“Bang, Bang, Bang, Bang!” What was this dreadful sound I was hearing? I came to find out this noise was a song.

  How? Why? This is popular? I asked myself again and again until I could take no more. I listened to about half of the song until I asked Jr. Brandon Walton what song was playing and who the artist was. He proceeded to inform me that the song was by Tay-K, a rapper who had just made his way into the music world with many new “hit” songs. As the song continued to play until the end, I sat there in disbelief of what music has become.

  Many West Ottawa students like me enjoy hearing their parents’ music more than music today.

  People such as Jr. Tiyarra Duron who said she has always had a soft spot for her parents’ music. Which is understandable given she was around that music a lot growing up. “I always grew up with it on the radio in the car,” Duron said. Hearing it all the time resulted in her growing a strong attraction to the music. Some favorites of Duron’s are Madonna, Whitney Houston, and Bon Jovi. “Every Breath You Take” by The Police is Duron’s favorite song, not a typical answer you would get from a high school junior. The art of music has drifted in a way for the worst, and not many young teens know much about it.

 Many songs these days have harsh and/or threatening message: talking about getting with women, flaunting money, or using guns.  The music of my parent’s generation has always spoken to me more than music nowadays. The music creates so many powerful feelings, and the words sung are just more meaningful to me. In all honesty, they are quite a bit more catchy as well. Not many teens today would prefer Van Morrison’s “Brown Eyed Girl” over Taylor Swift’s “Look What You Made Me Do.” But, I would much rather hear the lyrics “Hey where did we go, Days when the rains came? Down in the hollow, playin’ a new game,” as opposed to “Ooh, look what you made me do, look what you made me do.” Morrison really connects with the heart and talks about love with his brown-eyed girl, while Taylor Swift is again like most of her newer songs, talking about a guy most likely her ex, and why they broke up. To me, Swift has many repetitive songs and lyrics, like many other artists today. While Morrison has songs about different things and people.  

  Another WO student was willing to divulge his story on music today. Sr. Seth Gibson spoke about how his love for music has always been more in the music he heard growing up that his parents listened to. Gibson elaborated on the matter and said “Just whatever came on the radio. From the Backstreet Boys to Kelly Clarkson.” Gibson has always been a fan of soft rock along with harder rock. Bands such as Queen have always been a favorite of Gibson’s. “Now music is more of trying to get a beat down and making an easy dollar. Where my parent’s music was more about the feeling music conveys,” Gibson said. Gibson enjoys listening to this music when walking in between buildings, when doing homework, and whenever he can find time to listen.

  When I perform tasks to be productive, I enjoy the sweet sound of Def Leppard’s “Bringin’ On The Heartbreak” as opposed to “Do What I Want” by Lil Uzi Vert. As soon as the first line comes on in “Bringin’ On The Heartbreak”, I stop whatever I’m doing just to hear the words “Gypsy, sittin’ lookin’ pretty” working their way into my ears.” All of the newer music has many hidden meanings, some obvious, and some not so much. There used to be no bad hidden meanings, just pure, (mostly) clean music. In today’s songs, there is so much vulgarity. These slower songs can help soothe me to sleep, make car rides more enjoyable, and even help me become more productive in my daily life. Doing homework always has been and still is made easier when listening to older music than when I listened to newer tunes. All the swearing and talking about money is just repetitive. All in all, it is just not very entertaining to listen to.

  WO Soph. Daniel Unglenieks gave me some insight into his musical choices. He prefers his parent’s music to newer music and has for as long as he can remember. Unglenieks started listening young to CDs of Billy Joel and Lynyrd Skynyrd. With some of his favorite songs being “Free Bird” and “For The Longest Time.” “When reading or studying throughout the day is when I listen most. Or when I am bored.” Unglenieks said.

  Music back in the day is much better because the artists could make songs about their story and not about repetitive lyrics everyone else says to help them maintain their popularity. In some cases, I think we as a society care too much about what other people think, and will not listen to some music even if they like it because of what their friends would think. When you stop caring about what other people believe, it is much easier to have a good time. There did not happen to be too much dispute over who was better back then,  almost all of the artists are still amazing to listen to. Break up songs by Foreigner such as “Cold As Ice” and songs about girls like L. Geils Band “Centerfold” will always serve as a classic. When they come on the radio it is just too hard to resist not turning the volume up.

  As Friedrich Nietzsche said, “Without music, life would be a mistake.” He is very right. Although there are some exceptions from newer songs and artists such as Coldplay, The Script, The Fray, and a few more. Most older music has always stood the test of time. Artists such as Oasis, Pink Floyd, and John Mellencamp, along with so many more artists have always held a place in many hearts and minds around the globe.