“One cannot deny the power of music.” (Laurence O’Donnell, Music and the Brain). For some, music is everything. They listen to it all the time; they turn to music to help them feel better. Music is a very powerful tool in the development and lives of people all over. “Music is thought to link all the emotional, spiritual, and physical elements of the universe”, Laurence O’Donnell stated within his online essay. Music today has changed drastically; it contains more drugs, sex and violence than ever before. More students are not focused on school and focused on whatever is the new fad in the musical lyrics on the radio. Teens are greatly involved with the topics that are popular in the new songs. The impact music has on teenagers in highly powerful, with the recent music; it has made teens more young, wild and free.
It is like a never ending cycle of the impact of music. Studies have shown that music greatly affects the brain. Whether the affects are positive or negative, music helps develop character within young people. The more they turn to it for an escape, the more it becomes a part of them. “In adolescence music makes a major contribution to the development of self-identity and is seen as a source of support when young people are feeling troubled or lonely.” (Susan Hallam, the Power of Music). The messages given out in these songs are mostly not positive. So if a child is already in a negative mood and then turning to a negative song for comfort, the effects are not good. This is happening more and more in today’s society.
“Music is one of the biggest impacts on teen.” A former editor of a teen sexual health website stated before. A lot of young people are listening to more rap, hip-hop, rock, and pop. All of these music categories contain at least sex, drugs and violence; if not all three. There are exceptions of those that listen to the country, gospel and classical; but those numbers are very few to the majority. The music that is portrayed in the “hot” music is giving these teens a false sense of true reality and good character. It is like the role model parents would never want their children to look up to. “Boys learn they should be relentless in pursuit of females, and girls learn to view themselves as sex objects,” Steven Martino wrote. Teenagers are having sex at an earlier age nowadays and proud of it. The numbers of teen pregnancies have flown through the roof. The killings and drug use is just an everyday thing now. Who is to blame, the music of today.
Music is supposed to be delightful and empowering. It is empowering, but not in the positive light. The regulations of what is put out for young adults to hear needs to be stricter. Somebody needs to figure out that the increase of negativity in the younger generation is highly influenced by music. “Unlike visual media, music is a powerful social force that also taps into an individual’s personal identity, memories and mood.” (Tara parker-Pope, Lead author of the Rand Study). There is a lot of danger, confusion, and hurt in the world. Teens are sensitive to all these things that are happening to them. They are in a gentle state in their lives; more are easily influenced by their surroundings. With music being such a big part of today’s culture, the teens are absorbing word from word of the lyrics of songs. This is producing fewer graduates, more convicts, and a worse chance of a better future.
Today’s society involves a lot of social media and music. The impact music has on the generation now is enormous. The large messages of sex, drugs, and violence in the songs today are not a good thing to follow. But teens are taking it all in and it is producing all this crime and mayhem. There needs to be more positive things going on in the music industry. Since it is proven that music has such a strong effect on the brain and attitude of people, there needs to be better lessons portrayed within the music. That could save lives, reduce drug use, promote safer sex. The next generation is at risk, better music can help them out.
Smith-5th
Works Cited
Hallam, Susan. "The Power of Music: Its Impact on the Intellectual, Social and Personal Development of Children and Young People." The Power of Music: Its Impact on the Intellectual, Social and Personal Development of Children and Young People (n.d.): 1-32. Web. <http://www.laphil.com/sites/default/files/media/pdfs/shared/education/yola/susan-hallam-music-development_research.pdf>.
O'Donnell, Laurence. "Music and the Brain." Music and the Brain. Music Power, 1999. Web. 05 Mar. 2013. <http://www.cerebromente.org.br/n15/mente/musica.html>.
Parker-Pope, Tara. "Under the Influence Of...Music?" Well Under the Influence OfMusic Comments. The New York Times, 5 Feb. 2008. Web. 05 Mar. 2013. <http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/02/05/under-the-influence-ofmusic/>.
Wallace, Robert. "'Tween 12 and 20 by Dr. Robert Wallace." Music Has Big Impact on Teen Behavior by Dr. Robert Wallace on Creators.com. Creators Syndicate, 2012. Web. 05 Mar. 2013. <http://www.creators.com/advice/tween-12-and-20/music-has-big-impact-on-teen-behavior.html>.
