In previous classes we have discussed many aspects of 'What is visual culture', the main aspect that has stuck out for me is about music influence. At last weeks class we were played a mix of music and news headlines from past to let us see how music reflects the economic climate that it is in; for about 80% of the track I barely had a clue who the historical speaker was and I vaguely knew what song was playing. This is either a reflection of my ignorance to historical events or I was still half asleep in class... Or both!
My excuse is I wasn't born so how would have been involved in such historical events?
It's only in about the last year or so that I've actually payed slight attention to whats happening in the world.I rarely watch the news and I certainly don't read newspapers but people will say that I'm a mature adult now and I should take interest in these things... I disagree, I'm like peter pan(Minus everything except the growing old part)
Veering slightly away from the historical element of music and my undying love of world news we also looked at the progression of art in music. Way back when phones where still attached to cords music was available to buy on large black disks called records( Yep, I've never heard of them either). Well back then music was a case of 'it is what it is', you bought the record purely of the musical content and not because of the artwork on the sleeve. I have noticed that as the technology that the music is recorded on changed, so did the image of the musicians; seems obvious but I wonder about how many people don't realise the effect CD artwork has on them or even how an artist/bands dress sense influences whether or not it's there kind of music. Now I myself do enjoy the artwork but I buy music because it sounds good not because it looks good.
I look at the music scene of today and I all I can do is shake my head, it's awful to say the least and that's my opinion and probably the opinion of many. Previous decades before us can be defined by single movements but today there is simply too many movements and styles to really nail it to one thing. In away this is good, it means that everybodies doing there own thing and anything goes but then why is the music these days all sound the same no matter what artist it is?
It should be a new genre of music, Generic crap. Have noticed how many songs follow this formula- Electronic beat with vocals, a rapping section in the middle then a key change with the same lyrics in an attempt to make you think the songs not exactly the same?
There's possibly another one but it doesn't spring to mind.
