Music Influence - Free Paper Example

Introduction

Music has always served a social function in societies worldwide. It plays a ritual role that relates to the various needs and events within the community. Musicians carry a lot of influence irrespective of the type of albums they release and the songs contained in the particular albums. Popular music in current times shows and reveals the cultural aspects of any group of people. Music has undergone widespread advancements over time as a result of the changing generations. For example, it is possible to determine when a particular age existed by establishing the musical lyrics that were prevalent at that time. Changes in culture reflect the varied musical styles that undergo evolution every passing day (Womack, 2020. Pg. 3).

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In the early medieval times, music was the same over very; long periods. Changes in music are closely related to the evolving lifestyles among people. Music and culture are the same things. An example is when a famous and influential piece in the early 1960s has become outdated with time. The moral impact of music is similarly prevalent in societies worldwide. Morality refers to the determination of what is right and what is bound to be wrong. Rap and hip-hop music, for instance, carries numerous negative and positive effects. Songs induce behavior. Similarly, music's impact in shaping society's political aspects has played a significant role in shaping political developments since the early times. In this paper, we shall explore the societal, cultural, and political context of the Beatles album that shaped the world at large in several ways at its release in the year 1968.

The Beatles Album Release

The album is also called the white album and was released in 1968 by an English band called the Beatles. The album became famous and influential due to its unique lyrical styles in the various songs and the different genres used. It is considered one of the best albums ever released based on the varied ways it impacted the world. Some of the genres in the album include ska, music, British blues, amongst others. Most of the songs became purely acoustic and were recorded independently (Jones, 2020. Pg. 32). The Beatles group of artists that released the album comprised of four artists. They include Paul McCartney, born in 1942, John Lenon born in 1940, Ringo Starr born, and George Harrison, born in 1943. They wrote and released several songs before deciding to write the most celebrated album of that time, the Beatles. The album received its share of criticism, with claims of the album being satirical and raising unnecessary political temperatures despite the rough political climate of the early 1960s in England and the United States of America. An example of the songs connected to this was 'the revolution.'

The Political Impact of the Beatles

The Beatles album enjoyed massive fame worldwide due to the significant role in shaping the political landscape in the late 1960s. The artists earned honor and became the best. One obvious thing is that the album was not just about entertainment songs; it similarly exposed the artist's political aspect. They were politicians in one way or the other. They expressed their pieces in the album from a political angle. Many of those who loved and listened to music were politically inspired. The majority of this was the young people who formed a larger part of their fanbase (Osten, 2019. pg. 4). For example, a journey ma Beatles artists to the USA in the late 1960s contributed to the political instability that was being witnessed in the country. The US president had just had been attacked and wounded by unknown assassins (Mohr, 2020. Pg. 2).

Several human rights activists were leading demonstrations countrywide, thus raising further tension in the country. Similarly, there was looming tension in South-Eastern Asia. Such instances and many others forced the youth tot urn towards something that would offer them both guidance and strength. The coming and release of the Beatles was an overhaul to the distressed youth. Therefore, it marked the beginning of the famous generational music of 196os characterized by advanced lyrics and melody (Calancea & Calancea, 2018. Pg. 109).

Beatle's Political Songs

Most of the songs contained in the album were said to radicalize societies politically. They were thus said to be anti-establishment. The 1960s got characterized by massive resistance against several governments worldwide. Beatle's songs cultivated the culture of political opposition even more. It resulted in the concept of devising pieces that would aid in instituting resistances. The resistance became prevalent and thus engineered due to several pressing issues that directly affected the people. Political groups were assembled and mobilized by the use of these songs. The Beatles album was an eye-opener to other music groups that joined the bandwagon of releasing songs that reiterated society's political needs by that time. Among the bands include Garfunkel, Simon, and CSNY (Vujnovic, 2020. Pg. 2).

Political activism was similarly connected to the album. The artists were viewed as political activists by most of their fans and those who listened to their music. Several artists also began releasing politicized music that had gained tremendous fame. Political feelings were revealed through the songs and what the people wanted. It has remained the trend even when music is used to express eth people's and leaders' political aspirations. For example, my president's song was sung by renowned artists John legend, who got inspiration from the Beatles album. The album has had a long-lasting political legacy even recently (Jones, 2020. Pg. 34).

The Cultural Impact

The Beatles has been one of the most notable album releases even after 50 years since the last live performance. The artists are widely known and recognized worldwide due to their unique music style and physical outlooks (Mohr, 2020. Pg. 3). Their hit songs resemble their exact personal appearance while on stage. An example being their long hairstyles. Their influence on a variety of aspects in society has been evident. They left a lifetime legacy in the world of music. They have thus significantly impacted the community's cultural context not only in England, where it was released but in other countries worldwide. The 1960s was prevalent with changes in art, cultural perceptions as well as peoples' lifestyles. The album advanced everything surrounding the society. It thus became a generational game-changer in several ways (Womack, 2020. Pg. 3).

The Beatles album demonstrated the counter culture. It spanned across nations where the album received tremendous support and willingness. The unique prospects of love were so prevalent and resulted in a cohesive and peaceful society. The album's artistic works promoted unity even when the world was going through difficult times of violence and war. Counter culture is an aspect that is attributed to Beatle’s long-lasting legacy in shaping the cultures of people (Campbell, 2020. Pg. 188).

Music recording techniques underwent enormous advancements after the release of the album. The music style contained in the album marked a change of tact in music writing and recording. Their style defeated the famous American music styles that were predominant in the world by then. Several artists and bands in England had not managed to match what Americans had so far achieved. Most of the bands rarely wrote music independently, which was different from the case on Beatles, where the four artists did all the songs in the album. Such was the most outstanding innovation ever experienced before (Osten, 2019. pg. 4).

Perception and people's views about music considerably changed after the Beatles album was released. The album saw thousands of people turn to watch live performances done by artists worldwide. It has remained one of the most influential album releases. The history of music cannot be written minus the input of the Beatles. Music became commercially viable as it earned the artists vast sums of money. Conclusively, the Beatles engineered cultural change (White, 2019. Pg. 2). The musical content in the album inspired friendship among the artists and their fans. The four artists were the most incredible friends of their time and afterward. The band lost two artists but has still managed to extend its impact to the society over time. Such is evident with the continued use of the album in promotions, documentaries, and the music on several occasions. Everyone who listens to the album has something to benefit from (Heyman, 2020. Pg. 1).

The Beatles was the first album to be offered a live broadcast in the world of music. It was witnessed by hundreds of millions of people spread across various countries in the world. It defined a new generation that loved and recognized the role played by music in shaping society. Similarly, the album was performed in a stadium and was attended by over 50,000 fans. The American population formed the most significant following, with about seventy-three million fans. They thus influenced the upcoming generation (Mohr, 2020. Pg. 4). The album broke existing records in the musical world all over Europe. The artists were a darling of the people who witnessed their performances. It thus resulted in live performances that left fans amazed at their gifted talent in music. The album was a milestone (Walsh, 2017. Pg. 259).

The Historical Context

The four artists who feature in the album, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Ringo Starr, and John Lennon, are renowned musicians. They gained a tremendous following after the release of their album. The four originated from Liverpool in England. They formed the group and named it the Beatles in the year 1960. The artists wrote and produced songs that matched their needs (Heyman, 2020. Pg. 2). One unique feature with the band is that all the artists lacked the requisite musical training. They, however, had a lot of information about the various emerging trends in the music industry. They integrated the use of instruments and the styles that marked a tremendous change in the entertainment world. The Beatles album has a vast historical impact on music (Jenkins & Jenkins, 2020. Pg. 1). In 1968 when the album was being released, the world was experiencing numerous student demonstrations agitated by several events that threatened their welfare and society at large. One of the artists in the band, John Lennon, critiqued the leftist’s demonstrations while at the same time supporting their demand and what they were fighting for. One of the songs in the album called revolution, became a prominent feature of the album (Campbell, 2020. Pg. 195).

The white album got much of its inspiration from one of the artists, Paul McCartney, who said he had received a dream about the late mother. The mother had assured him of success even amidst the difficult times. Everything was bound to be okay with time. A song was thus written called “let it be) and included in the album (Osten, 2019. pg. 6).

Conclusion

The Beatles group’s artists were experienced in several ways. They trained each other in several fields, which was made possible because they were staying together. It included song form training and how to use the instruments. The instruments were recorders, banjo, kazoo, amongst others. An example of the song that used a lot of instruments played by the artists is a revolution. The song was of its quality and standing in the entire album. It incorporated several styles to make it more unique to the rest of the album albums songs. One of the techniques used in the music was referred to as looping.