We all listen to music, whether studying, hanging out with friends or even just vibing on your own. Music has the power to hold memories, enhance special moments and even tell someone how you feel when you when you feel like your words don’t have much to say. Point is, music is powerful, and each song you listen will open the doors for possibilities to really delve yourself in the power of songs.

As magical as music can be, and how each song can carry a different experience, a lot of people only listen to a small number of genres, like only listen to pop or country, for example, and completely disregard other types of music. This limits the connection and appreciation of music! Music builds up from one song to the next. Artists will claim how a song really influences who they are as a musician, and it will be music that is not from the same genre of music they perform. This is music appreciation: being able to see the craft and artistry of a song/musician.

Each musical genre has something special to offer, and each era of music is a living piece of history. It represents something special of the human condition. Music is reflective of how people are living and values the society holds. For example, '70s funk reflects a time when people were carefree and wanted to have a lot of fun. '90s hip hop showcases a lot of the drug usage and violence since that was so prevalent in the neighborhoods that had avid hip hop listeners. The music told stories of struggles of communities trying to be above poverty and law enforcement. Love songs have been in existence for a long time; it is the one unifying human condition that everyone (er, almost everyone, if I’m not assuming) can resonate with. From poems to songs, love is what keeps the human race going. As music trend is constantly changing and adapting to the rapid change in culture, love songs will always remain.

Listening to different kinds of music will definitely make you realize that beyond entertainment, music is an art. While a lot of popular contemporary music is not the best example of “art,” there is still talent to focus on. For example, Sam Smith, who did the vocal’s for Disclosure’s “Latch,” has an amazing voice. His collaborations showcase the incredible range he has, which not many can achieve. Mariah Carey is also an amazing example of the spectacular range of vocals the human voice can span. Kendrick Lamar’s talent is not rapping; it is the art of lyricism. Take a look at his work and you can analyze and dissect his verses and see how he weaves a picture together using rhetoric, all symbolizing aspects of present-day society. Producers, who are the backbone of the music industry yet do not receive as much limelight as the musicians they produce for, are truly those who make a song art. Their attention to detail in order to make a song really great is worth noting. Next time you listen to a song, don’t just focus on the lyrics; really listen to the production behind the words.

Paintings have different shapes and colors and brush strokes to make a complete work. Different artwork techniques start a wave in music and inspires others. People don’t just like one type of painting; it’s the comprehension of other work that makes one appreciate art in general. Music is like this, too; it makes the world go round, but music taste should be multidimensional.