is being put into the fore this year. It is a good time to examine the artists who will make a difference – and seeing what sounds they come up with. Acts like Sigrid can bring fireworks and sunshine but she is among a band of artists providing a more mature approach to Pop. You can argue the current crop – including Katy Perry and Lady Gaga – are exciting and vivacious but, when you listen to their music; do the songs stay in the head for all that long?! It is difficult to see how music can change so that artists eradicate depression but ensure their music is nuanced, meaningful and important. We need our musicians to speak about what is going on in life; not worry about traditional configurations and demands – many are too eager to follow the pack and produce something simple, repetitive and commercial. I do not have the answers myself but, aside from a few artists who remind me of a time when music was fun, incredibly exciting and moving – the scene is busier but I wonder whether there are other reasons behind the downturn. I have brought in some explanation and facts but maybe the truth is simpler: modern music is more concerned with the first-person and personal woes; the days of getting-the-masses-grinning music is reserved to certain genres and artists.
We have older music if we want to get the face grinning and memories flooding back. Modern music is great but I am fearful there is less fun available for those who need escape and disconnection. We all spend our days working, busy and stressed: the desire to unwind and submit to music is at the top of my mind when I get home. Because of that; I am straight onto YouTube and listening to my favourite songs – most of these are from an awfully long time ago! I can feel myself in need of relief and seeking something that gets my eyes wide and mood elevated. Some modern artists do that but most are suitable for introversion and anger. Those great solo artists and bands provide great music but I do not really go to them for a blast of excitement and happiness: they have their place and unique role. Maybe this is something we need to address as we embrace change and new artists: ensuring music does not lose its character and fun amidst the rush and hastiness of the modern industry. I have not lost hope but I feel there are questions we need to ask. If we want listeners of all tastes and ages to remember music of today years down the line – rather than look back for comfort and reliability – then we need to ensure there is a fair balance of the serious and genuine pleasure. I cannot be alone in wanting music to put me in a better mood and get make me feel happy. If we can make changes, even small, towards a return – in terms of mood and complexity – to the music we turn to for safety; I feel things will be a lot better all-round. How that will be done is a different point. There is the promise of an upbeat-revolution but, in order for it to truly take hold, we must get out of the current ruts and be brave enough…
TO break the rules.