WHAT IS GOOD MUSIC? BY OGUNLEYE OLUWAKOREDE

                                                        

  I really don’t have a
clear definition for what ‘’Good music’’ is precisely about because this strong
tool can only be made clear to individual listeners. Everyone sees or feels
music in different ways. I will point out few ideologies of ‘’Good music’’ and
there will be some scrutiny on these ideologies.

The question of ‘’what good
music really is?’’ was asked by a friend of mine and it has drawn my attention
to tackling this question. He saw ‘’Good music’’ as something with effective lyrical
content. This is a good point of view but there have been songs that have used
foul languages to give positive change. Let me break it down this way: Gangster
Rap singles like in the late 90’s used obscure lyrics and bad video content to
call for the attention of American government on the issue of racism and
Anti-slavery. Merely using the name ‘’Gangster’’ can clearly address what I am
driving at. It is widely believed that ‘’there is sense in nonsense’’. The
nonsense of Rap music widely described by the majority of white in the 90’s has
become a tool of revolution today. Even in African popular music, the legend,
Fela Kuti does not actually possess much of poetic or literary application but
he has been able to use inanimate substance to symbolise socio-economic change.
Nigerian Music icon, Lagbaja jokingly uses funny object to direct social change
and lyrical repetition to emphasize political change. Good music goes beyond
solid lyrics but how far these lyrics can affect the listener and his surroundings.

A genre of music has a lot
to do with content. Every music kind has its own soul and message. In essence,
most RnB Artiste goes with content of love, heartbreak, hope and other related
content. Afro pop will majorly give the drumbeat, beauty and pride. Reggae will
always give hope, strength, and freedom. Some of the few instances I have given
have gone through lots of experiences and their root has always been founded on
these traits. Moreover, most listeners have a genre or genres that may seem
appealing.

A ‘’Good
music’’ can also have the ability to stay evergreen. Some listeners believe
that ‘’Good music’’ has this particular trait. What actually makes a song stay
evergreen is usually the intention of the message-bearer. Music is so powerful
that your works today can cause a remarkable impact for generations even after
death. Something spectacular usually makes music impactful for many years. It
may not even be anything relating to Artiste message. It can be something special
about the video or the effectiveness of such song during that period. Don’t get
it twisted, this thought on ‘’Good music’’ is a great one but not solid enough
because some ever green music still have a period where the shelf life will
deteriorate.

Appealing and irresistible
beat may likely make a ‘’Good music’’ but what about great songs that did not
bother much on fascinating beat. Some are even accompanied with acoustic guitar
and Piano. Great music symphony icons like Beethoven, Mozart did stress much
majorly on rhythm, strong Orchestra and powerful opera singers.

Basically, it is generally
believed that music is the combination of multiple elements of sounds that
sounds pleasing to the ear. I still doubt if this general belief on music
affects the phenomenon, ‘’Good music’’. Some deep readers believe that playing
music while reading can be a bit distracting and may not be needed at that
particular time. A good opera track can seem disturbing in a beer parlour.
Tuface ‘’African Queen’’ may not be appreciated or pleasing to a congregation
if played in a church. A ‘’Good music’’ can still be turned down in line with
an individual’s mood and atmosphere.

A music listener even
pointed out some key things about ‘’Good music’’ based on his thought. He puts
it in these words ‘’A good music becomes good when you immerse into it; something
that lifts up your spirit, a tool that makes you forget all worries and gives
you goose bumps’’. This ideology is an interesting one but a bit controversial.
I raised some questions from this ideology like: ‘’Does good music lift the
soul always?’’, Does it relieve you off all worries?’’.

Every music has its own
soul and every listener tunes his mind to feel this soul. When the soul is
lifted, does it edify the soul or give bad effect to such listeners and his
environ? It is no doubt music influences most listeners’ lifestyle, for example;
violent music has exposed so many youths to homicide acts even at a young age.

If ‘’Good music’’ relieves
listeners of all worries, I wonder why we have music that still gives us memory
of bad experiences or music that shows emotions of heartbreak and many more
like that

Good voice draws the
attention of listener but with music evolution over the years, it is likely not
a good determinant of ‘’Good music’’. Music professionals like ‘’Yanni’’
involves majorly musical instrument in his own works with limited voice
participation. With the instance given, musical instrument can serve as a
source of inspiration.

I agree with almost every
idea I have come across lately, but I think there is still a vacuum in all
these definitions that needs to be blocked. It is evident that every single
individual’s perspective on ‘’Good music’’ is a subjective view but it needs to
be reconsidered and redefined by individual listener.