Whilst I was in Memphis I became a reporter for The Daily Helmsman newspaper for one semester. The University print newspaper had daily editions in both digital and print formats distributed across the city.
The Daily Helmsman
The Daily Helmsman
Subjectivity in music: Do you really like it, is it is it wicked?
By Luke Chapman
One of the most wonderful and unique aspects of any form of music is the inherent subjectivity within every note, breath and instrument you hear. There are vast expanses of genres, and no end to differing sounds and artists out there making music (If you were to call certain things music as compared to noise). The expanse of music stops nowhere between John Cage's 4 33, to the clanging of saucepans in a Logic file, and reaching to Ariana Grande's newest pop release. But why is it that one person cannot stand the dulcet tones of a sweet soul singer whilst another will pay £100's to travel across the country to see the very same artist hated by their colleague, neighbour or loved one?
In todays society, wether you want to or not, you cannot escape music, its in shopping centres, elevators and work places. Unless you sit in the solace of your living room silently, you will not be able to escape the tightening grip of music. But to many, including myself, music is not just a gap filler, or something to dance to in a club, its an event. Music is the first dance at a wedding, its creeping in the background of your first kiss, or its the final goodbye to a loved one at a funeral. Its for this reason, among others, that music imprints its meaning and impact on an individual, and it constitutes a majority of why we listen, or abstain from certain musical works.
Within Musicophilia, Oliver Sacks highlights the process of how emotion is linked to music when recalled within ones own head. He explains how the original and meaningless musical material originates in the basal ganglia, this is then doused in emotions and memories within the thalamocortical area of the brain. This process is how we can listen to a song and it instantly bombards us with overpowering emotions, or remember those cherished moments linked to the piece. It is these events and mental links which draw us to the overwhelming sense of musical enjoyment and pleasure which enthrals us to include that song in our favourite playlist.
The above theory highlights how a euphoric event can plague us with the amazing feeling of our favourite song, this idea also works in a negative sense. I feel a lot of people have most likely had songs tainted by an ex or a song has been linked to someone we've now fallen out with. These factors can equally put us off a song and lead us to detesting the very song we shared so many happy memories with. Thats also the downside of the emotional link to music, although it can make moments a lot better, it can also revive the war wounds of the past many wish were not trawled back up.
My hatred for a band which you have plastered all over your wall is one of the beautiful things about opinion and music, aside from the emotional aspect to music the idea of why music is subjective, is in fact subjective itself. For me I believe the main reason is the event related aspect (overviewed above), however there are other influences which form that of the desire to divulge a musical masterpiece. Because of this, subjectivity is arguable as some people believe that music is objective. Surely it is fact that if a song is musically, tonally, instrumentally and emotionally badly curated, then no one would like it. There is such a thing as a "technically" bad song which is musically; along with other aspects, dreadful. However as this may be true, it is also possible that this atrocious song, is someones favourite song. So can music be truly objective?
.jpg)
Aside from event related subjectivity, and objectivity, there are other reasons as to the subjectivity of music. One further reason is related to the coming of age, it is said that children begin to investigate their own musical tastes opposed to their parents at around age 12. This is when an individual will begin to develop a separate taste and begin their journey of discovering their own desires and pleasures from music. This could be impacted or influenced from friends, television, radio or any other cultural influences. Although a child will begin an independent journey, the influence present from the music they was exposed to as a child is never lost. Music on a young mind has a tremendous impact on someones brain. Children up to the age of six are impacted the most by pitch and its relevant characteristics, meaning that although music may not be a conscious awareness to a 6 year old, the brain is affected hugely by what is played during these developmental stages. On a more personal side, My first ever concert around the age of 8 was Westlife, and to this day their music is still present in my playlists. I also was played Enya a lot when I was a baby as I found the music relaxing and beneficiary to go to sleep, and as before, this music still has a large impact on my psyche and is still a relevant aspect to my music taste today, showing the impact on a developed mind.
Relating the music during childhood, the social class system could also have huge impacts on what we listen to. It is no secret that nearly every musical genre has a stereotypical listener. If someone was playing techno music out of a car and you could not see the driver, you would already have a preconception as to how you may perceive the driver. Equally if you was to walk into the Royal Opera house in London, you would most certainly see a trend in that of the attendees. As a society are we drawn and shaped by these stereotypes of music? Does one listen to opera because they have money and own a tuxedo, or does the fact one owns a tuxedo and has money lend to the fact that the psyche of said person will enjoy the listenings of Opera music? What has more of an influence on a person, their social standings, or the music they listen too?
Subjectivity and individuality are beautiful things, however they do also pose a threat to the new music market. Both the event related aspect and the exposure of music as a child hinder people listening to new music of which they haven't heard. We are all culpable of putting on the same playlist we listened to 5 years ago because it brings back so many good memories, even if the same artists featured have new albums out. The idea of not listening to new music "because we haven't heard it" or that it doesn't remind of us great times, greatly affects many artists alike. It can hugely detriment the careers of older iconic artists whom are still releasing new music today such as Madonna or Kylie Minogue. It is the responsibility of all music consumers to enlighten themselves with not only listening to their 2000's R&B playlist, but to also delve into the wonderful world of brand new up and coming artists. Even shuffling the "new music Friday" playlist on Spotify would make a huge change and could drastically impact a listener for the better. After all, how are we meant to make new everlasting memories with the same songs on repeat?
Previous article
Blog Home
Next article