Reflection of Popular Culture in Music

Music is an important part of life. Even people who don’t have a love for music cannot deny that it plays a role in their lives. For centuries, music has been intertwined with the development of people and their cultures. In America, our modern music has changed from past decades. When looking at a list of the most popular songs of right now, one might notice a few reoccurring aspects of this music. All of the songs show some kind of reflection of our modern American culture.
Many of these popular songs deal with the same subjects: love, partying, sex, and success. Songs such as “Imma Be” by the Black Eyed Peas glorify a life with money, parties, and sexual conquests. This song has very few poetic devices. The most sophisticated use of a poetic device is simple alliteration such as, “I'm a be world wide international”. Other top rated songs like “Tik Tok” by Ke$hia and “Down” by Jay Saun follow the same pattern. Although all of these songs lack a deeper meaning, they do have an upbeat tempo that is pleasing to listen to. This is why they are top hits.
Another very common theme in popular music is love and heartbreak. “Breakeven” by The Script depicts a love and loss story that is relatable to all ages. It tells of an unfair breakup that left the guy miserable while the girl found happiness. Along with having a more sophisticated topic than the common party songs, it has better examples of poetic devices. “Breakeven” has several metaphors that help develop the emotions of the song such as, “I'm falling to pieces,” and, “'Cause when a heart breaks, no it don't breakeven.”
Amidst the more typical themes of today’s top rated songs, there are songs that have different messages. An example of this is Kris Allen’s single “Live Like We’re Dying”. This song asks the listener that if their life ended now, would they be happy with what it was? Using several metaphors, Allen goes on to sing that, “We're hiding behind skin that's too tough,” and that we need to live to our full potential. Its happy sound along with its inspirational message show a more hopeful and life-fulfilling feeling many people share.
After listening to our many top hits, it is evident how diverse and dynamic our culture is. People value things in a wide range, from a materialistic stand points, to love and happiness, and even to living life to the fullest. Although a good amount of popular songs are about fame, success, and parties, this is because the music is targeted towards the younger part of the population. The young people of America are not looking for a deeper meaning in music; they are looking for something to make them happy and to have a good time. Songs like “Breakeven” and “Live Like We’re Dying”, however, show that we do still have serious values like finding love and happiness in our lives.