Music and The Society

A combination of sounds and words which are pleasant to the ear is said to be music. Music has no origin. It is formed from the mixture and integration of sounds in a rhythmic pattern.

The whistling of breeze, how ocean waves slap against surfaces of rocks, the splash of water, the woodpecker pecking a tree, crickets and birds chirping, toads croaking, pounding of the pestle, splitting of wood, echoes from human humming and the marching, of soldiers. These are sounds and rhythms that birth music.

Music is either produced by the human voice, instruments or a combination of both. Harmony, melody, rhythm, and timbre are qualities of good music. These are major components that differentiate between music and a random mix of sounds.

The way these components are mixed and created into varying sounds gives us different genres, styles, and types of music. Music is a unifying force. It can be sung in any language and it is common to all culture, race, gender, and class of people.

There is a notable difference in the types of music listened to by popular classification. The different types of music include Classical, Rock, Pop, Jazz, Hip-hop, Country music, Rap, Oldies, Rhythms and Blues(R&B), and Electronic music which is common to the Western culture.

Then we have the Afro-beat, Highlife, Juju, Ndombolo, Hiplife, Shaabi, and Somali jazz, which is common to the African culture. The Asian culture has Bollywood, Carnatic, Rafi, Goa trance, Chinese traditional opera, C-pop, Punjabi, V-pop, and Raga rock as their different type of music.

Latin and South American music, European music, and North American music also have different types. But sound and music vary by appreciation hence, variety is played around the world and appreciated by different individuals.

The types of music majorly sung and listened to in this part of the world include Rhythms and Blues, Reggae, Hip-hop, Afro-beat, jazz, and high-life. They are heard from phones, stereos, televisions, and radios.

Effects of Music in the Society

 It is a source of entertainment: the occasion selects the choice of music. For example, you would hear highlife, afro-beats, and pop, at burial and coronation Ceremonies, instrumentals at parades, jazz, R&B, and country music in bars, rock, and rap at clubs. Music is also incorporated into actions such as dramas, cartoons, and films.

Music is played in churches for the purpose of worship or praises. It is also played during rituals and festivals.

It is played for the purpose of dancing.

It can be played while reading to aid concentration.

It can be used to induce sleep.

For advertisement purpose.

For relaxation purpose.

For therapy: Music played is determined by our mood. It can be used as a medium for healing.

Music is a part of our society and has its effects on such a society. It passes different messages which shape our lives.

Music is used alongside exercise to make it indulging even as it prompts dancing which in itself is a form of exercise.

It is said “you’re addressed how you dress”, the manner of a person’s dressing can tell what type of music he or she listen to also.

Music has become a major field of study and occupation in our society. Some professionally and others unprofessionally but naturally gifted in it

The majority of information and ideologies on controversial topics as love and marriage, social justice, hope, war and peace, politics, self-esteem, how to fit into society, racism, drugs, and education are featured in music and popularly expressed in lyrics and rhythm.

Music is addictive. A vast majority of people in society suffer from partial deafness as a result of listening to loud music consistently; such can be understood to be the negative effect of addiction.

Music, they say is medicine and like any medicine, it can be taken overdose- as seen in its loudness; howbeit, the history of cultures are interwoven in the lyrics of music and at such music is an active ingredient in a developing society.