Whether it’s rock, country, classical or pop, no genre of music is superior to the others. Every genre of music has its own special influence on its listeners.
According to Science Mag, people can find different genres of music more pleasurable than others based on their brain activity. One genre is not better than the others because of one person’s take on artistry. Another person may have a different take.
Recently, at the 2015 Grammys, rapper Kanye West stole the show yet again with his interruption during the Album of the Year award. When singer-songwriter Beck won the award, West disapproved, saying, “Beck needs to respect artistry, and he should’ve given his award to Beyoncé.”
The proposition that one type of artistry is better than the others is absurd. Depending on the genre of music, artistry can be found many different ways. “It depends on the artist,” said junior psychology major Elaina Dilts. “I wouldn’t say one genre is better than the other. It requires more or less skill, because I think it is a matter of opinion for the artist singing or producing that style of music.”
If any genre was going to be in the run for the superior one, it would be classical, but even that is subjective. There has recently been a debate about classical music being the superior genre because of its complexity.
”Classical music is definitely superior to music genres like rock,” said senior physics major Sam Wyatt. “It isn’t power chords over and over that are produced on the radio today. The depth and complexity of classical music can affect people’s moods differently than other genres. Music that doesn’t have lyrics can be ambiguous to the listener. Lyrics can evoke emotions that are biased through whatever they are wanting their listener to get out of it.”
Classical music can be changed to fit the needs of each listener. With other genres, however, interpretation can be more direct. Classical music should be respected, but so should individual preference. Every genre of music should be respected for its artistry.
Music genre superiority is not a subject that can be debated with objective evidence. “Usually, we can decide if something is of worth or if it is worthless,” said sophomore mathematics major Linh Do. “I don’t think that can be determined with music. It is personal preference.”
Music is used in many therapeutic techniques, and believe it or not, each music genre can help in a different way. During music therapy, softer genres such as jazz or classical are used. Therapists may then move to pop or other more upbeat genres and slowly increase the pace toward rock. According to Ayushveba, a health and lifestyle magazine, this type of therapy can help with anxiety, as well as reflexes. Every genre of music has a purpose in this type of therapy and they should all be credited equally.
People also use different genres of music for different moods. Some have different music playlists that lift their spirits when they are feeling down. If we had a superior genre of music, it would decrease selection. No one goes through his or her entire life only listening to one genre of music. You test out different genres to see if you like them and want to add them to your playlist.
All genres balance each other out with their individual styles. When all genres of music are brought together, the art of music is formed. What would one be without the other? It is hard to say one genre is superior to the other. Each genre is too different from one another.
So whether you are like Kanye West and you think Beyoncé should win every award she is nominated for or you believe Beck really did deserve Album of the Year for his artistry, it should be recognized there is no superiority when it comes to music.
