Definition of Music

In my Introduction to Music course that I am taking this semester, my professor asked the class to define music in our own terms, and I thought the best way to describe it is with a blog post.

The past weekend I went to Winter Jam in Philadelphia, PA, which was a free outdoor concert. When my friends first invited me, I thought they were completely crazy, because not only was it an outdoor concert, but it was an outdoor concert during one of the coldest/snowy weekends. I didn’t think my first choice for a weekend outing would be standing in the feels-like-below-zero weather and snow, but I was clearly mistaken.

My friends and I stood at that concert for more than five hours, but it’s a memory I hope to hold onto. During the concert, I had to just look around and see how many people had showed up. It was such a surprise to see that many people willing to stand in the cold for a concert, but it made sense to me. Music brings people together.

There’s something amazing about that idea, that no matter the weather, the time, the place, if music is somehow involved it’s like none of those things matter. Complete strangers can get together and bond as one unified group for the same love they all share: music.

This concert stood apart from all other concerts I had attended. I was able to bond with complete strangers, hold hands with girls while we danced to the music, sing to my favorite songs with my friends and crowd members, let go of agendas and stress and just enjoy the sound of talented musicians and crazy fans. There is no textbook definition that could best describe music as an experience like that.

 

Get Real Gagnam Style

Anyone with connection to the internet knows about PSY, a South Korean singer and songwriter.  He has become increasingly more popular as the days go on, but what made him such a huge sensation?

His fame started in his homeland, but gained even more fame in the U.S.A when Justin Bieber’s manager signed him.  His ridiculous video on YouTube gained millions of hits in just nine days.  His video is like a lot of other artists; weird enough that you keep watching and wish you could join in.

His video received more likes than the video “Party Rock,” a song by LMFAO which included the popular dance “Shuffling.”

His song also passed Taylor Swift’s “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” on iTunes.

What’s better?  Is it his song that’s mainly in Korean except for one line of “sexy lady,” or is it the fact that his dance is so stupid everyone wants to learn it?

I would have to say the dance is what makes this man popular.  There are some people that love to listen to K-pop no matter what, but I can guarantee half of us would turn the music down if this song came on.  The fact that we associate it with the horse trot-side-whatever move it is, we can enjoy the song more.  I wasn’t even sure I knew what Gagnam Style was until PSY described it as being “noble by day and crazy by night.”  Oh, okay then.

How many other songs can you think of that are like this?  Personally I can enjoy “Party Rock,” but the song is better because of the shuffle dance you can do with it.  I remember perfecting the “jerk” dance my senior year of high school.  The song “You’re a Jerk” by the New Boyz has a good beat but the whole chorus makes me wonder if the “boyz” have any lyric writing ability at all, and the best part about the song is that you can do the dance to it.

So really in order to make a song popular  just think of a ridiculous dance that is sure to get everyone out of their seats, and you will surely see fame in no more than nine days.