Music is a beautiful thing. It’s one of the most important things on this planet. And in effect, the radio deserves some credit for being an echo, and therefore must reflect as a beautiful thing, too. As a devoted lover of music, I feel it is my duty to say so, but I will say that it could be beauty-fuller, so to speak. I can’t and won’t deny that having the ability to access so many different stations and listen to all genres of music all day and all night, every day of the week isn’t a great privilege. As I’m sure you know, there are stations that play today’s biggest pop hits, while others rock out to country tunes. Some lock in on one specific genre and others are willing to play anything under the sun, no matter where they are on a scale from Fetty Wap to Frank Sinatra. So when you need something other than impatient car horns and running engines to generate a soundtrack to your daily morning traffic jam, chances are there’s a station out there that can satisfy your needs for the time being. The point is, we are given options in today’s radio world, and options are good. Great, even. But our options, well, they’re limited.
Before I go any further, here is something that I think people tend to overlook: the power of music. The radio is powerful because music is powerful. The amount of influence it has on people, culture, and society proves its importance, and is substantial when remembering that what comes on the radio is what most people acquire a taste for (even if we don’t necessarily want to). The issue is, we hear the same artists on the same stations relentlessly looping the same songs over again and again. But as annoying as that is, we still reap benefits when artists drop their latest single or newly released albums and we get to hear a song or two. But that’s it, just a song or two. Why? Then they take those two songs (3 if we’re lucky) and hold them hostage to force them through our speakers every hour on the hour for weeks on end. Why put Should’ve Been Us and Nobody Love by Tori Kelly on repeat for months when you could play other songs off her album like Art of Letting You Go, First Heartbreak, and Unbreakable Smile that are just as great? Why won’t you let the audience connect with the words of these other songs and appreciate and learn from the messages being sent?
Every song has a message or story to tell. Those things are what are important in a world where music is so influential; in a world where artists can provide a sense of comfort, confidence, attention, sympathy and love to people that need it. There is so much music floating around out there with great stories to tell, journeys to share, and lessons to teach that could help better this world, but are not getting the attention they deserve. And that, my friends, that’s that shit I don’t like (and I just made a Chief Keef reference for reasons I may never know).
Any-anyway (Tori Kelly fans know), I use Tori Kelly as an example because she’s a new blessing to the music industry and currently becoming the talk of the town for all the right reasons. Like Tori, Jessie J is an artist that inspires me to share my attitude towards music. She is a strong-minded, outrageously talented woman continuously demonstrating the right to be your true self, regardless of what anyone else thinks. To name a few, songs like Who You Are and Nobody’s Perfect from her album back in 2011 are ones that could save your life but you didn’t hear them on the radio like you heard Price Tag and Domino. And it wasn’t because they weren’t and aren’t just as amazing, but because they already chose two other songs to put on blast. You couldn’t count the number of times you heard Bang Bang and Burnin’ Up on the radio this year, but did you know there’s an entire album of complete awesomeness called Sweet Talker with songs like Ain’t Been Done that make you want to bust down a door and take over the world? And You Don’t Really Know Me that gives you strength by making you feel completely okay when you’re feeling misunderstood? Well if you didn’t, you do now (you’re welcome). Seriously though, hear me when I say that Jessie J and Tori Kelly are only two of many, many examples of the point I am trying to make.
I understand that not every song to ever exist can be heard, but the radio should play songs (as mentioned above) too; the ones that deserve to be heard, after the others have had their turn. There is so much more to be heard and felt through music, but unless you’re particularly passionate about finding it and all it has to offer, you most likely won’t get to experience the power of it. And the reason I am writing this article is because, well, I don’t think that’s fair. I don’t think it’s fair at all.
I’m getting ready to wrap this up, but before I do, take a moment. Have you ever thought about how many people listen to the radio everyday? Unfortunately, I don’t have any idea what that is, but I can imagine it’s a pretty large number. Think about how many people rely on the radio for new music and artists, and how much greatness they’re missing. Maybe you’re one of them. Maybe you’re not. And maybe you’re reading this article nodding your head agreeing with everything I’m saying because you’re a music enthusiasts too, who so desperately wants to share every artist and song that has ever altered your perspective on life, love, who you see when you look in the mirror, or anything else. Or maybe you just want to share all this awesome underground dance party music with no depth or meaning at all that nobody knows anything about, but still proves to be completely genius just because it makes you want to jump around in your basement with arms flailing around in perfect chaos. Nonetheless, you want to share it. You want to share it because it makes you feel something wonderful, and you just wish others could feel it with you.
When I think about all the music that radio stations could be playing instead of repeating the same 25 songs, I feel a sense of injustice (I truly don’t care if I’m taking this too far) knowing that the majority of people haven’t been exposed to other incredible music and artists just the same. I wonder why in the summer of 2015, I heard hits from the summer of 2014 (and even further back) playing on a regular basis, when my iPod was updated with new music that would have been happy to take its place. Why don’t they give us more? Why don’t they give us something fresh and new? And again, I wonder how many inspiring stories have we not yet heard? How many ideas are still fighting imaginary demons and gasping for air trying to break into reality? It’s like there’s all this magic surrounding us but we don’t all see it, and until we do we’re stuck waiting to use it to it’s full potential. I want to see the power of music; and more importantly, I want to see the power of people, reach it’s full potential.
As I hope you’ve gathered by now, what this all really comes down to is the belief that music can change the world; that a message, a story, or an idea can change the world. And that anything and anyone responsible for playing music to so many people like the radio is, is important and can influence this world more than they ever thought was possible. And yes, I am saying that radio stations can change the world, because music must change us for us to change the world. Music is what brings people together. Music feeds the soul, heart, and mind. Music stretches our youth and promises love to strangers. Music speaks where there are no words at all and warmly smiles inside your imagination and dreams all dreams with us. Music accepts you for who you are, no matter who you are, and who you want to be, and helps you be that. Music brings all the outsiders inside, under one roof, and breathes into realms inside us that we never thought could be reached, let alone understood. Tell me, how could music not change the world if we let it?
