Listening to different types of music can really change your perspective about sounds, voices, instruments, and the composition together. I began doing it a few months ago and found that the music I listen to now has dramatically changed and calmed down. I find meaning within lyrics from songs written from across the world. It may sound lame or unentertaining, but all artists have commonalities within their music and it's the lyrics. The same situations, the same lingo, the same meaning behind the words — only the way they put it all together is significantly different.
Here I have five pairs of songs that consist of 10 different genres of music. If you see the connections between lyrics but also what differentiates one from another, you may see that making music becomes so universal. It is a pact that millions of artists from millions of different places have come together to share with us, the listeners.
1. "You Need To Calm Down" - Taylor Swift (Pop) and "Black Me Out" by Against Me! (Punk)
This example is relevant because Taylor Swift just came out with this song, along with the music video that celebrates self-love, Pride, and the LGBTQIA community. Love in a world full of hate. We are so focused on being selfish and tearing people down that we have not progressed into being more kind, accepting or calm (HA!). The other song really relates and throws shade at those who are not their original selves, as Taylor Swift does just as well.
2. "Wish You Were Here" - Pink Floyd (Rock) and "Wish You Were Here" - Black Coffee (Dance)
Both songs are about wishing somebody was close and near; wondering where they are now and what they are doing. Besides the names being the same, Black Coffee presents their song in a more mellow, sad, jazz vibration type of mood where Pink Floyd starts very soft but is more dramatic.
3. "Take Me Dancing" - William Joseph Cook (Alternative) and "One Dance" by Drake (Hip-Hop/Rap)
Such great dancing songs with different styles of dance.
4. "Feels Like I’m Dying" - Amity Affliction (Metal) and "Dying" - Fighting For Five (Singer/Songwriter).
From extreme to the softest beat ever, I paired these together because they're both about "dying" from the pain of love and life. The range of anger and vocals sharing the same emotions in different ways really shows just how powerful each song could be. What's interesting is that some or maybe even most of these songs don't appeal to you, but for others, it could be the music that changes their life.
5. "Jump Right In" - Zac Brown Band (Country) and "Electric Boogie" - Marica Griffiths (Funk)
I think this match is fascinating because these two songs have such a similar beat and I bet if you played both of these songs at a party everybody would sing both of them; they're hits!
Some of these will obviously have the same names, but it's about the sound of each song that makes it so unique and different from all the others. That's why we notice it. The different and unexpected always make us tilt our heads.
