From Bob Dylan’s “Don’t Think Twice It’s Alright” to Wu-Tang Clan’s “C.R.E.A.M.”, music transcends life like no other form of creativity. How we dress, act and talk are all influenced by musicians and their work in one way or another. Memories are associated with music; people hear songs and think of what their first kiss was like, what their mother use to listen to, and what movie did a song appear in. We take for granted music in our lives and treat it as if it is just background noise for our lives. The influence of music in society is bigger than we can consciously think.
Music is one of the rare things that evoke a strong, emotional response from us. Whether music allows you to cope with sadness or give you a burst of energy at the gym, the two reasons for music are to make someone feel and for artistic self-expression. Growing up, my main influence was my sister. Her music choices were mine since she controlled whatever we played on the speakers. I was exposed to hours and hours of the ‘90s and 2000’s R&B which shaped my music taste. I remember doing chores while listening to songs like Aaliyah’s “Age Aint Nothin’ but a Number” and Sade’s “No Ordinary Love”. These songs bring me back to the times where things weren’t always about paying bills on time and having a college education. My childhood revolved around this love for music because it made me feel safe and not alone. What music gave me was companionship.
These 3 to 5-minute combinations of tone, pitch, melody, and rhythm are something that the entire world knows and loves. Music is a medium that is understood by nearly every single human in the world and every culture has its own sound and taste. It is a form of art that transcends and creates unity between cultures. That is why you can listen to a song from another country, that may be in a different language and somehow you still feel and understand the artist’s emotions and the message they convey. Music doesn’t involve gender, age, race, or religion; at the center of music is the human experience.
This deeply embedded craft of music harbors the essence of life's beauty.
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