Friday, February 27, 2009

Music Evolution

Music has been evolving since it was first created. Since the days of the Renaissance and Medieval periods, it has been changing and seems to have no end in sight. Even just looking towards Western musical tendencies, there is much that can be seen, but people have always been listening to music. Music has always been influenced by sacred practices and will definitely continue to do so. Back in Renaissance times, music was made less main-stream in order to get followers of religion to stay faithful and sing only religious songs. However, in modern times, it seems as if the opposite is happening. There are numerous Christian Rock bands, ranging from simple rock'n'roll to emo and screamo genres, both of which are very mainstream. A band that was quite popular a few years ago, P.O.D., found its basis in Christian Rock, with many of its songs referencing God. Music has gotten increasingly complex since it was developed, and judging by the looks of it, will continue to do so. With the globalization of information, instruments are being learned and played that were never able to be learned and played before in various regions of the world. While many of these are traditional instruments that have been restored, it is certianly a possibility that they may gain popularity again in modern times.

Music Matters

Many people, especially in the United States, listen to music on a daily basis. Whether it be listening to the radio or popping in a CD, music is a static force behind the daily lives of Americans. If this was not the case, then there is no way that iPod and other MP3 players would currently be selling so well. Before, music was simply about convenience: having our music to-go was the key factor and ever-evolving technology rise to met that need. From Walkman cassette players, to portable CD players, to iPods that can hold movies as well as music, the possible ways to be entertained on-the-go are numerous. Currently, there are MP3 players on the market that have more memory than the average computer system does! While all of these are wonderful technologies, there is still little that can be enjoyed more than front-row tickets at a concert to hear your favorite band play. Sure, listening to music through headphones is great, but hearing it live is even better. No matter what the occassion, Americans have an intense attachment to music that seems as if it will perservere through just about anything.