Does Music Influence People?

[MagicalGhoul]

All throughout my life, I've heard that music influences people. That music such as rock, hip-hop, and rap are terrible, and make people do terrible things because of the messages behind the lyrics and the lyrics themselves.
I've heard that people who listen to rap are all "gangstas", and that people who listen to rock are criminals.
But I've never heard any criminals or "gangstas" say that they are the way they are because of music...


I, honestly, don't think music has anything to do with you're personality unless you let it. I believe that many people who listen to rap think they have to be "gangsta", or many people who are "gangsta" feel that they ahve to listen to rap and nothing else. Same goes for any other music.
It seems like people are embarrassed to admit that they listen to other types of music.
I listen to what many people consider rock or punk (I don't actually want to put a label on it, because people start foaming at the mouth it you label music wrong...) and I am not a criminal. I'm not very angst-y, I laugh a lot, I don't cut myself, I don't wear all black, and I don't live in a constant state of depression, like people think I would.
For me, the music I listen to is just that; music I listen to.
I like the majority of music that I listen to because of the emotions behind them. It's nice to be feeling down and find a song that fits my feelings exactly. It's nice to know that I'm not alone. That others share my feelings, and that everyone feels that way at some point.
I love the instruments, the powerful guitar, the rhythmic drum, and the amazing voice that all belt out music together, harmonizing to make a song that makes me smile, or cry depending on the song.
To me, music is just that. Music. Something to listen to. Not a little demon on your shoulder, whispering to you and telling you what to do.



So, I want to know, what's you're opinion on music?
Does it truly influence people?
Is it bad?

[Atuin]

Music since the dawn of time has always been considered an influence on society. In the heyday of Rock'n Roll, it was considered evil music that was turning the children to the darkside.
Instead I think music is merely an indication of our culture rather then the cause of it.
Take for instance an example of music from various countries, you will find some very different tastes. Where the Genre's overlap there is also a similarity in the society between those countries.
Music is the voice of the age.

[GrowlingCupcake]

I don't think music can be blamed for someone picking up a gun and killing someone else. But perhaps it can glamourise the concept, sort of how smoking in films made smoking seem more cool (or something to that effect, I have been told. If wrong, please correct). That said, I like to give people the benefit of the doubt and not think they're stupid enough to blindly do something because someone sings about it. And if they are, please hit them with a subwoofer. In cases where the person is mentally unstable... well then couldn't anything have set them off and not music (or video games)? There was clearly already an issue, right?

That said, I'd think music can inspire people. Or... uplift us in such a way that it fills up with motivation and goodness and the need to do. Or at least it does for me xD Does it for you? Ever heard a song which just makes you want to throw open curtains and be active and just do something?

[wolfeyedangel]

Music is no worse than anything else you put in your mind that sticks with you. Music does tend to stick with you, which is why in cultures where literacy is not prevalent there are and have been 'teaching songs' or chants, not because music had a supernatural power over people but because a tune and/or a rhythm helped the information 'stick' better.

Beyond that it's a case of garbage in garbage out. If you keep hearing day in and day out 'life sucks and then you die' you start to wonder about it. It sticks with you and affects you even if you ultimately reject the notion. It's still had an impact on how you think and what you think about. It's very hard to believe something that has never once crossed your mind. Music can make people think about things. This can be either good or bad. Music reflects what it is coming out of; therefore, it can be useful in understanding cultures and subcultures. It can also be uplifting, delivering messages of hope or comfort in a way that the spoken word sometimes doesn't convey. It can also convey messages of 'life sucks, then you die' or 'you're only cool if you have a gun' or 'you know cheating on your significant other is fine as long as you don't mind if they cheat on you.' What do you want to think about and listen to day in and day out? I think the reaction to music came from that tendency of music to stick in our heads, and to allow us to retain information more readily. That is something quite powerful, and, logically, it is of concern to parents what their children are putting in their heads on a regular basis, and as with many things it can get blown out of proportion and whipped up into a panicked frenzy that no longer addresses the actual issue effectively.


On a more general note:
For my part I have very eclectic musical tastes, there are songs in just about every genre of music that I enjoy, though there are some I am more cautious about just randomly listening to than others. Rap and the scream bands tend to come to mind. A high percent of those are filled with profanity and racial slurs (Ironically generally against the race doing the singing which is something I still don't understand.)

For myself there are 3 rules of music before I, personally, will listen to it:
1) It must have some form of recognizable melody line (yes, even the chant-styles do, they have a definite recognizable rise and fall of tone, generally with dynamic markings, you can hear this in many forms of chant and in modern rap as well.)
2) If there are lyrics, I must be able to understand what they are mumbling. If it's a language I don't know it should be clear enough that if I DID speak the language I would be able to follow the words.
3) I must not regret having heard the words once I hear them.

These are my own, personal, criteria for what I consider to be worthwhile music. It covers pretty much every genre out there while eliminating certain songs.

~Wolf

[LunatheDragoness]

Music is to never blame for anything. Like the time when some kid or teen went to school and started to shoot because of Marilyn Manson. They blamed him for the kids doing. It is not his music. Yes his music can be hmm... how to put it... idk bad i guess? But that is what a WARNING LABEL IS FOR. Parents,again,should watch their children. If it has a warning label stating it has graphic words and is violent then dont get/let your kid listen to it/buy it. My goodness....parents need to stop blaming everything on the people who are just doing their jobs. Which is making music. THEIR type of music. Dont like it then dont listen to it.

[Wolfsister]

Music most definitely influences people in some way, from their mood to what they might think about. There's a reason that some music is soothing, some makes you happy, some makes you angry, and some might make you cry. And there's a reason why you might search one type of music out from others at any particular time. It's an expression of feeling and emotion, and sets off a base response in those who listen to it.

But is music to blame for people's personalities or behavior? No, not in the least. A particular song might make you think about a 'bad' behavior, or a bad situation, but it does not make you act on those thoughts. At that point, it is up to your own self control and ability to separate things from reality. On the other hand, I do sometimes 'blame' music for improving my mood, and making me feel better or more alive, so I suppose I can understand the basic argument that music can cause bad behavior. I just don't agree that it works that way.

[Tortuga]

It's parents job to screen what the kids' listen to.

end of story

don't blame the media, blame the parents.

[bluetwilight17]

Personally, I do not think music preference has any sort of indication of what a person is like. Sure, sometimes certain groups of people have a music stereotype- but then again, stereotypes aren't really that reliable.

Take me, for instance. I listen to all sorts of music:
Rock
Pop
Rap
Punk
Screamo
SOME country
R&B

Just because I listen to rap, it doesn't make me a gangster, or make me want to go out and shoot someone. It just happens to be something I like to listen to, and the graphic lyrics and content of the songs have no indication of who I am as a person.

Same goes for any other type of genre of music. Listening to country doesn't make you a redneck, Screamo a goth, Pop a preppy person, etc. To me, music is a way to entertain myself, and if I like it, I'll listen to it, no matter what genre it is.

[MadHattery]

Music is music - which as most dictionaries put it "an art of sound in time that expresses ideas and emotions in significant forms through the elements of rhythm, melody, harmony, and color.". It depends on the person or people listening to the music that is actually the case here. Everyone is different and music effects people differently depending on their thought processes, which can make music something from a raunchy, dirty, violent song that someone enjoys listening to into a mantra for that person.

It's not the musics fault if the person listening to it decides to use a song as a mantra..and it's not really the musicians fault either, albeit some songs I hear make me sick to my stomach due to what they're talking about [Not going to name any because I haven't heard the songs in a few years, but some of the connotations of some of the newer songs not only make me giggle like a giddy schoolgirl, but make me shake my head]. Yes, music effects people, but as I said in my first section, it really does depend on the person.

I, personally, use music as a 'flowing muse', something that I can change at my whim that I actually need playing in order for me to work on certain things properly. If I'm drawing or writing, I tend to need some form of music playing in the background. If I'm doing homework, I tend to work on it with a little more concentration if I have classical music playing. I have also found that music can make some of my headaches go away, and sometimes if I haven't listened to music in awhile, I get a headache. So I guess you could say that Music, to me, is a sort of "faux addiction". I pretty much can't live without it because it's been there my entire life. Music can effect my mood -- I used to listen to the old, Screaming Linkin Park and Evanescence and found my mood to be generally sour and blue, then again I was listening to both bands at the start of my adolescence, which also might have had something to do with it. Happy music -- Like most Berryz Koubou and Wonder Girls songs, will cheer me up to the point that if I feel upset, I grab my headphones and play some happy music to make me smile.

Music isn't bad, I still believe it's what the persons mind is doing with that music in question. We also have to make a note of the very blatant fact that a majority of Musicians, both in the states and in the world as a whole, are very keen on the political and religious views of society - which can often cause a sudden rise of songs with so called 'hidden meanings' unless you actually listen to the music, read the lyrics, or even watch the Music Video if the song gets one. What's one major thing going on right now in the states? Lack of Self Esteem .. and the musicians have picked up on this little blurb and worked on it, fleshed out songs and created hits to help people get through the tough times and try and help with their self esteem, even if the song wasn't directed towards one single person it can make a difference.

Music is the flowing sound through time, it seems to have a soul of it's own at times, sometimes it's mystical, sometimes it's awe inspiring, sometimes it's raunchy and sometimes it's down right bad but all in all, music is what we as humans perceive it to be.

[BradTheMad]

Great topic and no I do not think that music changes you or makes you act any different. A guy could gun down people and listen to Britney Spears and you´d never hear Spears/fan murders innocents. The media tends to lay the blame on people´s lifestyle because it takes away some of the anxiety for the populace.
It´s easier to understand for some why the scary (yeah right) metalhead dressed in all black commits a crime...he´s different!

It might seem that people who listen to rap music are more violent but it has nothing to do with the actual music. No matter how much I personally loathe the whole gangsta culture it´s not the cause of criminal behavior, if these hoodlums listened to classical music and dressed in three piece suits they would still be criminals.
Music does influence your mood a lot but only people who are mentally disturbed would actually turn violent because of violent music or lyrics. It´s the same with movies or videogames.