Sep 23 2008
Credit Crunch Effect on Music?
Interesting article here – http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/musicblog/2008/sep/23/credit.crunch.and.music
Basically discussing how the current economic situation might affect songwriting and music style. Discusses the conditions that led to the surge of rock ‘n roll, punk, and other genres that have offered social commentary.
It’s interesting to me in the sense that I have complained for a long time now that much of mainstream music has lost most of its depth. That most of the talented songwriters with a message have opted for the independent route where their message doesn’t get diluted and exploited for marketing purposes. Will we ever have another Bob Dylan? Look what happened when the Dixie Chicks spoke out (side note – their documentary Shut Up And Sing is critical viewing, and I’m not into their tunes so much). Is the public even ready for meaning in their music again?
Music can be such a uniting, powerful force. Unfortunately so much of what has been commercially successful is really aimed at the other end of the spectrum – keep it simple and appeal to as many people as possible. We need more substance, and it needs to come from people with a platform. So I am hoping that the current state of affairs does encourage people to add more depth into their art at a more mainstream level. It really can change the world.
I’m not sure I buy this. It sounds like this is the type of hypothesis that is open to cherry picking. First, what’s the definition of good? It means different things to different people. Also, what’s the threshold for economic downturn? Why was there no good music post 9-11? Where was the great music after the technology burst? Silicon Valley wasn’t exactly swimming in bands.
The true reason why there is no “Dylan” is because the emphasis on lyrics have died. Dylan was more a poet than a musician. One of the problems with the war anthems of today is that they are too direct in meaning. The use of metaphor and imagery is largely missing. Hint: if you mention Bush directly, it’s probably only relevant to the day you wrote it. If you mention the No Child Left Behind Act, then it’s too specific for the general listener. In short, the music tends to be a less a reflection on society and more a rant by the artist.
We could look at an exception who is often said to be a “young Dylan”: Connor Oburst. Like Dylan, the music itself is not necessarily going to wow anyone, but the lyrics are hard to beat. While he uses the current political climate to vent his frustrations, it could be applied to any time period or country. The power in lyrics is to not only to convey your specific message, but also allow the listener to interpret what you said into his context. If you say “Bush sucks” then I have a hard interpreting that in any other way.
I for one think that the current economic situation could represent a tremendous opportunity for the entire entertainment industry.
Many people listen to music for escapist reasons. If what most of the media currently says is true, there are difficult times ahead of us. That is without a doubt an opportunity for promotion of existing entertainment products. (Major and indie)
For all things creative… A downturn this big, affecting this many people, is sure to impact what (not so long ago) was routine living for most people. New experiences , good and bad, have been known to breed entire artistic movements.
What’s for sure is that music, like so many other forms of expression, should always be put in it’s socio-political-economical context. My guess is that popular mainstream music will probably evolve stylistically to match the current social reality. That may mean less brainless, linear, beat+hook party productions and more introspective, complex, story-telling songwriting.
I for one think that if this does happen, it’s bound to give a breath of fresh air to the current, very repititive, musical panorama. Possibly even generate some visibility for artists like myself, which frankly, I can’t complain about.
I’ve already met several people who won’t be going on vacation this or next year, and I’m pretty sure they’ll pass the time by consuming entertainment products when they’re not working. I guess there always has to be a yang to every ying…
Roman
(Great blog by the way)