Isn't it funny how something as simple as music can affect so many people's lives?
Personally, I don't think I could manage without it. Silence is louder than any other sound and I think that, if I could, I would eat, live, breathe music. Music can be used in every situation, without exception, to say something that mere words cannot and that is the beauty of it.
Music can be completely personal if you want it to be. You don't have to share it with anyone. They have no right to judge you on what you are listening to, although they may want to, because it is what appeals to you. For instance, while most of my friends will be listening to whatever the music industry is currently churning out on the Top 40 (for the simple reason of making money and filling people's brain with irritatingly catchy songs), they probably couldn't imagine that I am listening to 'Together Again' by Dave Koz (who I have just discovered on Spotify) (which is purely instrumental and has an incredibly beautiful saxophone part). It saddens me to think that they may not appreciate this kind of music because, as one of my friends asked incredulously when listening to 'Intro' by The XX (one of my all time favourites), "Where's the music?" By this, she of course meant the lyrics but it was quite shocking to find that, these days, many people think that music can only be counted as a proper song or piece if it has a vocal part. Disheartening news for instrumentalists to say the least.
Now I am in no way trying to say that, in terms of music, these people are stupid or are unable to appreciate the good stuff. I am merely saying that it is a shame that less well known artists are not able to expose their music as so many people concentrate purely on the charts and are not interested in what could be seen as 'out there'. (Just to note, 'Spanish Sahara' by Foals has just come on and has, as always, transported me into a state of fuzzy happiness) I am also not saying that what is in the charts is not proper music (although some of it does make me turn off the radio and choose to sit in deafening silence instead) and it pleases me no end when the like of Mumford & Sons and Florence + The Machine work their way up to the Top 10. All I would want is for people to become more open to new music and to not be ashamed of listening to songs that they secretly like but that make others go "What the f**k is that?!"
I have found some of the most beautiful music just by searching around Genius on iTunes, clicking through unsigned bands of MySpace (which thankfully allows you to buy the music as waiting for it to gain recognition and come out on iTunes had previously proved a bit too much for me) or just talking to friends who know the kind of music I like, or in their opinion I should listen to.
I have one friend in particular who literally does eat, breathe, live music and you will never see him without a pair of headphones around his neck. From him I have been given over 1000 songs, most of them from bands like The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Weezer, Joy Division and The Smiths. However, from his CDs I have also discovered Phosphorescent, Spiritualized and Doves and he is intent on nurturing people's musical growth one song at a time. People like him are unique and do not come around often so, if you find such a person, hang on to them: they'll teach you more than you ever learned at school.
The reason of writing this was not to have a whine about the music industry but to encourage people to broaden their horizons when, for example, listening to the radio in the car on the way to work - instead of putting on Smash Hits radio station, try and diversify your selection and find a local station which promotes local acts. If not then some of the bigger radio stations, such as Radio One, have shows where they play what is up and coming or what they have big hopes for. Then, if you find something you like, spread the word and from then the only way is up.
The most beautiful thing about having millions of songs in the world is that we will never be able to listen to them all and so discovery continues.
Band of the day: Treelines (search them on MySpace - they're described as a love child of the Weakerthans and Gaslight Anthem, raised by Joel Plaskett.)
Just listen.
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