Music Information

Music: Uniting Nations, Dividing Generations


Cultures around the world since the beginning of time have appreciated, enjoyed, and incorporated some form of music in their everyday lives. However, just as one man's trash is another man's treasure, one man's music can often be another man's noise, and vice versa. Still, certain universal aspects of music can serve as a means of communication between two people who have little else in common.

Some say that the only thing that makes music different from noise is the culture of those listening to it. There is some truth in this; you wouldn't expect a typical American teenager to be found head banging to a CD of tribal African chanting. Similarly, you'd be surprised to find that African tribe knowing what to make of a boy band ballad. Of course, such vastly different cultures may not share musical preferences, many slightly more similar cultures can enjoy a real connection as a direct result of shared musical abilities and experiences.

In an attempt to appeal to newer markets, music artists are evaluated for their international appeal as international sales can equal or even surpass the domestic sales figures. This worldly appeal can be successful in creating a shared interest and bond between citizens of greatly different lands: Americans and Chinese, Russians and South Africans. It is thus not surprising that a typical music promotion tour includes various international destinations.

Music artists of today and yesterday have been known to help cross cultural divides in times of conflict and even war. Their music can bring crowds of people in warring countries to their feet, tapping their feet to the rhythm. News broadcasts are frequently carrying stories of disheartened soldiers abroad smiling again after a visit from familiar pop music artists.

On the other hand, music is also a frequent bone of contention between the generations. Why is the music of different generations more often referred to by its respective decade (i.e. 'the sixties', 'the eighties') rather than by its most popular artists or a particular genre? Grandparents are rarely found enjoying the same music as their grandchildren. Much more common, they are often heard complaining that the other's music is too loud, too soft, too fast, or too slow. Even music artists with a wide-ranging appeal, like The Beatles, are not always appreciated by both extremes of the generation gap. Though their music stands a much greater chance of acceptance from fresh ears than rap has from a Frank Sinatra crowd.

Music hence signifies different things to different people often extending to a deeply personal level. Each generation~s music represents the aspirations, heartbreaks, achievements of people living in that specific time period. And as they carry different viewpoints on many daily social and political issues they get further divided by varying taste of music. However, the feeling to be human and alive to the world around us, and the desire to express life's experiences through music remains common to all irrespective of the generation gap - and is capable of crossing the most guarded country borders.

About The Author

Kirby Jones MBA, BSc is the webmaster for Dav Music - probably the largest information resource on music related topics. Visit his web site and get immediate access to his archive of articles here: http://www.davmusic.com/articles/.


MORE RESOURCES:

Dispute over legal music downloads
The Press Association - 1 hour ago
The record industry has insisted that the UK's legal music download market is growing rapidly as a new report suggested many people are still resorting to ...


PC World

5 Groovy Sites for Free Music Downloads
PC World - 14 minutes ago
Short of "free food" and "free beer," "free music" is one of the sweetest phrases you can hear. But getting tunes gratis doesn't have to mean ending up on ...


Phones for good music
Business Standard, India - 3 hours ago
Like any other Sony Ericsson device, W380i too makes browsing and playing music easier even if it does not sport the Walkman 3.0 player found in some of the ...


PR-Inside.com (Pressemitteilung)

TV finally gives country music its close-up
OCRegister, CA - 11 hours ago
By TOM ROLAND When former WB sitcom star Reba McEntire hosts the 43rd annual Academy of Country Music Awards from Las Vegas on CBS Sunday evening, ...
ACM Awards Show Is All About Exposure CMT.com
McEntire says she has more fun hosting ACM Awards The Associated Press
Reba McEntire and Kelly Clarkson coming to JPJ The Hook
all 143 news articles


Bend Weekly

Fans vote for top star at Country Music Awards
Arizona Republic, AZ - 21 hours ago
For the first time, music fans are being asked to join in the voting for the Entertainer of the Year honors at Sunday's 43rd edition of the Academy of ...
Country Music Artists Flocking to Vegas for ACM Awards CMT.com
Keith Urban up for country music awards The West Australian
Kenny Chesney looks set to dominate Academy of Country Music Awards Trend News Agency
Tyler Morning Telegraph - WNDU-TV
all 34 news articles


From Dining Table to Web, Chili's Uses Music to Deliver a Spiced ...
FOXBusiness - 16 hours ago
PlayNetwork also provides custom in-store music programming for Chili's globally. Accessible via the "Fun" section of the Chili's Grill & Bar website, ...


Hindu

Music’s healing touch
Hindu, India - 2 hours ago
A uniquely successful experiment born out of Brazil’s culture of music, dance and rhythm has changed the life for many within these Favelas. ...


guardian.co.uk

Branding has ruined music television
guardian.co.uk, UK - 12 hours ago
Can it be that all music television shows need assistance from leering, cynical 'yoof' brands? Well, yes, sadly Top of the Pops: it may not have been ...


National Research Firm Launches Music Video Contest for Election '08
FOXBusiness - 16 hours ago
The music videos will support the Democratic or Republican parties or their presidential candidates. -- The music videos will be reviewed by mediacurves ...


KIMA CBS 29

Comment: Machines muscle in on music
Telegraph.co.uk, United Kingdom - May 15, 2008
Music is supposed to be the area where we humans reveal our humanity best, but the truth is the machine has been muscling in on music-making for some time. ...
Video: Robotic Conductor Finds His Rhythm AssociatedPress
Robot conductors could take the baton from us guardian.co.uk
Asimo robot conducts symphony orchestra VNUNet.com
The Associated Press - Albany Times Union
all 658 news articles

Music - Google News

home | site map

Visit our other sites:
GamesBlog | GamingDepot | GimmeaRide | GimmeNetwork | Golf Biz | HotorNotGame | I Want Computers | I Want Games | I Want Hosting | I Want Music | I Want Security | JokeBox | ScriptShock | Wantedfonts | Webalize
© 2006