Influence of music on the youth
There are different genres of music ranging from pop, rock, rap and hip hop, jazz and classical music. Music is listened by different sets of people for different reasons and is known to be the leading source of entertainment in the world. People use music to express their feelings and also could be used to praise. In today’s society people could listen to music while driving, reading, doing homework or while exercising. This music is found to differ ranging from instrumental, styles, ideas and voices. Despite the good element of music, the concerns as being not on the music itself but on the type of message the musicians bring out in this music. Classical music and jazz has however been found out to have better influence than rap and pop. Critics have it that these types of music have bad on the influence of youth today. This type of music has been said to be having bad and dirty language, sexual references and rebellious behaviours (Joshua, 2006).
Music in the past generations had no much influence compared to today’s generations. People would write the music and sing them out at parties or music theatres. The fusion of these types of music created different genres of music with different messages. The fusion of pop and soul created rhythm and blues. This genre had their driving forces which were the late Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston and Lionel Richie. These influential singers changed the music industry in the United States and all over the world. The young people started dressing, and dancing like them. The musicians determined the way the youth dressed. Their tunes and rhythms were copied by different people globally. In the later years, hip hop was transformed into pop and rap which had significant influence of the youth today the movers of this genres are the likes of Lil Wayne, 50 cent, Eminem, and Rick Ross. There has been great criticism of this type of music today (Joshua, 2006).
Research has it that the youths of today spend most of their time listening to rock, rap and hip hop. They spend most of this time watching and listening to this music clips compared to the time they spend on doing constructive work. Studies have also shown that the most of the youths would spend most of their time thinking of the content which was in music even when not listening to them. They receive less of parental teaching and hence their decisions are mainly affected by what they see or hear from this music which could have a bad effect in the future. Some of the contents in the lyrics are extremely bad and changes the belief of some of the youths. Some of the musicians are antichrist and would sing songs to praise Satan. Other musicians would dress naked and perform in public. This would affect the morals of the youth with some encouraging violent behaviour. Research also has that rock music have had create influence in spreading the abuse of drugs and alcohol. The study done by the American Academy of Child Adolescent Psychiatry stated that some of the themes found in some of the lyrics were troublesome in that they encouraged the use drugs and alcohol abuse and that suicide provided solutions to problems that one could face in life. The organizations then raised concerns of parents not giving attention to their youths. It emphasised that the parents should be able to advise their children to avoid losing them to the creation of music which would control them (Timothy, 1989).
Despite the fact that there is criticism in the recent genres of music, music has been seen to have great influences on people lives. People would listen to music while stressed up and at the end of it feel good. The youths of today should be encouraged to listen to forms of music that is inspiring rather than the music that affect their decisions negatively. The music should be able to inspire them tackle their problems rather than encourage them to take suicidal options or indulge in drugs and alcohol abuse. Everyone is unique and make their decisions as they wish. The youths should be able to realize the fact that music is an act of expression and many artists would go great lengths to sacrifice their moral values and ethics so that they would be famous. Most of the musicians do what they do for money even if that is not what they want to do. This then is to say that music is a great thing and that we could not be happy if we had no music. With the change in times so do the music change and hence the youth should realize that no matter the change, one should be able to uphold their moral values and whenever they see or ear music that have negative impact, they should be able to control themselves from falling into actions of such music (Timothy, 1989).
References
Joshua, Hanes. (2006). Influences: Music and Society. Lulu.com.
Timothy, E., Scheurer. (1989). American popular music: readings from the Popular Press. Bowling Green, OH: Bowling Green University Popular Press.
