Rock Vs Pop Essay, Research Paper
Music is an outlet to all aspects of life and has a significant way of
forming people and the way they live. Although not always seen directly, culture
has an overbearing influence on the music that is produced and made popular. The
political climate of the early seventies was full of fire with issues such as
Vietnam and constant protest throughout the Unites States. Social issues also
played a major role in the developing culture of the seventies. Bands often used
their popularity to spread their feelings on such topics. They were, and still
are, the central of communication between all genres of all people across the
world. The music these bands produced, while broadcasting their opinion, also
helped shaped our culture. Through twenty years of constant criticism from
people who did not believe in rock music, the power of the band’s opinions still
affects how our country feels about many topics. Some of the things that affects
how the public feels include lyrics, image, and sound
Both classic rock music of the seventies and modern rock music of the
nineties use music to speak to the public. They always have used their
popularity to demonstrate their feelings on wars, depressions, and beliefs.
Almost all rock music groups have had at least one point in time where they
address war, and the feeling of fighting for what is right was often found in
lyrics. Many people believed that the classic rock groups were bad for the soul
or included the use of mind-altering substances and promiscuous sex. There was
more to rock music than this, much more.
In the musician’s lyrics, from the classic rock music era of the seventies to
the more modern forms of rock music of the nineties, many good things have been
extracted. Although there was the use of drugs and there were some bands that
were against authority, the musician’s from both eras found their lyrics to be a
useful source of output and to let the audience and the public know how they
stood on political or social issues.
Sadly enough, however, modern rock music has taken on a different type
lyrical content. Many of the lyrics found in modern rock music is extremely
vulgar, unlike most of the music from the seventies. Modern rock music has
earned a reputation for being high impact, loud, energetic, and intense. People
often associate the message of all modern rock music as containing nothing more
than violent anti-government statements and messages of alienation, once again
stirring up ideas in the public, and having an immense impact on our society,
young people, public views on music, and other rock music bands. Often, unlike
classic rock bands, which tried to pursue peace in a more relaxed type of
lyrical content, modern bands offer nothing more than a continued sentiment of
hostility towards the fans. As a result of the belligerence, many blame the
decline in morale in young people today on the messages, which are transmitted
through lyrics and vulgarity.
The image in which all rock groups convey, including both modern and classic,
is one of rebellion and anarchy. Both genres were for the most part, rebellious
of the typical traditional way of life. In each musician’s personalities, there
was a belief in which molded a band’s image. Some of the beliefs include
Christian and gothic type music. Although there were many bands that fell
outside of these two categories of musical and lyrical content, almost all rock
groups fell under one of the two stereotypes. Christianity is a more relaxed and
non-belligerent form of communication and gothic is hard core and denounces
organized government and religion. Whether or not the band actually pushed their
beliefs on others, the lyrics were written and did convey certain messages to
anyone that listened to the music, whether it be a song by Led Zeppelin or Limp
Bizkit.
In our modern world, most people are not afraid to speak out and most people
do so. Our society is more open to new ideas and our music reflects this
thought. Lyrics in modern rock music are much more vulgar than those of the
seventies. Part of the reason may be that because our society is open to new
ideas and thoughts, musicians can get away with progressively more vulgarity in
lyrical content. The difference in the type of lyrical content used in the
seventies compared to that of the nineties goes without question. The musicians
today are much more liberal in what they say and what they present to the
public. Although both modern and classic rock music have been almost an outcast
of society for twenty years, modern rock is more open and expresses a more
gothic gesture than most classic rock music.
There has always been a unique sound each band has that attracts certain
fans. "From the beginning of time, mankind used it’s voice as well as
objects such as wood, rock, and sand in order to create harmonious
melodies" (Romeu 1). Throughout time, science progressed as well as
innovation, and with this came the dawn of new instruments such as drums,
pianos, flutes, and guitars (Romeu 1). Both eras of rock used these types of
musical instruments in one way or the other. They are the essentials of music.
Although there are modified forms of instruments and there are even new types of
instruments, music still manages to convey a message of one type or another to
all that listen. Music grows with time and as the people change, so does their
choice of sound. Music has evolved in so many ways in the past five decades,
that there are numerous genres of music, including disco, pop, classical, rap
and country. With the spread of ideas between bands, comes the combination of
all type of music. "Although music styles have changed throughout the
years, musicians remain the same, constantly adapting sounds to evolving
technologies" (Romeu 1). Whether or not we want music to change, a
musician’s preference in which manner he expresses himself will forever be in
change. Modern rock and classic rock both evolved in their time period. With the
innovation of technology, come new sounds and that is what makes a band unique.
Music has now evolved into a new sound known as Techno. Many of the
instruments are electronic and most bands compose the beat via keyboard.
Numerous people dislike the new sound and "Techno critics complain that the
computer-generated sounds have caused music to lose its soulful existence"
(Romeu 1). "Although there may be dissension within elctronica music
circles, the sound has united Europe and the U.S. with it’s popularity" (Romeu
2). Sure enough the new sound has started to spread rapidly throughout our once
guitar-based music culture and the speed and catchy beats amaze almost
everybody. Modern rock now utilizes electronics to do the job that a traditional
drum and bass guitar would do in a classic music based rock group. The concept
of our society accepting new ideas plays a major role in why our music changes
so much and techno is probably a direct result of this concept.
Lyrics, image and sounds of modern and classic rock music groups play a major
role in how our country feels on political and social issues. The lyrics, images
and sounds of both eras have evolved and have shaped our culture. Musicians use
their music to express their ideas, to celebrate, to mourn or to simply tell a
story (Romeu 1). People will always use music to find answers and the musicians
will use their popularity to spread message to the public. This took place in
the seventies, the nineties still has power of music and the future is sure to
have the power of music. How will the music evolve in the future? Nobody knows,
we have to leave that up to our society to figure out how our music’s lyrics,
image and sounds will change.
Romeu, Jeanette. 13 February. 2001: 2 pages. On-line. Internet. Available
WWW: http://www.terra.com/specials/techno/index_lycos.html