A FEW WEEKS ago, the winner of "Best Album" was announced at the Grammy Awards. The winner wasn't your standard pop diva starlet or king of hip-hop. Instead, it was a band decidedly outside the mainstream called Arcade Fire that won with its album, "The Suburbs." The reactions ran the gamut from outrage to confusion, as the masses were puzzled that a more famous artist hadn't won. So why did such an atypical band win one of music's highest honors? In order to answer that, one must first take into account the place that music holds in our culture and how that reflects changing aspects of our society. Music can color an era, and it would be fitting for us to truly understand the lesser known yet talented artists whose work is beginning to define our times.
With every passing generation, it appears that music can reflect the cultural character of society at a given time. Though it is difficult to discern completely the values and characteristics of society at any particular point, the overall ethos of a generation can be understood through what that generation contributes to culture as a whole. As the rate of books read per year per person has fallen, music seems to have replaced literature as the chosen type of media that reflects cultural changes through time. One can look at the romanticized, stereotypical flower children of the '60s and get a sense of how the culture was reflected in the music of the times. The same can be said of the grunge movement in the '90s and the neon synth-pop of the '80s. Whether it is a sense of rebellion, excess or disillusionment, generations are often defined by what flows through their headphones.
The last decade began with the onslaught of boy bands and Britney Spears-type pop divas glorifying their celebrity lifestyles for the enjoyment of all. Through this type of pop music, the listener found himself pining for the wealth, opulence and exciting lifestyle of the particular artist. This can be seen more recently in the pop acts of Lady Gaga and Katy Perry. Much of the content of their work is an account of a glamorous lifestyle, an exposition of the various antics that these starlets get into, and is often very self-referential.
So, again, how did this group of indie rockers known as Arcade Fire win one of the most coveted awards in the music business? The band's style and message seem to be the antithesis of everything pop music has been in the last decade. "The Suburbs," despite selling very well, is a pretty scathing critique of the materialism and ennui that results from an unfulfilled life in the suburbs.
It is a relatively dark and foreboding message juxtaposed against bombastic musical arrangements and the all-too-earnest vocals of lead singer Win Butler. The album doesn't paint a picture of a glamorous, party every day lifestyle that many of us long for; on the contrary, it decries that sort of materialism as a fruitless, purely utilitarian exercise that leaves one unsatisfied.
Though award shows hardly reflect what people actually want - case in point, "Toy Story 3" not winning Best Picture at the Oscars - they often can reflect an overall thematic shift in what is valued in the medium. Perhaps the glitz and glamour of pop music finally seems too bright. The United States seems to be in the midst of a collective economic hangover where beat machines and songs about Saturday night exploits are just too removed from a nation struggling to pay its bills.
Arcade Fire, then, currently is tapping into a highly relatable sense of exhaustion with materialism that comes with an economic crisis. It appears that many music fans want their music to reflect a more realistic lifestyle and also to provide commentary on real-world issues. The music is a reflection on the suburban lifestyle and the clich
Read More
ELJAZZAR: Advising changes are a step toward student success
By Farah Eljazzar | 5 days agoWith the long history of student complaints regarding advising in the College, it is commendable that the University administration is committed to responding to student concerns and prioritizing student academic well-being.
BRUNMAN: Stop ghosting us, Governor Youngkin
By Wylie Brunman | December 8, 2024For the sake of students — and the Governor — his state administration should rethink its stance on this meeting and its approach to interacting with students more broadly.
EDITORIAL: End the Batten Curve
By Editorial Board | December 5, 2024The Batten School must allow professors to design grading systems tailored to the needs of their own students.
