business & industry"In recent years music has become more of a commodity than an art form"
Over recent years, the whole music industry has changed completely. If you look back to the 50's, music was a pleasure, it was something everyone enjoyed. There was no competition and money wasn't a huge factor. Now a days, the music industry is all about the money and the fame. The amount of pressure put upon musicians to produce music and sell music isn't as large as their public image and reputation.
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Here you can see Bill Haley performing his number one hit 'Rock Around the Clock' back in 1955. This was a decade after the end of the war and rebellion was still in process. Music like this was still new and seperated the older generations from the newer ones. You can tell by the bands body language, dress code and stage presence, that they aren't portrayed as sex symbols or fashion icons. They are in it to play music to people that want to hear it. Most of these gigs you see are either for TV shows or free to enter. With such amazing talent, you'd expect them to ask for an entry fee.
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Then this clip is of Miley Cyrus, current chart topping global super star. With help from her father, Billy Rae Cyrus (who was also a global superstar back in his day), Miley got signed to Disney Channel were she was starred in her own TV show. After being an idol to young children everywhere, her contract ran out and she became someone completely different. She defines exactly what music has become in the 21st century. Its focused more on sex appeal, skimpy expensive outfits, drugs, alcohol, money and less focused on musical talent. Cyrus fans paid $80 each to see her perform at this concert in Miami and most of that money will go straight to her.
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Listening to certain music has been shown to improve mood, increase productivity, and even encourage intellectual growth. On the negative side, there are also correlations between promiscuous or violent music and destructive behavior; though some of these correlations can be attributed to a previously troubled youth, others are not so easy to dismiss. Whilst music in the 50's was used to dance to and bring people together, music now a days defines you as a person. Listening to aggressive music can give the listener a stereotype and change their personality/behaviour. With so much band/artist "merchandise" available, the bands are portrayed as more of a fashion statement than an art form.
Now that music is so easily published on the internet, anyone can listen to it and judge it. With the rise of technology, not only is music a completely new genre these days, everything around the music is new and improved to. The light displays at live concerts, the costumes, the sound production, everything!
With technology getting more advance, music is so easy to get hold of free of charge. This excuses all copyright laws and doesn't provide the royalties the owner deserves.
With an extreme amount of money put into the music business now, artists are under so much pressure to deliver and be as popular as they can be. Whether thats by performing ruthless acts to get in the press or wearing the most explicit outfit to an awards ceremony. When people talk about them, more money comes in. In a way, this makes up for the lack of money coming in from the piracy acts.
With technology getting more advance, music is so easy to get hold of free of charge. This excuses all copyright laws and doesn't provide the royalties the owner deserves.
With an extreme amount of money put into the music business now, artists are under so much pressure to deliver and be as popular as they can be. Whether thats by performing ruthless acts to get in the press or wearing the most explicit outfit to an awards ceremony. When people talk about them, more money comes in. In a way, this makes up for the lack of money coming in from the piracy acts.