The State of Affairs

If you were to ask a group of people to make a list of what music is to them, it could go one forever and every single person would have a slightly different list. Music is this infinite intangible inspirational thing that can move mountains if you use it right. But as I look around at the Sony BMGs and the Livenations and Ticketmasters, music is nothing but a bottom line anymore. It's about recording a less than mediocre song called "Gimme More," making a fool out of yourself to promote it and making a handful of middle-aged men in suits and corner offices a lot of money, while the boy pouring his soul out on stage night after night to a bar that's too drunk to care is over looked time and time again.

That's what's wrong with the music industry today, not file sharing or illegal downloads or iTunes, it's what music has been made into. It's the lack of artists who actually have something to say that's killing the industry, not DRM free downloads. People are bored of the Akons and Britneys and Soldja Boys. What do they have to offer? Absolutely nothing. Their words aren't true and their voices aren't organic. They're mixed and tweaked and, let's just say it, they're fake. They have fooled us all into believing that topping the billboard charts is what defines success, when really it's making a connection with another human being through a song that defines music. If an artist can touch me, make me cry, take my breath away and inspire me to pour everything I have into my own piano, then they are success to me. No on in the entire world could buy their album, but to me they are famous.

It's not about the Grammies or the expensive tour busses or mansions in LA, it's about effecting people to the point where they are inspired to do something, be it write their own song, dance like a fool, or create social change in a third world country, or right here at home. Good music, true music, is divine, it changes people, and it brings hope to those who can't be heard or understood by the main stream. But this message of truth can't be heard if it's swallowed by the hollow and meaningless music industry we know today.

We need more Militia Groups and HolidayRuns and LoveDrugs and Bryce Averys and Copelands that actually have something to say! We need record labels and musicians that are more concerned about sending their message to their fans than bands who want their 15 minutes and a quick buck.