Concerts

One  of my favorite things that fall under the wide subject of music is concerts.  They are an amazing experience that I believe everybody should have at least once in their life, preferably more.  I personally have been to about 12 concerts at various ages, and have never been disappointed.

Every artist or band does it differently.  Some like to mix up their songs, others do it just as they sound on the radio.  Some artists bring guests to join them on songs, others like to perform solo the whole time.  When you go to a concert, you never know what you are going to get.  This is what I like, because you never see the same show twice.  For performers, everything is live, so you can't go back and do it again.  You have to work with what you have, and put on a good show for the people that came to see you.

For performers, they feed off of the energy of the crowd.  If the crowd is having fun, the artist will do more to make them have a good time, and be amazing for them especially.  If everyone is just sitting and watching them, it's not going to be as good of a show.  You control your experience, so make it a good one.  

I will admit that some people put on a better show than others.  Some artist are gifted with ways of getting a crowd going, and some artists make their shows feel really scripted, and you can feel that. The energy isn't as high, and it just feels fake.  Other artists will come out and just have conversations with the crowd.  They make it feel more personal, and an over all more down to earth show overall.

The most annoying thing that a performer can do at a concert though, is lip sync their whole show.  This just makes the show less real, and more scripted.  It's pretty much then just listening to amped up louder versions of the album, so what's the point?  A performer should be able to perform.  This would be like a teacher showing up and telling their class to learn themselves by reading the textbook.

Concerts are some of the best memories I have made, and make the album music come alive.  Once you see a song performed live in concert, you can imagine that show every time you hear it after, and it makes it that much more special.  Try to get to at least one concert, you won't regret it.

Ways to Get Music on the Go

There are many different ways to listen to music on the go.   The most common is the radio, as most people listen to it in the car every day, multiple times.  This is a good, free way of getting the music that you like.  There are many different stations, and it's easy to change the station to match the type of music you want to hear.  The downfall of this is that a lot of radio stations are local, so if you go on a road trip or travel far away, it is hard to find new radio stations.  The nice thing about this is that with the music, you can also catch up on celebrity gossip if you like that, hear about local happenings, and other topics of discussions.

Another common way of listening to music is Youtube.  People listen to video playlists and choose what songs they want to hear.  A good thing about this is that you are in control of what you want to hear, but you have to keep the app open to listen to them.  This can kill your battery on your phone quickly.  Another struggle is that often internet might be running too slow for videos to load.  I personally do not like it because you have to pick a new song when one ends, or cannot find songs that I want to hear.

One of my favorite ways of listening to music on my phone is using Pandora.  This is an app that is free, or can be purchased.  The only difference is that the free version has ads sometimes, and personally, I don't mind them.  On Pandora, you create your own stations, and then they play songs that it thinks you would like.  This is nice because it opens me up to new music, I can have as many stations as I want, and my favorite part is that I can ban songs that I don't like.  There are only two flaws that I see with this form of music on the go.  The first is that Pandora uses internet.  This makes it hard, as if internet is slow, the music will freeze, and I use all of my phone data, and then my parents get angry... The other issue that I find is that you cannot restart a song, and you can only skip a few songs in a certain amount of time.  Sometimes I have a part that I want to hear again, and want to skip a lot of songs, because they are over played or not what I want to hear at that time.

Similar to Pandora, but not as good in my opinion is Spotify.  This is another free app, that you can also purchase to get rid of ads, and requires internet.  This one is different in the way that you create playlists that you want to hear, or find pre-made playlists, or playlists made by others.  The thing I don't like about this as much is the fact that it doesn't make you hear new music.  you can listen to the same songs for days on end.  I like that this way, I can make a playlist of songs that I want to hear at specific times, and have those saved.  You can also save songs that you would otherwise have to purchase.  This is a good way to save money if you aren't sure you like the song or album yet.

Another awesome way to get music on the go is to download songs and albums to your phone.  This is simple and easy because it doesn't take internet to listen to listen to music, and it's a one time purchase.  You can buy one song, or a whole album.  You can download it from the internet, or but the album and import it to your phone.  The only downfall to this is time.  For me, it takes time to download music, and I never sit down and do it.  When I do, I take an hour or more and add a lot of music.  I then take a lot of time and take old music that I don't want any more and clear it out.

These are not the only ways of getting music on the go.  These are just my favorite, and the most popular.  There are thousands of ways to do so, you just have to look and find one that works for you. I suggest Pandora or downloading music, but I, and many other authorities and musicians, ask that you don't pirate music.  This is just not right, and really does hurt people.  Happy Listening!!

Memories Come Flooding Back

Recently, I was driving home from bowling practice, listening to the radio.  Out of nowhere, I got this overwhelming sense that I should be going to combo practice that I was a part of the last two years.  Or that I was supposed to be going to a place that I used to go after practice a lot last year to study.  The weird thing about it was that the place that I used to go has been closed since March, and I'm not in combo anymore.  I was trying to figure out why I had that feeling, knowing that I had nothing to do.  I was trying to think if I had something that I had to do, or someplace that I had to be.

That's when I realized that I was singing along to the song "Counting Stars" by One Republic.  I hadn't heard this song in a long time, but I used to hear it almost daily, mostly when I was driving home from bowling practice.  I realized that I was back into my old routine, and it felt no different than before, even after a year of time had passed.  I then got to thinking, and this made me realize that this happens to ma a lot.  I hear a song that I used to hear in an old routine, or that I used to listen to all the time, and suddenly I'm back in that time of my life.

It also makes me remember things that happened in those time.  I was recently cleaning my room, and I had my phone connected to speakers, listening to music while I worked.  I will admit to having a lot of really old music on my phone, and I'm not even going to try to make up an excuse.  I do have moods that I will enjoy listening to old Miley Cyrus, Hannah Montana, Jonas Brothers, groups form my childhood.  Some of these songs were playing, and I was reminded of so many different times and memories of when I was young.

I feel as though this happens to everyone.  Some odd sense of Deja Vu, or randomly being reminded of memories of childhood.  As I have discussed before, music creates memory hooks.  But sometimes the memory hooks just jump back at us.  We feel like we are back in a time, and we go back to that routine, or try to.  This could be a good thing, or a bad thing, and sometimes just simply strange.  Personally, I like when this happens.  It shows me how far I have come in life, and that I still have places to go.

The Time Has Come

CHRISTMAS MUSIC! Who doesn't love Christmas music during the holidays? It's so festive and pretty and sets the mood for what the holidays should be. And the best thing is that, at least in my experience, is that I can listen to it all season and not get tired of it, because there are so many different versions of songs. And, who could forget? "The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear" --Buddy the Elf

There are a few that are classics, like Rudolph the Red Nosed Reigndeer and Jingle Bells. I have loved these since I was a kid, and get so excited to sing along to them. There are also ones like Drummer Boy and Away in a Manger, that are more true to the Christmas story, and bore biblical. These are beautiful too.  I hear carolers singing these and I have to stop and listen, whether I'm in the grocery store, the mall, or out in the street. I feel compelled to appreciate what they are doing by spreadin Christmas cheer. No, I'll admit, I'm not a religious person, but remembering the true meaning of Christmas is important to me. 

There are a few songs, however, that I don't quite like called Christmas music. I think they are more love songs that want to be Christmas music. These are songs like "Last Christmas" and "All I Want For Christmas Is You."  The only thing really festive about them is the music behind it that might have jingle bells and twinkly sounding instruments, and the word Christmas. Yes, I do still appreciate these, but that's not what I choose to listen to all the time. 

I love hearing the same song over and over, but listening to different artists' versions of it.  Every time, it sounds like a different song. Some are better than otbers, but it's still fun to hear.  Some of it is slow and calm, and super peaceful. Others make songs be really upbeat and fast and make you want to dance. I like this mix, because I get something different every time. I also like hearing older Christmas music, versions from the 50's. These are just odd and unique and different from what I hear the rest of the year. 

Christmas music is what makes me jolly. There isn't anything better that driving around town, Christmas music playing, Santa hat on, buying presents for friends and family. Donating toys to Toys for Tots, or an angel tree, spreading joy to everyone around me. So this year, channel your inner Elf, and remember, "The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing lobs for all to hear." Santa's sleigh will appreciate it! 

Scores

Have you ever watched a scary movie without the score? Or an action movie? Or a romance movie? Music adds so much effect to a movie and really put the viewer into it. This is vital to the success of a movie. 

Think about that scene in a horror movie, when the killer is in the house, and the girl is walking around, looking for him, knife in her hand. You hear that tense music, you're on the edge of your seat, and bam!! The killer jumps out, you scream and throw your popcorn, and hide your eyes from the screen until you hear things calm down. Now imagine the same scene, but without the music. It just becomes a girl in a house with a knife. There is no tension built up. You wouldn't be scared at all. The movie would be awful. 

Now think about a scene in a movie, when there is a huge battle between the hero and the villain. There's really intense music, adding to the thrill of the fight. Or maybe somebody is being chased by the bad guys, with more fast music playing. This makes you want the good guy to do better. It makes you root harder for your favorite person. You feel drawn into the movie, and want a specific outcome that much more. 

In some cases, the score of a movie becomes wildly famous. Think of Rocky. You know the theme, that rings out as he's training, and runs up the steps in Philadelphia. This is one of the most iconic scenes in movie history. Or when Darth Vader marches in as The Imperial March booms over the speakers around you. And who could forget Jaws? You here that familiar sound get faster and faster, and you know that somebody or something is about to be eaten. 

Scores are vital to movies, and tie it all together with a little bow right on top. I puts the final touches into it, to really set the mood and impact people the most. I challenge you to watch a movie, but without the score. It will be nowhere near as good, no matter what movie it is. 

It's Not a Competition

With the American Music Awards being on tonight, I feel it's a fitting time to discuss music being a competition. It's not. We have award shows for various categories, but that's not what it's about. 

Music is about spreading happiness, or feelings. It's about expressing yourself. It's about being together, and connecting with those around you. Artists all work hard, and put their hearts and souls into the music they make, no single artist works harder than another. 

This also holds true in high school bands and musical groups. They all work super hard to make a good show. Every group, from band to show choir, they all have a love for music, and they are all there to get better at what they love doing, and to be a team that works together. Yes, most groups go to competitions, whether they are invitationals or state competitions, and yes, they do get scores. Somebody ends up first, second, and so on, and unfortunately this means somebody is last.

But just because you got a higher s ore that another group or person doesn't mean that you beat them. It simply means that you were liked a bit better. And this is simply in the minds of the judges that were scoring you. It doesn't mean that every person played the music perfect, or hit the choreography perfect. It simply means that the judges didn't pick that stuff out too much. The next time you go to a competition , you could be last place, because they are not the same judges. As long as you work hard, and give it your all, everybody is a winner. 

I'm also not saying that award show are complete crap. Winning awards for artists are a big accomplishment. To them, I means that all the hard work they have oht into their newest song or album pays off, and that people liked what they did.  It makes them feel honored, and proud. It doesn't mean that they are the best around, it means that for that specific category or time in their career, they were liked better than the other artists nominated for that award. 

So the next time you go to a competition, don't boast that you "beat" another band. Tell all of the other groups that tbsy did a great job, because they did. They worked just as hard as you did. The judges were simply in your favor for that time. 

Music with Meaning

Things happen. You have your first kiss, you get married, you get in a car accident, things impact your life. One thing that always seems to be there, is music. It always seems to be a part of major life events. You remember them for your whole life, and you can usually tell what song was playing when it happened. Or the music playing made the thing so much better, or in some cases, much more awkward. 

I'm a student, so I obviously haven't gotten married. But the first dance at my parents' wedding was Almost Paradise from the movie Footloose. They hear this song and they start to tell stories of old times, their wedding, and memories from when they were young. After my first kiss with my boyfriend Scott, I got in my car and the song Cheerleader was playing. This has become our song, and now it seems like every time we are together, or every time we think about each other, it plays.  When I got in my first car accident not too long ago (nobody was hurt, just a bit of damage to my car), the song Where Are You Now was playing on the radio. 

I don't consciously think about these things, but when I hear these songs, the memories flood back to me. I can remember what I was doing, where I was, what I was wearing, almost everything about that moment. This happens to a lot of people. They just remember things because the memory is hooked to that song. I love it when this happens, because a lot of the memories make me happy. And if they don't, it means that I've learned something from those memories. It's an amazing feeling. 

Maybe this doesn't happen to everybody. Maybe it is just me, and I'm crazy. But this is yet another reason that I love music so much. It affects people in amazing ways, and just by hearing a song, they can remember things that happened years ago and be happy again. Just reminiscing in old times, thinking about memories that they will hold on to for the rest of their life. That's why music is beautiful. 

What's Behind the Music?

As a member of the Kennedy band, we have many things go on in the year. We have marching band season, pep band, and concert seasons, as well as ensembles that happen throughout the year, such as flute choir, show choir combo, and jazz band. When we go and perform at different events, or places in the city, we have people that come up and ask us to play different songs, such as what's popular on the radio, old classics, or simple songs such as Happy Birthday.

What these people don't understand, is what is behind the music. They don't know how hard we practice, how many variations there are to simple tunes, or how hard it can be to play something As a group, by simply sight reading it. (This is what it's called when musicians are given a sheet of music, and they read through it a first time. Often, while playing with a group, people get lost, and it doesn't sound too good.)  Our director can't just say "Okay band, play Uptown Funk," and we do it. We don't know the notes, the rythem, or the key. These are essential to successfully play a song. 

Asking us to play something without practice first, or music in front of us would be like asking a baby to be born, then go run a marathon. It's like asking a kindergartner to do algebra. We have to learn and practice first. This is why we practice daily. Some days, we only get to a few measures. Other days, we focus on getting runs, usually a while after we have been practicing the songs. We spend about two months practicing for a concert, then put those songs to rest. Then the process starts all over again.  

It seems tedious and pointless, but as musicians, we love it. We find joy in spreading the art of music. We view our fellow band members as family. The band room is our home. Seeing somebody find happiness, and enjoy our music is what makes the hard days worth it. 

As much as we would love to play your friend Happy Birthday, or play the cool songs on the radio, we just can't. Maybe we will be able to play it in pep band season, or maybe we will play it at a concert sometime, but we can't just play it. We may be good musicians, but we're not that good. 

Singing For the Eyes

When we look at today's singers and artists, we see them for their looks.  When a famous singer performs on television or at a concert, they put a lot of work into the production, the lights, the outfits, the dancers, and the outfits.  They make the performance visually appealing.  They are singing for the eyes, not the ears, or the soul.  

Let's take a look at Nicki Minaj.  Below, there is a picture of her from 2011, after a performance on Good Morning America.  You can see her wild hair, open jacket with a very small shirt that shows off a lot of skin, and interestingly printed leggings to go under a skirt that appears to be clear plastic.  Her shoes are leopard print rain boots, and the outfit is tied together with big yellow hoop earrings, and large round bracelets.  This is a few years old, and since then, she has been spotted in a lot more crazy and questionable outfits, most that shoe off a lot of her body.  As you can see in the background there was a large set to go with it.  

Nicki Minaj, Miley Cyrus, and many others are very guilty of singing for the eyes.  They put on a big fancy production to distract from the music they are performing.  They do it because they want to be talked about, and be thought of as the best.  This also sets a negative image for how people think they need to dress.  Obviously people aren't going to go out and wear a plastic skirt, but they see artists showing off their bodies, they see that people find that appealing, and they believe that they need to do so as well.  That's not right.  

On the other side of this spectrum, we have people that sing for the eyes, and the soul.  One of the best examples of this is Adele.  She never puts on a big flashy show, and she keeps things simple.  Below, we see her performing at the 54th Annual Grammy's in 2012.  She is wearing a simple black dress, she doesn't have crazy hair, and she is modest.  We can also see that she is a plus sized woman.  She doesn't have to put on a big elaborate show to be talked about by people.  She does that through her music.  

 I believe that artists should be more interested in the music, not the performance.  The performance is about the music and the message.  Music isn't meant to be visually appealing, it should be listened to.  It should be for the people to enjoy and relate to.  I'm not saying that artists should stand at a microphone, sing, and be done.  I'm just saying that we should worry less about the show, and more about the song. 

Holiday Music in November

No.  Absolutely not.  Christmas is in December. Why do we need to put our Halloween costumes away, and immediately start turning our radio stations to "Jingle Bell Rock" and "Last Christmas?"  Don't get me wrong, I love Christmas and Christmas music as much as the next guy. I fully embrace the holiday spirit and will sing along to it all, no matter who is around.  But not before I have had my Thanksgiving turkey.

Christmas music is a seasonal tradition.  Key word in that phrase: Seasonal.  Meaning it has a season.  Listening to holiday music year round, or too early makes it less of a treat when it comes around.  If we kept our Christmas trees up year round, would it be as fun seeing them lit up in the window when you drive past a house? If we had fireworks every week, would they be as fun on the Fourth of July? no, they wouldn't be.  So why is Christmas music different?

In my opinion, the Christmas season starts the day after Thanksgiving, or Black Friday, and ends on the 26th of December.  Yes, there is some wiggle room to take down the decorations, because I know how people are busy, and you have a lot of new fun stuff to play with from Christmas.  But the Christmas needs to stop once the new year rolls around.  In this time, I am constantly listening to Christmas music.  Tis the season! But not before, and not after.  

 We do not have a shortage of music to listen to.  If you believe this is happening, please look at some of my older blog posts.  There are plenty of ways to expand your horizons and discover new music. Artists are constantly releasing new music, and new music doesn't have to be new.  Just please, do not start listening to Christmas music non-stop the day after Halloween.  

Music in Movies

Who doesn't love musicals?  They're movies and music! And it's totally normal that you randomly burst into song when you're happy.  Or sad. Or angry.  Who doesn't do this?

Okay, nobody does, and a lot of people really hate musicals, but I don't see why.  A lot of really great music comes from them.  And not all musicals have the characters in the movie or production singing.  Look at Footloose, one of my favorite old movies (The original is so much better than the new one).  It's about dancing and music in a small country town.  Kevin Bacon never bursts out into song, but there is a really neat dance scene in an old warehouse.  From this musical, we got some pretty good music, such as "Holding Out for a Hero" by Bonnie Tyler, "Let's Her It for the Boy" by Denise Williams, and, of course "Footloose" by Kenny Loggins.  These are songs that became wildly popular because of this movie.

Another one of my favorite old movies, and a classic that I believe everybody should see at least once in their lifetime (Or hundreds like me), is Grease.  This is a musical about high school romance, and has amazing songs.  This one does have the actors singing, and it's done well.  Still, it's not very natural for a person to burst into song at a drive-in movie theater, or an entire school to start singing and dancing in time at a carnival, but it's done in a way that it seems normal.  I admit that some of the songs in this musical are a little bit "out there," but it was released in 1978, what do you expect? They're not bad, they're just old. Despite this, they are still some of my favorites.

Then we can look at almost any Disney movie.  Most of the most famous are in fact musicals, whether they are animated, like The Little Mermaid, or (who could forget?) Frozen, or real actors like Camp Rock and High School Musical.  Will the music from these movies be wildly popular and well known in 30 years? The classic Disney movies, possibly.  Most of them were released a good while ago, and are loved by all.  But Camp Rock?  I believe this will die out and be forgotten.  High School Musical, however, I could see sticking around for a while.  This was a trilogy of three movies that every preteen or child loved, me included.  They might not be played often now, but I'm sure Grease wasn't constantly played for almost 40 years.  Time will tell I suppose.    

Punk Goes Pop

Music can be spun many different ways.  There isn't a right way or a wrong way, and there are many different things you can do with one song.  One way that has been around for a while is "covering" a song, or another artist performing a song originally made by another artist.  Recently, I have come to be interested in a series of albums titled "Punk goes Pop."  On these albums, a few different punk groups take popular pop songs, such as "Blank Space" by Taylor Swift, "Glad You Came" by The Wanted, and "Animals" by Maroon 5, and turn them into punk songs.  There are currently six albums released, the first one in April of 2001, and the most recent in July of 2015.  I am more familiar with the newer albums, but am interested in looking into the previous ones as well.

I've never been a huge fan of punk music, but I do listen to it on occasion, just like all kinds of music.  There's that mood that you get into, and you really want to hear a certain kind of music.  I never really knew what was good when I wanted to listen to punk music, so I just kinda put on a Pandora station and went with it.  I had a good friend of mine introduce me to Punk Goes Pop, and I fell in love.  The new spin on the songs are really cool, and very different to hear.  Its also nice to be able to recognize the lyrics, and if you're like me, attempt to sing along.  It is also nice because none of the covers are too hardcore, or too much "screaming" if that's what you choose to call it.  They are a decent sound, and they have a good range on the albums as well.

I really like hearing the songs that I hear every day on the radio in such a different way.  It helps me to not get sick of them, and keep me listening to them more. I wish that they would be played on the radio, I think that that would be interesting.  But in the same light, I see that it would be hard for radio stations to do this because they have regulations on how often they can play a song, and it wouldn't really fit into their genre of music.  I do believe that this would become much more popular, however.

I highly encourage you to look into this and discover something new.  You might find that you like it, just like I did.  Below are some links to my favorite covers.  If you want more, head over to YouTube and search "Punk goes Pop," a lot will come up for you.

Blank Space by I Prevail (Originally by Taylor Swift)
Glad You Came by We Came As Romans (Originally by The Wanted)
Somebody That I Used to Know by Mayday Parade (Originally be Gotye)
    

Jazz: A Dying Rose

Jazz music is really fun to listen to. Most people associate it with "elevator music," but it's truly not. It's upbeat and lively, and most of the time, it makes you want to dance. Or maybe that's just me...

I used to believe that jazz music was just elevator music, and it was boring. Then I attended a jazz band program in 7th grade, and heard and played some really fun jazz songs. I loved playing jazz so much, that I decided to attend this program the next year as well, then in high school, I joined jazz band. 

One thing I have learned to appreciate with jazz, is that it doesn't need lyrics at all. The lyrics are the articulations, ryrhyms, and styles of each not are the story the song tells. And jazz can be left to interpretation. There is no right or wrong way to play it. It's how you feel it. I most like playing rock tunes, because they have a lot of fun repeating phrases that you can change around each time to find that perfect way, or to make the piece more diverse. 

Personally, I think the most fun jazz to listen to is swing. It's a very unique style that sounds unlike anything else. The notes are uneven, and it reminds me of swing dancers, which I always found facinating. It also has a lot of cool hits and sections that can really grab your attention. 

But unfortunately, jazz is starting to die off. It will still be around, but not many people still appreciate it like they should. This is partially due to the change of music taste, and availability. There is one, maybe two radio stations that play jazz music, while there at least six "today's hits" stations. I really think people should consider stepping out and trying it out. You might be surprised what you find you like. 

Piracy

Piracy is when a person illegally downloads, copies, and distributes music, without giving payment to the artist, composer, or recording label. This is really unfair to the people that put so much heart and effort into their music. It may be really easy to do with how much access we have to technology, but that doesn't mean it's right. Piracy is just like ripping off an invention, but it's not as physical, or widely known and obvious. Another thing to remember is this: it's illegal. You can be fined, and possibly even arrested for it, depending on the case. 

Music is meant to be admired, but not stolen. Stealing music seems like a victimless crime, but it's not. Downloading a song and not paying for it prevents the artist from getting paid for it. You might think "They sell millions of copies, what is one going to hurt?" But imagine if everybody thought that way. The artist would make very little profit from that song, and how is that fair? It isn't.  You could also be thinking "They're already rich, why do they need more money?" Well, the truth is, they probably don't. But making music is their job. How would you feel if you went to work all day, then pay day comes around and your check is short because people didn't pay your company or store? That's what it's like for them. 

This isn't a proven fact, but more of my own opinion here, but I believe this is why concerts and live performances cost so much now, compared to what they used to back then. Piracy is more common because of the widespread technology and easy access to it. The smaller profit is making artists charge more for their shows to make up for it. Back then, it wasn't as easy, so they could charge less and still make decent profits. Personally, I'd much rather pay the $1.29 for a song, than the $120 for a crappy seat, where I'll barely get to see anything. 

It's really easy to download music the legal way. The best way, in my opinion is to go and buy the album. This allows me to have a hard copy to play in my car or stereo in my room, or anywhere else I might want to take it.  It also gives me a chance to hear the album music as well, and discover songs that are t just played on the radio all day. Another one of my favorites is I just want to buy one or two singles is iTunes. It's super easy, and it goes straight to my phone. Then later, if I want to, I can burn it into a CD to take places or play in my car. You can also enjoy music for free on different websites such as Pandora, or Spotify. 

I highly encourage you to stop pirating, no matter how easy it is. It makes the music industry a better place all around. 

Song Breakdown: Locked Away

One of my favorite radio stations to listen to, and the one that I have been listening to the longest, is Z102.9, KZIA, Cedar Rapids.  It has been around as long as I can remember, and is very popular.  I went to their website today, and found their hot 30 list for this week. (Linked here if you would like to check it out. http://www.kzia.com/hot30/)

I was looking at the countdown, and one of my favorite songs currently holds the number 3 spot.  It's "Locked Away" by R. City, featuring Adam Levine.  (Video here is you haven't heard it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6GUm5g8SG4o )  I really like this song, because I think it has a really good meaning, and its a really catchy song.  And who doesn't love Adam Levine's voice?

When the song begins, Levine starts singing the chorus.  It's asking if things were different, would you still love me the same? If I showed you my imperfections, or couldn't be strong, would you still love me the same? I think this is really cool to think about, because in my opinion, love should be unconditional.  It shouldn't depend on current situations.

In the next verse, R. City comes in and begins singing.  This verse is mainly saying "If I can't always be with you, and be perfect for you, would you still stay with me?"  I feel this is important, because nobody is perfect, and if that is what a person is expecting, they're going to spend a lot of time looking, and most likely come up empty handed.  This verse is also saying "Would you do anything for me, no matter what?" This is questionable for me, or at least my take from it.  It's a good question, because I would want my partner to always be there for me. On the other hand, it's asking a lot, and later in the song, R. City goes on to say he is looking for somebody that is low maintenance.  It seems sort of like a double standard in my opinion.

Levine's chorus plays again, then it's back to R. City. This time, he is describing the type of girl he wants. It sounds to me like he wants somebody who is low matenience, and won't expect expensive or fancy things. He wants a girl that will love him no matter what, and will accept him for who he is, not what he has.  I believe that all people should think like this, because situations may change, but people don't. And we should look beyond what a person has. You should love them for who they are.  

I really enjoy this song as it has a really mellow feel to it, and I like the meaning. I'm a sucker for a good love song, and this one has a good meaning to it. I highly suggest you check it out. 

Here's the link I used to look at the lyrics. Feel free to take a look for yourself. http://www.directlyrics.com/r-city-locked-away-lyrics.html

Being a True Fan

Often times, people claim to be a fan of a group or a genera of music.  Or they say they don't like a specific group or genera.  It happens all the time.  Sometimes this is true. You have listened to the group a lot, or heard a wide range of music of the genera, and you truly love or dislike it.  Many times, people are ignorant and write of something, only hearing a couple songs.

To be considered a fan of something, you need to have a good base of knowledge, an understanding of the origins, and know more than just one or two songs.  Forming an opinion takes time, and patience.  People pretend to be a super fan of groups and pretend to know so much about a group, but what do they really know? Their names? Their most popular song played on the radio?  In my personal opinion, I find that if I am a fan of an artist or group, I prefer their album music to the songs that are played over and over on the radio.

This leads me into the topic of super-fans.  The most common and widely known example of this is Beliebers, or Justin Bieber fans.  Oh my word, they get crazy.  some of these people could be considered fans.  They appreciate the music, they understand and relate to it, they actively follow what is going on in his life.  Then there's the crazy ones, that eat, breathe, and live all things Justin.  They know everything from the exact time, place, and hospital room he was born in.  What he had for breakfast that morning, because they should probably have that, and have plans for a wedding set.  They see that somebody posted a review of his song hat didn't say it was a song worth of the gods, and they get angry and threaten to mob their house.  They know the music, but they care more about the way he looks, and simply that the lyrics are mostly love songs.  They don't look for the deeper meanings, or what he's truly talking about.  (Fun fact: "Where Are You Now" is actually written about his dad.)  In my own personal opinion, these are not fans, as much as obsessed people that need something to talk about, and seek attention.

On the very opposite end, we have the haters.  These people decide that they don't like an artist or group after hearing one song, if even that, and criticize everything they do.  Even things not related to music, like the way they walk. (It's one foot in front of the other, just like everybody else.) They don't give them a second chance, because maybe they were trying something new in that song, or they don't have the experience yet if they're a starting artist.  They usually don't keep their opinions to themselves, they have to actively post and make comment to attempt to tear these people down.

Both of these types of people are annoying.  I'm not saying we all have to love all kinds of music and artists, I'm saying it's not necessary to be obsessive. Look into the deeper meanings of songs, and explore everything about the artist or group before you write them off.  And music and looks don't always match, so why does it matter what the artist looks like.  Yes, it's nice to have a handsome face on an album cover, but does that make the music good? Not always.  Explore before you form an opinion, and be open to changing it, because everyone deserves a second chance.          

How Music Can Affect People

This summer, I went to camp as a counselor in training, called "LT's."  I was there for four weeks, and music was a huge part of it.  Every day, we would sing five songs in the morning for Alpha, five songs at night during Campfire, and a lot more throughout the day.  They were a lot of silly songs, but still music.

The first week, we had a Wednesday night campfire that was very emotional for all of the LT's.  Brian, the camp camera man and amazing singer/mandolin player, played a lot of slower songs that really hit home for me.  Before this night, I was questioning whether I belonged there, and if that was what I wanted to be spending my summer doing.  Listening to these songs and being at this campfire really made me feel like I had to stay.  It moved me so much.

The 17 LT's really bonded this night around the campfire.  It became a sort of tradition this night for us all to hang around after all the kids had left, and just sit up close in the fire ring.  Brian hung out with us and sang more songs that weren't camp songs.  There were two that had a major effect on the entire group.

The first one is "Eli the Barrow Boy."  This song is very dark and depressing, but it made the entire group so happy to hear.  We all fell in love with it.  (You can find a link to this song here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQs3wNfArn4)  Part of the reason I found it so amazing was the things Brian told us before he sang it, explaining why it has meaning to him.  He told us that in school, he was studying effects of music on Alzheimer's and Dementia patients.  He told us that very often, People with these brain diseases often get angry and upset toward everyone, partly because they couldn't remember anything, partly because they didn't remember how to be happy.  He then explained that often when they hear their favorite song play, or a song that they grew up with, they will become very happy and cheery, no matter what the song is.

Another song that he played had a very strong effect on me personally.  It also became one that we constantly asked for, because we all fell in love with this one as well.  This song was "The Ballad of Love and Hate."  (Linked here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Pre7bINBps)  This song tells a beautiful story about love, and it was just beautiful to hear.  To me, it talks about unconditional love, and how no matter what happens, love and hate can coexist.  It really made me think and was really comforting to me. I heard it four times, and each time I loved it even more comforting and loved it more.  I can't really explain how or why it affected me so much, it just did.  It made me feel more at home, and a little better about being gone for so long.

The effect that music can have on people is an amazing thing to me.  It can lift spirits of any person, no matter what is going on, or how depressing the song can be.  Music can help us bond with people that we don't feel very connected to, or make us feel at home no matter where we are or how foreign the song is to us at the time.  It can have effects that we can't even explain.  Music is like a universal language that we can all understand and share together.

    

Expand Your Horizons

Everybody has a type of music they listen to.  Or a favorite band or singer.  They fall in love and listen to it on repeat, then it gets old and they find a new album or group of the same kind of music, and the cycle repeats itself.  The easiest way to stop this is to expand your horizons.  This is one of the many things I have learned how to do from my dad, who keeps hundreds of CD's on his office from Def Leppard, to Lady Gaga, to Mumford & Sons.

One of his tricks is to watch award shows.  He doesn't pay much attention to the performances, because those will be the most popular songs by the artists, or their new single that you will hear on the radio over and over for the next three months.  He pays more attention to album of the year, and artist of the year.  This tells him what other people found to be really good, then he will go and but the album.  The reason he does this is to hear the 10-15 songs that are good, that you don't hear on the radio.

From this, you can find a lot of really cool songs that you never would have known.  I myself am guilty of hearing a song, and rather than going and buying the entire album, I buy the single song, then listen to is over and over until it gets old.  This is also a good way to discover new people, because, especially with the Grammy's, a lot of people that aren't huge names also get nominated.  This way you're not listening to the same people all the time. By not listening to the same people, you expand what types of music you listen to.

Sometimes, though, you go and but an album that you thought would be really good, and you end up disappointed.  This happened to me with The Lumineers.  I heard one song that was pretty cool, so I wanted to hear all the other album music, which wasn't so great.  But I didn't let that stop me, I simply learned that I wasn't a fan of that particular group.  I still try to find as many new groups or styles as I can.  And it might not always be the group, it could be just the one album.  For example, I got really into the band fun. a while back, and got their "Some Nights" album.  It was and still is one of my favorites. But their first album "Aim and Ignite" wasn't too hot to me.

I'm not telling you to go buy the entire CD section at Target, I'm just trying to give you ideas on how to not become burnt out on the same music over and over again.  Happy Hunting!!  

The Great Debate: Country Music

There are two kinds of people in this world.  Those people that love country music, and those that hate it.  There are very few people that, when asked, say "It's okay."  The debate is almost as black and white as the "Twilight" debate, Team Edward, or Team Jacob.

Those that enjoy country music are everywhere.  It's not just the people that live on farms, and drive pick-up trucks, and live on the Midwest.  We know this from how popular country music has become.  Some of the most famous artists currently are country stars, and they are doing pretty well on the charts.  These people don't try to cram it down people's throats by any means, but they most prefer to not turn it off to listen to the cookie cutter stuff that is what most of the rest of the world likes to listen to.  That's what they like to listen to, usually what they've been raised listening to, and who wants to listen to the same 30 songs played over and over all day long?

On the other side, we have the people who are against country music 100%.  They hear a country sounding intro, and they change the station or turn off the radio immediately, and demand it be changed.  They have no interest in it whatsoever.  Most of these people, when giving a reason why they don't like country music, say it's all "rednecks singing about trucks, dogs, and girls."  To them, all songs sound exactly alike, and they have little to no variety.  They prefer music that is more globalized and about more than three things.  people that are against country music openly bash people that enjoy it, calling them hicks and trying to get them to listen to other music, maybe something with a more techno feel to it?

In my personal opinion, I don't mind it.  I understand that I said that there are two types of people, with no shades of grey, but maybe there is a small shade of grey between the two.  I used to be the type of person to bash country music, and refuse to listen to it.  There were a few songs that were kinda catchy to me, but beyond that was a lot of music that I would never try.  Then one day, was just in a mood that I wanted to listen to country music non-stop, and that's what I did.  I do prefer male singers to female when it comes to country, but I keep an open mind.  In my personal experience, country music is not all about the same thing, and it's not all alike.  It's just as diverse as any other genre of music.  I can also vouch for the other side and say that a lot of it does sound alike, style-wise.  But so does every type of music.  That's what makes it country music, just like rock music is rock music and pop music is pop music.  So before you go and pick a side, give them both a second look.  You might be surprised what you find. 

Music is Everywhere

Everywhere you go, music is sure to follow.  You get in the car, the radio is playing.  You walk around in the grocery store, music is playing on the intercom.  You go to the gym to work out, fast music is playing to keep your heart rate up.  You go to school, and, depending on where you are in the school, you can hear the band, orchestra, or choir practicing.  Music follows you everywhere you go.  It's impossible to escape it, but do you really want to?

Without music, life would be dull.  Take a minute and picture it.  No music, anywhere you go.  No pep band tunes or halftime shows at Friday night football games.  No radio as you drive.  You go to lift weights, or run for sports conditioning, and all you hear is the sounds of weights clanging on the bench or ground, the machines running, and people breathing.  You walk into your favorite clothing store in the mall, and all you hear is the sliding of clothing hangers and the sales associates talking to other customers.  How empty does that feel?  

Music is an amazing thing to me.  I love how if I'm happy, I can feel free to sing along to upbeat sounding songs.  If I'm sad or upset, I can listen to slower, sad songs and get that make me feel like somebody understands how I'm feeling.  If I'm mad, I can turn on some hard rock music and feel like I'm venting my anger.  If I'm relaxed and just driving in my car, with nowhere to be, cruising with the windows down on a warm sunny day, I throw on some country music and just chill.  There is music for every mood or situation.

Music has become an omnipresent aspect in people's lives.  We don't always think about it, or even realize that it's playing, but it's there.  We don't think about having to turn it on, it does it itself.  We appreciate it without thinking.  You might be standing in line, waiting to check out at the store, you hear a catchy song and you subconsciously start tapping your foot or bobbing your head. (Everyone has done it, just admit it.)  You don't think about it, but it's a habit.

Appreciate music when you hear it, because it make up your life.  It adds color and beauty, and rounds it out.  It's like adding color to television, it just makes it better to watch, and much more fun.