The Revolution Starts Now & It Might Be Televised

Mainstream commercial music sucks!!!  In terms of craftsmanship and taste, current rock and pop have reached appallingly new subterranean lows.  Taste levels have plummeted so low, in fact, special geological tools are needed to mine that far below the earth's surface.  It's insidiously scary how crappy pop songs - with inane lyrics and banal melodies - invade the ear.  Turn on any commercial station and you are assaulted with the mundane.  Bludgeoned by the over-produced.  Leveled by mediocrity.

It's a Product, not an Art...Perhaps Britney Spears, The Black Eyed Peas, and Katy Perry could survive and thrive without auto-tune.  Maybe they have dozens of brilliantly moving songs that have just never made it past the major label marketing police. Not to single them out, but these "artists" represent the "McDonald's of music":  Convenient, easy to find, bland, no depth - musically or lyrically, lots of fat, few if any nutrients.  

However, you can't blame the Big Mac and fries. The product itself didn't create the problem.  People might not frequent McDonald's if healthier choices were just as convenient. But, you can't force people to eat dark leafy greens against their will, and those who own McDonald's franchises have no incentive to offer anything else. There is incredible music out there.  Unless you proactively seek it you'll never find it!  Therein lies the problem. 

While I have strong leanings towards certain types of music- primarily what gets labeled "jazz" and "classical"- I am open to any music that has depth and emotional content.  I could support an argument why jazz is the greatest American legacy, but that isn't the point I'm trying to make. In all genres and styles you can find examples of well-crafted music.  The parameters of style may vary, but if the music doesn't have substance, it's fast food.

So how do we fight the trite?  It starts with education and awareness. How do we as musicians and artists make people crave music of quality?  How do we encourage the masses to find music of substance?  Here are some ideas:
 

1) Write letters to commercial radio stations insisting that they adopt more diversity, more eclectic and inclusive formats spanning genres, styles, and eras.  If they refuse to change (which they probably will), only listen to community, college, & non-profit radio stations.  Make sure to support these stations, which depend upon listeners to keep on the air.

2) Take a chance on an indie artist you've never heard before.  Do some online research in a genre you like and listen to samples. Take the time to seek out more interesting artists.

3) Go back in time. Try baroque, early music, classical, opera, art song,  early blues, spirituals, Dixieland, bebop, fusion, gospel, folk songs, reggae, (even classic rock from the 60's/70's).  Music doesn't exist in a vacuum.  There's context and historical relevance.

4) Whenever possible go out to hear live music. 

5) Attend lectures, classes, and concerts where you can learn about music of quality. Try a concert series held at a local community or cultural center, like the 92nd Street Y, for example.  If you live in an area where there aren't many resources of this type, visit an urban area like New York City, where there is so much going on all the time.

6) Seek out World Music.  Every region of the globe has a music tradition.  Search online for different types of African drumming, Indian ragas, Southeast Asian gamelan music, Criollo from Peru, Baltic music... If you have curiosity, you will find music that moves your soul.  Experiment!

Have more suggestions?  Please leave a comment.