Serving as one the most quintessential aspects of our society, music has a way of connecting people near and afar. 

Throughout different societies, music plays a role in converging and uniting people through a rhythmic beat and, most times, a catchy hook.

Reflecting on how music has changed over my lifespan, I feel as though the music today is missing something. 

Don’t get me wrong, I definitely enjoy new artists who grace the music scene from rappers like up and coming artist Lil Herb to R&B soul singers like Sam Smith. 

I feel as though the artists I just named do a wonderful job at telling stories and painting pictures through their lyrics and that’s what I think music is for.

Many times we use music as an escape from reality, allowing the lyrics to overflow in our eardrums, and letting the artist convey his/her point through creative story telling ability and a unique way of communicating with audience.

The conscious lyrical music of the yester-years has been watered down and is produced now at a quicker pace but a lower quality.

I feel like every time I turn on the radio it’s something new on, but they’re all saying the same things.

“This guy loves this girl”, ‘That guy loves those drugs”, and lets not forget the “Hey girls let me see you twerk something”, all types of songs that I am definitely guilty of listening to, but I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s totally a resonant thing.

The music produced today serves as a placeholder for me, I listen to it because it’s there, but it’s not a major preference of mine.

I find myself often listening to older albums and mixtapes reminiscing on lyrics that actually meant something and gave audiences something positive and uplifting to ponder.

Granted, music genres vary so much that it’s difficult to not find music that fits your taste, I find that it comes few and far between.

The little good music that I do find nowadays gets old really quick because once I get it I play it until I know every breath on the beat because nothing else is worth listening too.

I tend to find my playlists often on repeat simply because I refuse to harm my eardrums and kill brain cells forcing trash into my ears.

Listening to music that has nothing but a cool hook and a beat that booms does nothing for me.

I’m not going to go into the whole “Hip-hop is dead debate” or get to pointing out individuals I personally think participated in slowly but surely killing the music industry, but I will pose this question: If the music that we listen to turns out to be the soundtrack of our lives why not make your life lyrical?

In a matter of three to five minutes music allows us to sum up our lives and spew them out in thought provoking rhymes and other clever ways. I often wonder how music became as essential as it is and I’ve realized that it’s simple.

Most of time as individuals we like to seek acceptance by our peers as well as our superiors, and this engages us in seeking out others who share similarities and music often provide universal links to people.

Music is something that is therapeutic and should be respected as such an art. I feel as though by adding some of the same story telling styles from years ago today’s music will not only be  enhanced, but it will also motivate others to be innovative in the field and try to take the music industry back to where it once stood tall.

Kevin Hall is a senior journalism major.
He can be reached at 581-2812 or kphall@eiu.edu.