“The measure of music is both subjective and objective.”
For my first post, I would like to discuss the objectivity of music.
“How on earth could music be objective? Doesn’t everybody have different taste in music? So isn’t ‘good music’ just a phrase to express one’s relative approval?”
A decade ago, I probably would agree that music is relative. Last summer, I argued firmly against it. Today, I think that the value of music cannot be measured either objectively or subjectively.
The value of music must be measured both ways.
This last spring, my roommate happened to like the two styles of music I dislike the most: trap music and modern country. Every time he would take over the speaker, I would cringe and think, “My gosh, this has to be the worst music out there.” Yet at every party, with his music blasting he would walk over to me with a bottle of Jack Daniels in his hand, wrap his arm around my shoulders, and exclaim that this music was nothing short of brilliant.
We can’t both be right. It makes no sense for a song to be both completely good and bad, although it may have good and bad elements. Perhaps there is no such thing as good music. Maybe there are only preferences for songs, songs that are of equal or no value.
If anyone who tells you that there is no value in music, it should be cause for suspicion. Even the most postmodern musicians agree that there is value in music, and some would even claim that the only value in life comes from music. That there is value in music is self-evident.
If all music were equal, why are there such similar responses to certain music. Why does “T.N.T” fill people from every generation with excitement and inspiration? Why does Grieg’s Notturno produce feelings of peace (and yes, sleepiness) for so many? How can some kinds of music have universal effects that are so different from those of other kinds, even across centuries and cultures? Put simply, how can one song make a crowd dance and another make the masses cry if the songs are equal?
God forbid the day all music is equal or worthless.
Then where does music get its worth, and how can we measure it? It might be that the value of music is determined by popularity or by the reviews of a few experienced critics. Perhaps by the amount of money it makes or by the number of times it is played. Or maybe by the name of the artist or the number of hours, years of training, natural talent, and expertise that went into creating a song.
It turns out that there are plenty of ways to measure the value of a song. Some might be more indicative than others, but none are perfect. For instance, a song’s timelessness is important, but this measure ignores the context of the times. There may have been a song that was appropriate for a year or two, but after a while, it ceased to be so. Music is able to evolve thanks to songs that are innovative but not necessarily timeless. The history of music is not made up of a few landmark songs but of countless lesser known works that led to the development of great songs, albums, artists, and entire genres.
There are also lots of ways to appreciate music that are not measurable. I’ve already mentioned universal effects, but music is also about the individual’s experience. “Power” by Kanye West was my theme song for cross country in high school. The song calls to mind certain memories and feelings that are unique to my person. Whenever I hear it, I always remember when I ran my best time at Fort Peck Lake back in Montana. That song played in my head as I crossed the finish line and received my third-place medal and a free t-shirt. I later got “POWER” and my time printed on that shirt.
Someone else has a totally different experience with that song. That’s part of the beauty of music. Even though there are objective measurements for it, there’s still a subjective aspect. People can have totally different interactions with and understandings of the same song. It creates a kindred spirit to find someone who shares the same tastes, but you can also learn from someone else’s experience.
“Music is both subjective and objective.” This statement will remain in the back of my mind during my future posts.
Tell me what you think. Is music subjective or objective, both or neither? Tell me about some of your favorite songs too; when did you first hear them? Why are they your favorite? Also, let me know if there’s a topic on which you’d like to see me write. I have plenty of ideas, but I’d love to address your interests if I can. I’m looking forward to your comments.
Thanks for reading!
