I believe that you can tell many things about a society or a culture based on the "popular music" that (it) listens to. This is to be taken with a grain of salt, but theoretically a societies state can be summed up by its pop culture or pop music. It is after all "popular" and influences or touches the majority.
Media and the music we listen to impacts and controls society in a very non conventional way. Repetition and subliminal messages invade your mind without you even knowing it. Perhaps you do notice it and don't care because of the cool tune or the interesting advertisement you see.
Without a doubt, we live in a society/culture that is very party, sex, and drug orientated. This culture is not "new" by any means (remember the days of sex, drugs and rock and roll). The difference I feel is how blatant and in your face it is nowadays. Now sex and drugs is no longer hidden in just rock and roll. It's on your mainstream radio, it's the most popular songs thrown up all over YouTube, and listened to by all ages.
I would like to use Lady Gaga's "Judas" song. I am not in any way religious; but still respect the people that are. I feel it is complete blasphemy and disgusting that the most popular artist currently in Pop Music has presented a song about loving Judas. Young minds and individuals look up to her as an icon and a role model for being different and not caring what other people think. I understand this and I am on board with the basics behind this movement. I am not, however, on board with complete popular garbage flooding the radios and minds of people. Not just Lady Gaga either.
How much does this actual influence us or society? Subliminally it effects us deeper than we will ever know. I take it as, we as a society have let it become socially acceptable (slowly) to have an artist sing a song about her loving one of the most famous betrayers of Jesus. I am trying to make this not a religious thing, because its not. Its a sad realization that we are moving towards a point where nothing will ever be considered sacred.
What would you say about a societies popular music culture based on:
It's so good being bad, there's no way I'm turning back. All pain is for pleasure. Sex in the air I don't care I love the smell of it. Chains and whips excite me.-Rihanna
I cant get enough, this is taking me now. Its taking me higher and higher off the ground. I do this just for tricks just for the thrill, how did I get this high without taking a pill?-Kylie Minogue
Dance the night away, live your life stay out on the floor. Grab somebody drink a little more. -Jennifer Lopez
Watch me move when I lose it hard. Get you off with a touch...dance in the dark. Let me blow your mind tonight. Never felt like this before. Just dance until the world ends. -Britney Spears
To me it feels like the media and popular culture are distracting us from something by this over abundance of blatant and shocking pop culture. These songs and our current songs would not be popular 10, 20, 30 years ago. But in increments they have become our new popular culture.
This goes to prove that when popular culture changes are made stealthily in the background of our daily lives, society will eventually accept or condone anything. You decipher whether this is a bad thing or not.
Hit me baby one more time.
