So for this week I knew I was going to write an article about music and music performance. This was inspired due to recent performances on television (The SuperBowl, SNL and the like). I was going to take the spin about how musicians are still able to receive popularity and not be good live. This is something I’m quite floored by, but I think I want to talk about something else tonight.
Today was the 50th anniversary of The Beatles performance on the Ed Sullivan show, and the beginning of their incredible rise of popularity. The Beatles and their span of performances is one of the few unified experiences that most of America and the UK (Not to mention most of the rest of the world) have shared.
To watch the performances tonight only shows what a dominant impact this one band has had on our culture and in the half-century since they began. After seeing all the performances tonight it was a magical experience for those watching and those who were live. This would shave been a great show to see.
The question I wish to pose is where is this unified experience now? Do we share common music and experiences?
There are moments that we can all recall in more recent music history, however this is only relegated to the age you are or the music genre you like. It does not have the same universal impact that The Beatles had.
Case and point was made by Dave Grohl tonight when he mentioned that the Beatles was his mother’s favorite band, his favorite band, and now his daughter’s favorite band (Who was like 6-7).
When music can transcend generations, that is inspiring. From a historical perspective the only genre that has done that with out massive changes in classical music, which is like comparing apples to oranges.
Its not for lack of talent either, a look at the current music scene and there is plenty of talent to go around. Tonights series of performances from the Salute to the Beatles included many modern artists who are really talented, however with the exception of Stevie Wonder, it’s likely most of them will not have the mass popularity of their music.
My thought is that the biggest cause to this lack of shared experience comes from two causes: music’s decline as a form of entertainment, and the diversity of music that permeates our culture.
For your average person, music is no longer considered a form of entertainment in it’s own right, it is mainly used a noise or something to help pass the time. It is usually being listened to in combination with something else. This already lowers the immediate value of the art, and is not something that is truly appreciated as much as visual arts.
The other culprit being the diversity of the music we have now. Their is a genre for everyone, and access is easier than it has ever been. This is not a bad thing! Their is something that everyone can enjoy out there, and most of us find that one genre that we really like. This however makes it harder to have a shared cultural musical experience.
I would love to see an artist or band have an impact now like The Beatles did then, however with the obvious two roadblocks listed and the lack of focus our culture has on music, it seems unlikely.
However at least we are fortunate to experience those moments in hindsight, and see these phenomenal artists still - 50 years later.
And…Paul and Ringo still got it, no question
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