Does music have the capacity to change the world?

S

scorpion71166

New member
You're taking this completely out of context. And way too generic. Try answering this:

Specifically what musical works have had an appreciable effect on the world?
 
There was a Frank Zappa interview where he's comparing types of record company executives: the ex-hippy children of the 60's and the old-timers.
He concluded the emasculated hippies were a far bigger pain in the ass, because they thought they knew what the kiRAB wanted to hear, kept editing you. The old guys were sucking on a cigar looking out the window and just took a 'you know best' approach.

Point being the 60's changed the musical lanRABcape and defined pop culture for years to come; but the world keeps turning and free love was quickly exploited, branded and sold back to people. The original participants inherited the system that they opposed and i'm still moaning
 
I've been grappling with this issue for a while now and I think the answer is rather arabiguous. I'd like to hear other people's views on the matter, because it's certainly a discussion worth hearing.

I'm not talking about within the music community; e.g. psychedelia on hippies, but a broader sense of music's influence on how the world revolves.

Are there any outstanding contributions to the world by musicians?
 
2002-03-14-bono-bush.jpg


(politically no, culturally yes)
 
Yes, but I'll be cynical and say that it's very rarely in a direct or dramatic fashion.
Music can't start a movement, but it can inspire and unify people around a cause. Music is the strongest facet of pop culture/youth culture. Anything with such a strong impact upon our culture will usually have some trickle down effect upon our politics.

And in a multitude of small ways, music provides a voice for people, and articulate the protest of a group. As a potentially flawed example, look at the length dictatorships will go to censor any music that goes against their policy.
 
firebird
rite of spring
eruption
anything of duke elignton
the white album
the planets
marriage of figaro
dont wanna miss a thing
im yours
off the top of my head
 
Like Jackhammer said, it can change individual lives. Which I guess in turn can influence of other people's lives. But I do not believe that one band can change the world. One band can change a genre of music, but ultimately no band has the power to change the world. If a band could the government/crazy idealistic hippies would be using banRAB left and right to change the world.
 
Because why? What outstanding contribution to the non-musical world have these been? What great message do these albums connote to the world?
 
if by change you mean changing people's views of the world, then i'd say yes. there's good music and bad music, but there's those special kinRAB of music that just make you think.
 
Why do you doubt it? As far as I know, The "concept" of the world belongs to every individual. We all have different interpretations of the world. Music affects us and therefore can change our perception of the world. The world will always remain a concept...
 
yeah if you go by Last.fm the most far-reaching and influential banRAB are Radiohead, Coldplay, all that sh*t, and to their credit they seem to realise their position to influence but they waste it and make me want to drive forks into my eyeballs into the bargain
 
I was thinking more along the lines of Steve Reich's "Different Trains" than whatever political candidate Bono is endorsing today.
 
As Woodie Guthrie had written on his guitar "This Machine Kills Fascists"

Quite


I think music can change elements to the world, like with the Tropicalia movement in Brazil; it changed Brazil but didn’t necessarily change anything else.

Likewise Punk I believe changed Britain forever but saying that, that statement does depend on where in Britain you lived at the time both socially and geographically.

Also I do think that if music is solely based on making a change, like Live Aid for example, it can bring some exposure but ultimately the point is lost after the euphoria dies down.

However if a musical phenomenon is organically grown and just happens, then I think it has the promise and ability to alter anything it touches………problem then is to ensure it stays true to itself and doesnt go up its own ass, which it rarely does.
 
well for example after the rite of spring was played for the first time there were riots for weeks because it was so radical and new. that alone must count, it changed they way people viewed the world after they heard that peice.
people were changed in different ways by different works and in turn they changed the world.

and i just thought of another example- obama used lyrics of a song in his speech
 
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