How Music Can Be Used to Inspire Political and Social Change: My Final Project
To many people, music is nothing but something to listen to. It is just entertainment, and there is little to no meaning behind the production, lyrics, instrumentals, or talent. To others, though, music can initiate great change, whether it is social, spiritual, emotional, or political change. In this post, I will explore how music can inspire social and political change by both providing a common ground on which people can unite and by offering new and unique perspectives on certain subjects that have the potential to influence the audience's opinions.
First, music can provide a common ground on which people can unite and fight certain issues. Take Imagine Dragons for example. Imagine Dragons is a funk rock band that came together in 2008 and is known for hits such as "Radioactive" and "Thunder". One of their songs off of their 2017 album, Evolve, is called "Believer", and was written to highlight the unbelievably high LGBT+ teen suicide rates in the Mormon church. Listen to it here:
"Believer" is performed in the key of B♭ minor and follows a time signature of 12/8. There are lots of changes in the tempo of the lyrics. Some of the verses are sung much slower than other verses, and the variability in tempo makes the song very interesting to listen to.
The reason I chose this song to represent how music can inspire social change by providing a common ground on which people can unite. The lead singer of Imagine Dragons, Dan Reynolds, spoke out about what this song meant to him in his HBO documentary, "Believer". Both the song and the documentary "explore how Mormon LGBTQ youth often feel repressed and shamed into remaining closeted. Some researchers have pointed to the religion's anti-gay rhetoric as the reason why youth suicide rates have nearly tripled in Utah since 2007..." (Ryan). Despite this, Dan Reynolds leads Imagine Dragons, even to this day, to raise money for the Trevor Project, which works to reduce suicide rates in LGBT+ teens.
Another work of music that illustrates how music can inspire social and political change is "1 800-273-8255" by Logic featuring Khalid and Alessia Cara. Listen to it here:
This song proves that music can cause social and political change by offering new and unique perspectives on certain subjects that have the potential to influence the audience's opinions. In this case, the subject that is being acted upon is suicide, specifically in teens. "1 800-273-8255" is performed in the key of F minor and follows the time signature of 4/4. The rich vocals of Khalid contrast the sugary sweet vocals of Cara. Together, with the crisp lyrics and delivery from Logic, the song becomes a rollercoaster of emotions and memories combined with an ache that I can't quite soothe.
The first thing one typically notices with this song is the title: "1 800-273-8255". It doesn't take much more than a Google search to discover that this number is the Suicide Hotline number. This number was promoted and spread across multiple different platforms and communities, and according to Ben Tinker reporting for CNN, "calls to the hotline spiked over 33%". Throughout the rest of the song, it becomes very clear what message Logic is trying to promote: suicide is never the answer.
Both "1 800-273-8255" and "Believer" are songs that were produced and released to promote social and political change. Though both songs work to reduce suicide rates in teens, they are also proof that there are different types of change that can be enacted by music. Music does not have to promote only one type or one agenda of change; in fact, it never does. Music can be only a platform on which people can come together and fight for change, or it can be the anthem that plays whilst storming the Capitol building. Either way, music is a very good way to inspire social change.
My Journey With this Class :)
My relationship with music has changed quite a bit with this class. I now have new perspectives with which I can analyze music. It is easier for me to understand the influences that can be heard in music. I now appreciate music more as art, rather than as something to keep me entertained. I thoroughly enjoyed this class, and I hope the rest of you did, too. Here's to a good musical future ! :)
References
Ryan, Patrick. "Imagine Dragons' Dan Reynolds on HBO Doc, and Why He's No Longer Embarrassed to Be Mormon." USA Today. Gannett Satellite Information Network, 24 June 2018. Web. 04 Aug. 2021.
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