In today’s popular culture, it’s not unreasonable to say that music isn’t what it was.  Every person has the right to create their own craft, and that’s a wonderful concept, but some of the most popular music in 2019 just isn’t that great.

The most powerful part about music is how it can convey emotion. Do you remember when you were sad about something important to you and a sad song came on the radio (or your phone)? It felt as though someone was there for you. That’s because you could feel the emotion. That in itself is a powerful thing. The music doesn’t need to be impressive or flashy – that’s not the argument. For example, Nirvana disrupted the entire world in the early 90s, and Kurt Cobain only wrote simple songs for the most part. The same goes for the Beatles as well.
Most would claim that the most popular music in 2019 is rap and pop music. Since music is usually played on demand nowadays, it’s almost like the same songs are on a loop. And the most popular rap does not have much to say. It’s almost like the producer of a rap album creates these great grooves and beats, then the rapper goes and talks about essentially the same thing in every song. Music should mean something; it should be more powerful than what we listen to today. Where’s the realness? It doesn’t seem authentic. Keep in mind, I speak of the more popular artists, like Migos and Lil Pump. There are tons of great rappers out there like J Cole, Kendrick Lamar, 6Lack, etc. Famous rapper Snoop Dogg even spoke of the problem in an interview, breaking down the sound of modern rap and its issues.

Apps like Apple Music train people not to have an open mind. Back in the ’80s, people could only hear music through CDs, tapes, and the radio.  It gave the music more value, and it meant something to them. Now, we can listen to whatever music we want, whenever we want, and that creates problems. Often, I’m with my friends, and someone will put a song on only to change it after a minute and a half. The value has begun to go down.

Another problem is, again, the open minds. Since we can listen to anything at our desire and the same songs are on a loop, we’re not open to much else. Often, I’ve tried to put on some other music around my friends, and it’s shot down quickly. It’s not because it’s terrible; it’s because people haven’t heard it before. And something being “old” is just a lame excuse. I can listen to a song that came out in 2019 or one that came out in 1958. Can’t we listen to Bruce Springsteen or the Stones? Maybe Alice in Chains or Miles Davis? I’m getting a bit riled up, but my point is that music is timeless.

Now, don’t get me wrong, there’s a lot of cool music that’s modern, not just the great rappers I’ve mentioned above. Leon Bridges (R & B music) is incredible and he is even from Fort Worth. Cage the Elephant is a great rock band. Rock isn’t dead or old; it’s just taking a small nap. Larkin Poe is a band consisted of two sisters, and I’ve never heard the blues delivered better. It may sound like I’m the one without an open mind about music, calling out modern music, but quite frankly, those songs have nothing to say. There’s no emotion or meaning.
It’s time to stop listening to music just because it’s popular. People need to try to listen to some other things for a change, maybe even purchase some CDs. Cars have CD players, you know. Bring back the value of music. Tear down this idea that music can get “old.” If you can’t let go of your inhibitions to listen to rock music, then at least give a good listen to Leon Bridges, the hometown kid.