Hey y’all!

For my final blog post, I would like to let y’all know why Florida Georgia Line could and should end up in our textbook in the future to come.

 Florida Georgia Line is a duo comprised of members Tyler Hubbard (from Monroe, Georgia) and Brian Kelley (from Ormond Beach, Florida). Their sound combines electrifying, hard-driving rock with honest, expressive lyrics. The Cruise Songfacts explains that both Hubbard and Kelley began playing guitar individually while they were in high school before meeting at Nashville’s Belmont University. They began writing songs together between classes and soon found themselves playing local clubs, quickly building a fanbase. Hubbard and Kelley signed a publishing/production/management deal with Craig Wiseman’s Big Loud Mountain record label in December 2011 and released their first five-song EP, It‘z Just What We Do, the following May. “Cruise” is their first single from the collection.[1]

Cruise

Florida Georgia Line came out of nowhere in 2012 to become the biggest country group of the new decade. The vehicle of their success was “Cruise,” a slick, shimmering ode to the wide-open road that became an unkillable crossover hit in 2013 and, eventually, the biggest country single of all time.

“Cruise” kept many other hits away from the number one position and that included two subsequent singles by Florida Georgia Line: the January 2013 single “Get Your Shine On” and its sequel, “Round Here.” Both of these were huge hits, topping the Country Airplay chart on their way to platinum certification, but they were dwarfed by “Cruise,” which wound up selling over 6,500,000 units on its way to becoming the biggest country single of all time.[2]

DIRT

The duo revealed on August 15, 2014, that their second studio album would be titled “Anything Goes” with a release date of October 14, 2014. The album’s first single, “Dirt”, was released to country radio and digital sales outlets on July 8, 2014 and became the sixth consecutive single by Florida Georgia Line to make the top five on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.[3]

The song is a mid-tempo ballad about various life events centering on dirt. This song shows a different side of FGL in comparison to their “Cruise” hit. And provided a great change to the music the group had be releasing prior to this song, not a huge change but change of pace. This just goes to show that these fellas could craft upbeat country, but also hit the hearts of listeners through storytelling songs.

Simple

Simple is their fifteenth solo single release, and the lead to their upcoming fourth studio album. The song expresses romantic love as a “simple” concept, which makes it simple to listen along and sing along.

“Simple” exemplifies how life shouldn’t be over complicated, but rather simple. The concept of the song makes it super relatable as life can be complicated and filled with such complexity. Giving this song a listen not only makes me blessed for life itself but also for how simple it can be if you find the right people to share it with.

I chose this group of talented artists for this blog as growing up I had zero tolerance for any type of country. As this group made their debut my preference for country altered due to the songs  that these guys have created. In my opinion, their music stands out compared to other artists as the storyline behind each song reminds me of nothing but great times with the people I love. Some of the songs really hit the soft spot, while others make you want to get up and dance. Overall, the amount of times I have had the chance to listen to these songs has made me enjoy life much more than I already have. This type of music is so moving and everyone should have the chance to give it a listen because it give you that extra something that you are missing.

With that, FGL would be an exceptional addition to the music textbook not only for how successful they have been, but also for the outstanding music they have created and will continue to create.

References

1. https://www.eventim.co.uk/florida-georgia-line-biography.html?affiliate=EUK&doc=artistPages/biography&fun=artist&action=biography&kuid=474066
2. https://www.allmusic.com/artist/florida-georgia-line-mn0002942900/biography
3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florida_Georgia_Line

Taylor Swift (b. 1989) is an American singer songwriter who is currently holds the record for the most Billboard music awards with 23 wins. She also has won 10 Grammy’s, which are awarded by The Recording Academy to recognize achievement in the music industry. At the moment, Swift has released six albums, roughly 2 years apart each, and shows no signs of stopping.

Country Beginnings

Taylor Swift’s debut single “Tim McGraw” was released in 2006, went platinum, and landed in the top 10 in the Billboard chart. She co-wrote the country song at 14 years old with Liz Rose.

This song is not really about Tim McGraw, but rather a relationship and all of the things that would remind Taylor’s boyfriend about her. The track features acoustic guitar and crosses over into country-pop region due to Swift’s voice being soft and pleasant rather than the traditional nasal twang of pure country. This song follows the formula for crossover success as laid out in the text book by opening with a country sound, follow with a singable melody and string accompaniment, and packaging it all together with an appealing personality (in this case a teenage girl in love). These are likely some of the reasons that the single charted successfully even though she was unknown at the time. During Taylor’s country days she portrayed the image of a small-town girl with curly blonde hair and a naive essence.

Experimenting With Country-Pop

Taylor Swift stuck with country for her first 3 albums, and with her 4th album “Red” in 2012 the crossover to pop began. “We Are Never Getting Back Together” is one of her more popular songs that marks her subtle transition from country to pop music. It is also interesting that during this time Swift started straightening her long blonde hair and changing up her “country bumpkin” image.

This song follows the same formula for country crossover success but adds in some pop sophistication through more complex chords and sound landscape. The track still features guitar but it sounds more electric than acoustic, and there is a lot more sound layering in this recording than the previous example. With this album Taylor started appealing to a more mainstream audience and could capture the attention of both country and pop listeners.

Pop Star At Last

“1989” was the 2014 album that marked Taylor’s full transition into pop music. “Blank Space” showcases this nicely and will be the last example today. It was during the year of this album release that Taylor significantly change her look and chopped her long hair into a shorter version to show off an edgier side. This may seem trivial to some, but as a performer in the public eye changes to your image can have a significant impact and reflect on changes in your life as well.

This song clearly features synthesized sounds and a singable melody. There is virtually no trace of country influence left in the song. Like Michael Jackson and Madonna, Taylor uses music videos to enhance the popularity of her songs. Many of her videos are released after the songs came out to help hype them back up.

Significant Impacts

Swift is known for writing her songs with shocking honesty about her personal life, which is what makes fans feel that she is so relatable. Similar to Madonna, Taylor Swift has shown that she has a great deal of control over her career. Not many artists are able to crossover to a new style as successfully as she has done. Taylor Swift has a history of bringing special guests into her stadium shows as well as playing secret album previews to small groups of fans. This method sets her apart from many pop stars in the current era.

A notable moment in Swift’s career is when she wrote an open letter to Apple Music and its CEO (Tim Cook). Apple offers users a free 3-month trial period of their music subscription service, and Taylor objected to Apple not paying artists/writers/producers for their work during this time. She stated that she was standing up for those artists who may not have a voice and could not afford to give their work away for free. This letter gained a great deal of public support and actually got Apple to change their mind and pay the parties during the free trial period. This essentially helped to change how the streaming service would be ran, as this new offering was just coming out at the time. She not only succeeded for herself, but also helped other artists in moving popular music into this new direction and era of how recordings reach consumers.

Another notable thing about Taylor Swift is that she is a master of her own public image. She has undergone scrutiny for her dating life, career habits, and personal choices but is always able to swing general public opinion back in her favor. She began with a good-girl image, then was labeled a serial-dater, followed by victim of Kanye West at the Grammy Awards, enemy of Katy Perry, and most recently labelled a liar/snake by Kim Kardashian West. All of these are seemingly negative but Swift and her PR team always seem to get out on top and use it to her advantage, such as the snake being her mascot for her latest tour. Like her or hate her, whatever strategy they are following seems to be working and Swift will likely be popular for years to come.

#M10Q1

Bibliography

Bajarin, Tim. Time. June 30, 2015. http://time.com/3940500/apple-music-taylor-swift-release/ (accessed August 2, 2018).

Lansky, Sam. Billboard. November 8, 2017. https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/8030142/taylor-swift-red-best-album (accessed August 2, 2018).

Yahr, Emily. Washington Post. June 16, 2016. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/arts-and-entertainment/wp/2016/06/16/taylor-swifts-first-song-came-out-10-years-ago-heres-what-she-was-like-as-a-teen-songwriter/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.46fed876583f (accessed August 2, 2018).

Hi everyone! For my final blog post, I will be discussing why Taylor Swift could very well end up in our music textbook one day.

For those of you who don’t know who Taylor Swift is (Is there anyone?), she comes with quite the backstory.  Living a simple country lifestyle, Taylor grew up in Reading, Pennsylvania. Taylor was a music lover at a young age and was always performing at school talent shows and events close to home. Eventually, at age thirteen Taylor and her family packed up their life and moved to Tennessee so she could pursue her music dream.

It wasn’t long and Taylor got her first real “gig”.  She was asked to sing the national anthem at a Philadelphia 76ers NBA game.  From here, Taylor continued writing and performing, unaware of how her songs would soon explode the music industry.

In 2006, Taylor Swift caught the eye of Big Machine Records executive, Scott Borchetta, and he immediately saw the evident talent.

“I fell in love with her. It’s really that simple. We don’t sign anyone that we don’t think is going to be successful, and Taylor covered so many bases.” Scott confessed.

Tim McGraw

Released in the summer of 2006, Tim McGraw was the first single Taylor released. Needless to say, the song sparked the Taylor Swift revolution and even stayed on the Billboard charts for eight months.

Following this song, Taylor Swift started becoming known around the world and was given the opportunity to tour as an opening act with Rascal Flatts, George Strait, and even Faith Hill. This was quite the honor for Taylor as even today she still expresses how much she admires and is inspired by such household names.

Fifteen

One thing that makes Taylor so unique is her ability to connect with peoples hearts through her words. From a tough breakup, to feeling like an outsider, Taylor connects with her fans and lets them know they aren’t alone.   In one of Taylors most popular songs, “Fifteen” she writes about how hard life can be as a teenager and the pressures of trying to fit in.

“Cause when you’re fifteen”

“And somebody tells you they love you”

“You’re gonna believe them”

It speaks of heartbreak; a feeling that many people of all ages can relate to. With such emotional lyrics and a strong voice like Taylors, her success really speaks for itself.

Shake it Off

In more recent years, Taylor has transformed from country star to pop queen. In Taylors 4th album, 1989, the single “Shake it Off” was one of the instant smash hits.  “Shake it Off” stands out because of its straight pop tune. There is no hints of country, hip-hop, or rap. And honestly, the song doesn’t need it.

“Shake it Off” is an upbeat tune that begins with a consistent drumset rhythm and soon leads into the vocals. With very long- drawn out lyrics contrasted with the short bits of “shake it off” the song is perfectly balanced. Another technique Swift uses is repetition, specifically “shake it off” or “hey, hey, hey” which proves the song to quite catchy.

Overall, “Shake it Off” is a song expressing the importance of self-confidence and not letting anyone make you feel like you aren’t perfect the way you are.

Taylor Swift has been around since the early 2000’s and remains one of the (if not the) most influential and successful musicians in the world today. I personally believe Taylor has done this by staying true to herself. Love or hate her music, no one can deny that Taylor Swift is unapologetically herself and doesn’t let others dictate how she should act.

Making History

Taylor Swift has already made history. From bestselling records, 10 Grammy awards, or sold-out stadium tours, she’s done it all. However, I believe the world will remember Taylor Swift for more than just a successful singer.

Taylor will be remembered for all the times she stood up for women. (Like when she filed a lawsuit against a radio host for sexually assaulting her, and all she wanted was a single dollar).  Or for the times she used her platform to speak and help those affected by bullying. (Like the time she wrote a personalized letter to fan that was being bullied simply because of his name.) Or maybe the times she shared her success and supported charitable organizations around the world (Like the time she donated $1 million toward Louisana flood relief efforts) And lastly, all the times she ditched the lights and cameras for intimate listening parties with some longtime fans

These are the reasons I think Taylor Swift will make it into our textbook one day; not because of how successful she was, but rather what she did with her success.

Works Cited

Ray, Michael. “Taylor Swift.” Encyclopædia Britannica. March 21, 2018. Accessed August 10, 2018. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Taylor-Swift.

Fast Company Staff. “Meet Scott Borchetta, the Music-Industry Maverick Who Launched Taylor Swift.” Fast Company. August 14, 2012. Accessed August 8, 2018. https://www.fastcompany.com/1795743/meet-scott-borchetta-music-industry-maverick-who-launched-taylor-swift.

Levenson, Eric. “Taylor Swift’s Attorney: Radio Host Groped Her, Then Sued for Cash and Fame.” CNN. August 10, 2017. Accessed August 10, 2018. https://www.cnn.com/2017/08/08/us/taylor-swift-trial/index.html.

I have decided to talk about Ed Sheeran who has moved me in music by his passion, talent, creativity and drive. These are reasons why he should be included in textbooks in the future and how those reasons him different from the rest.

Ed is a passionate singer and song writer born and raised in the United Kingdom, and started writing his own music in 2004.

His Music and Aura

In the following videos, you will be able to discover the type of style Ed Sheeran has with his music. You can hear the utter passion he has when he sings and performs. Each song he sings and writes is a poem that’s written with such beauty that the audience can hear and admire. His music is so appealing not only from his passionate lyrics, but also from his rhythm and tempos. He usually plays quite slowly within his songs, but once it becomes the bridge or the last chorus, he becomes more intense with his voice by adding crescendo to his pieces; this makes his music full of passion and intensity, even though he is quite subtle.

Most of Ed Sheeran’s songs are love songs. He writes such beautiful songs about love that make you want to be in love. Sometimes what we go through in love makes us feel so many things that we cannot put into words, but Ed Sheeran writes songs that describes exactly what we are feeling. His love songs consist of him being in love, and he sings about the joys, pains and scarifies that one  goes through when they are in love.  Where there is love, there can also be heartbreak, and Ed has written quite a few songs about heartbreak and how it makes him feel.  Love is not just with a soulmate; Ed Sheeran also writes songs about his family and friends that he loves dearly as well.

In Concert

I had the privilege to see and listen to Ed Sheeran live in concert when I was seventeen years old. With years of listening to his music and developing many emotional bonds to his songs, I was utterly overjoyed. I have been to a large amount of concerts in my lifetime, and his performance was the one I will always remember. It is my core memory because Ed Sheeran performed with so much humbleness. He knows how empowering and impacting his music is, but he stays humble and does not let his fame take the best of him.  He walked onto the stage with his acoustic guitar, a microphone, a loop pedal and minimal lights on the stage. It was the most simple yet powerful concert that I have attended. It was amazing to just listen to his wonderful music and his talent, without big flashing lights, dancers, and outrageous costumes. Most celebrities are stuck in their superficial ways, so Ed Sheeran stands out because of how down to earth he stays.

Career 

Ed played music at a very young age and it became a passion at once. Once we was 14 he created a few songs and created a CD. As he grew older and his voice developed, he was performing at many venues. Although Ed Sheeran played in many venues in London, what really got his foot in the door was when he was 20 years old: “In April 2011, he made an appearance in the TV music show ‘Later… with Jools Holland’ to perform his debut single, ‘The A Team’ which was released later as a digital download.
It became a huge hit, selling over 58,000 copies in the first week itself. It also became one of the top ten songs in several countries such as Australia, Japan, Norway and New Zealand.” (2018) One month later, his album “+” was released, and that has been one of his major works his entire career, which was a huge hit. This album brought him to international fame, and it stayed at the top in many countries.  In six month’s time, it sold 1,021,072 in the United Kingdom alone. His second album released, “X” was another huge his, which really flooded to North America. His third and latest album released, “” was the biggest album of the year in 2017.

Favourite Songs

My favourite song in his album “+” is Give Me Love. It is a very passionate song that hooked me as soon as I heard it. It is a perfect example of the intensity that he brings to the table in a subtle way.

My favourite song from his album “X” is I’m A Mess. This song is one of his faster songs, with an edgy beat. I enjoy it because it is a little different from the rest, and as the chorus hits, the intensity really makes me feel the music.

My favourite song from his album “” is Happier because the lyrics spoke to me and I really connected with the song, and it also has a very beautiful melody.

Reflection

Ed Sheeran is worthy of being in textbooks in the future because of his given talent of song writing, singing, and playing the guitar; he is very creative with his songs by using his loop pedal, and he adds many different beats.  Not only is he a phenomenal musician, but his attitude and personality is very inspiring. This makes him a good role model for many people, which is important for people to see and learn about, because humility is a precious quality to have as an artist, besides talent.  These qualities make him different from the rest. His phenomenal talent of creativity, and his unique voice and music style has taken him into fame, but his trait of humility makes all of those other qualities more impressive. Ed Sheeran has inspired many artists to sing and perform in a humble manor, which is slowly increasing as the years go on. Many new artists are into slower and simpler songs with passionate meaning, and this is how he is changing the pop industry; he has inspired so many people and their music development.

Citations:

The Famous People, 2018. “Ed Sheeran Biography”The Famous People.com. Access August 2018. https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/ed-sheeran-29882.php

Since the 2000’s there have been many great artists, but there are only a few whose influence has spread around the world to create long-lasting, powerful changes. The task of determining who these artists are can be a difficult task for one who lives in their time, as it requires one to differentiate between them and artists whose music is massively popular for a short time but eventually fades away without much remembrance. Accomplishing this task gives you the answer to the question, ‘Which artists from the twenty-first century will be included in future versions of music textbooks?’ Looking at current artists with a future perspective, I believe that Beyoncé is a good contender for being in a future version of a music textbook, as she is not only a talented artist but also an advocate for feminism and is not afraid to speak her mind.

Beyoncé Giselle Knowles was born in Houston, Texas. She first started her music career at the young age of nine with a group called Destiny’s Child.[1] They were successful with their music and were one of the most popular R&B groups of the time; their album, The Writing’s on the Wall, won two Grammy Awards and sold over eight million copies.[2][3] Beyoncé was the leader of the group and wrote many of their songs. From there, she would go off to become a solo artist where she would use her songwriting skills to release her first album in 2003: Dangerously in Love. From this album, she became one of music’s top-selling artists, won five Grammy Awards, and went on many successful tours.[4]

Beyoncé showed her versatility as a singer when she released her second album, B’Day, which had elements of 1970’s funk. This versatility would continue to show itself in her third and fourth album. The third album, released in 2008 as a double album, was called I am… Sasha Fierce. The first part of this album, I am, has an introspective mood while the second part, Sasha Fierce, has more of a dance floor style song. Her fourth album came in 2011 and was simply called 4; it was a mixture of genres, ballads, and dance tracks, and was partially influenced by the Motown era.[5]

In addition to her immensely successful albums and tours, Beyoncé has many other achievements. One of these is her performance of At Last at the inaugural ball for President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama.[6] Another is her receival of many Grammy Awards; in fact, at the 2010 Grammy Awards, she won six awards which in turn led to her being recognized as the first female artist to collect that many Grammys in one night.[7] Beyoncé has tied the record for number 1 hits on Billboard’s Pop Songs chart. She also made the 2011 Forbes Top 10 list of entertainment’s highest-earning women.[8]

To clearly show how much Beyoncé loves her fans, she decided to surprise them in December 2013 with an album called Beyoncé, which she referred to as a “visual album.” The response of her fans was that of amazement; within the first weekend, the album sold over 800,000 copies and would eventually lead to her becoming the first women to reach number one on the Billboard 200 with her first five albums.[9] The idea of the album—surprising fans by not releasing any information about an upcoming album—inspired other artists to do the same.

All the above should paint a clear picture of just how famous and well-liked Beyoncé has become. With that much fame, Beyoncé has been given the ability to influence many people; whether she intended to gain this ability or not, she uses it nobly. She promotes feminism and spreads its ideas so much so that she can be referred to as an advocate for feminism—or better yet, a champion for feminism.[10]

She does far more than just talk about feminism on the side, rather she incorporates it into her music. In an interview with Elle Magazine, she said:

“I put the definition of feminist in my song and on my tour, not for propaganda or to proclaim to the world that I’m a feminist, but to give clarity to the true meaning.”[11]

She also said:

“I’m not really sure people know or understand what a feminist is, but it’s very simple. It’s someone who believes in equal rights for men and women.”[12]

While this is the most prevalent example of how Beyoncé uses her fame and music to spread awareness about social issues, it is not the only one. Another example can be seen in her song Formation which has many powerful messages embedded into it. These messages became especially clear to people when it was performed at the Super Bowl halftime show. There, the performance was paired with a video; the entire act showed political awareness and images “touching on everything from black power to Hurricane Katrina.”[13]

To see one of the many issues touched on, consider the following lyrics from the song:

 I like my baby hair, with baby hair and afros
I like my negro nose with Jackson Five nostrils.[14]

 These lyrics are an example of her empowering herself, embracing her identity, encouraging acceptance in others, and sending empowerment to those who need it.

We have now seen that Beyoncé is not only an extremely successful artist, but also a leader in spreading awareness about social issues—in particular, equal rights for women. She has incorporated these two things into one entity by embedding her messages about social issues into her music. To do this with such immense success has resulted in her positively influencing people from all over the world. That is what earns her place in future versions of a music textbook.

Endnotes

[1] “Beyoncé Knowles – Film Actor/Film Actress, Singer, Actress, Film Actress – Biography,” accessed August 6, 2018, https://www.biography.com/people/beyonce-knowles-39230.

[2] “Beyoncé Knowles – Film Actor/Film Actress, Singer, Actress, Film Actress – Biography.”

[3] “Beyoncé- Biography, Songs, & Facts,” Encyclopedia Britannica, accessed August 6, 2018, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Beyonce.

[4] “Beyoncé- Biography, Songs, & Facts.”

[5] “Beyoncé- Biography, Songs, & Facts.”

[6] “Beyoncé Knowles – Film Actor/Film Actress, Singer, Actress, Film Actress – Biography.”

[7] “Beyoncé- Biography, Songs, & Facts.”

[8] “Beyoncé Knowles – Film Actor/Film Actress, Singer, Actress, Film Actress – Biography.”

[9] “Beyoncé Knowles – Film Actor/Film Actress, Singer, Actress, Film Actress – Biography.”

[10] Kirsty Fairclough, “Why Beyoncé Matters,” The Conversation, accessed August 7, 2018, http://theconversation.com/why-beyonce-matters-58542.

[11] Team ELLE, “Beyonce? On Feminism, Motherhood, And The Real Message In Formation,” ELLE, April 5, 2016, http://www.elleuk.com/now-trending/beyonce-on-feminism-motherhood-and-the-real-message-in-formation.

[12] ELLE.

[13] “Beyoncé Knowles – Film Actor/Film Actress, Singer, Actress, Film Actress – Biography.”

[14] Fairclough, “Why Beyoncé Matters.”

Bibliography

“Beyoncé- Biography, Songs, & Facts.” Encyclopedia Britannica. Accessed August 6, 2018. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Beyonce.

“Beyoncé Knowles – Film Actor/Film Actress, Singer, Actress, Film Actress – Biography.” Accessed August 6, 2018. https://www.biography.com/people/beyonce-knowles-39230.

ELLE, Team. “Beyonce? On Feminism, Motherhood, And The Real Message In Formation.” ELLE, April 5, 2016. http://www.elleuk.com/now-trending/beyonce-on-feminism-motherhood-and-the-real-message-in-formation.

Fairclough, Kirsty. “Why Beyoncé Matters.” The Conversation. Accessed August 7, 2018. http://theconversation.com/why-beyonce-matters-58542.

Today I’m going to be writing about Ed Sheeran’s speedy rise to fame. I will discuss his come up along with some of his most notable accomplishments so far in his career, discuss some reasons why he has grown so massive, and break down a few of his songs that represent his genre style.

First, I’m going to start off with a little throwback to the beginning, Edward Christopher Sheeran or better know as Ed Sheeran was born February 17^th, 1991 in Halifax, West Yorkshire, England [1]. His father can be credited to the main influence of exposing Sheeran to music, his father would take him to concerts to help provoke the musical creativity side of his brain. Some of his most notable musical influences are Van Morrison, Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, The Beatles, and Elton John [3].  Sheeran’s music started off playing guitar and singing in his family’s church as a youth, this was only the birth of his future legacy that I’m guessing none of his loved ones saw it coming [1].  Sheeran’s career of recording started out in 2004 – 2009 where he recorded and produced albums independently, he would perform these songs in small gigs and open mics around the United Kingdom [1]. In this time, a couple of these albums made top 100 on the UK charts, “No. 5 Collaborations Project” and “Loose Change” were by far his most successful hitting 46 and 90 [4].  His professional career started in 2011 where he was signed with Atlantic Records and produced three massive albums, “+” in 2011 which brought in 5 million in sales, “x” in 2014 which fetched 8.5 million in sales, and “÷” in 2017 that raised 12.3 million in sales [4].  At this point he’s only 27 and in my opinion is only in his infancy of his legacy.

Sheeran’s sound is best known by his acoustic guitar and vocals that sets him apart from the rap genre that dominated the top charts that he was  coming up in. His music covers a broad spectrum of genres he is placed anywhere from rock, pop, and indie [1] to folk and hip hop [2] but the biggest genre he stays true to is pop in my opinion.  Other than being an extraordinary musician the reason why I think he became so successful was the look of him and his relatability.  Being in the pop genre he was an out cast from the typical bad boy look to many of the other artists, his ginger hair, colorful tattoos, and British accent set him as a goofy look for the American pop scene.  From the wide variety of songs I listened to I can hear a story that he’s trying to portray to his audience, from the specific vocals to his thought out music videos he narrates relatable stories that could reminisce with just about any of his fans.  None of his music came off as bragging or “flexing” about his accomplishments which I find that hard to get these days.

Photograph

The first song I would like to look at is “Photograph” which was a huge hit on his album “x”, this song brings aspects of folk pop. The aspects of the acoustic guitar, some back up piano brings out a melodic sound. The song has a verse/chorus form that keeps it catchy for an audience to sing along and become immersed into it.  The music video below is a good representation of his progress through his music career, it displays home videos of Sheeran’s grind to where he has reached now.

Castle On The Hill

The second song is “Castle On The Hill” from his “÷” album.  This song brings a little more of the typical pop song we’re use to today along with a folk-rock rhythm to it.  The pace of it brings a lot more enthusiasm over the prior song with a spread of instruments that you see in an average rock band.  Again, it holds the verse/chorus form that allows for an easy way to remember and sing along for fans.  I believe the fast beat is what allowed this song to flourish across all medians.

Shape Of You

Lastly, we come to the behemoth, “Shape Of You” took the online world by storm, this is by far his most successful song.  This song became the 3^rd most viewed video on YouTube hitting 3.6 billion views [6] as of me writing this and holds the number one spot for most streamed song on Spotify at 1.8 billion [5].  This song was a new twist for Sheeran, on top of pop it brought a tropical house/dancehall vibe to his repertoire.  The use of the malimba and drums brings out that Jamaican vibe in the melody which is the part that resonated with me the most.  The small change in the instruments for a genre brought an intriguing new factor which I see as the basis of growing a new dimension.

I personally think Ed Sheeran will be part of the next textbook made for this class, his success in pushing the folk pop genre has reserved him a spot in my eyes.  His goofy look and creative music style will get him into the hall of fame one day.

REFERENCES

[1] Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. “Ed Sheeran | Biography & History.” AllMusic. Accessed August 06, 2018. https://www.allmusic.com/artist/ed-sheeran-mn0002639628/biography.

[2] “Who Is Ed Sheeran? Everything You Need to Know.” The Famous People. April 04, 2018. Accessed August 08, 2018. https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/ed-sheeran-29882.php.

[3] McCormick, Neil. “Ed Sheeran: ‘I Haven’t Got Used to the Screams’.” The Telegraph. August 03, 2011. Accessed August 08, 2018. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/rockandpopfeatures/8679492/Ed-Sheeran-I-havent-got-used-to-the-screams.html.

[4] “Ed Sheeran Discography.” Wikipedia. August 03, 2018. Accessed August 07, 2018. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ed_Sheeran_discography.

[5] Bruner, Raisa. “Here’s Spotify’s Most Streamed Music of 2017.” Time. December 05, 2017. Accessed August 07, 2018. http://time.com/5050155/spotify-2017-most-streamed-music/.

[6] “15 of the Most Viewed YouTube Videos of All Time.” Influencer Marketing Hub. Accessed August 07, 2018. https://influencermarketinghub.com/15-most-viewed-youtube-videos-of-all-time/.

Hello everybody! It’s Taylor. Today I am going to be discussing the one and only Lady Gaga and why I believe she will be included in future textbooks about the pop music industry. Lady Gaga is one of the most recognizable artists of the 2010’s.[1] With every song, video, performance, and red carpet appearance she makes a bold statement that is impossible to forget. Her outrageous outfits, catchy, yet impactful songs, and wild performances have pushed the boundaries of pop in ways never seen before.

Lady Gaga was born Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta. As Germanotta dove into the music industry, Lady Gaga was created. Her new reputation was similar to David Bowie’s musical identity, Ziggy Stardust . Her costumes were a fusion of glam rock and insane fashion statements. Gaga pushed the limits in every way. For example, at the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards, Lady Gaga wore a dress made out of meat. Audiences excitingly anticipated her performances and appearances, never knowing what was coming next. As more and more people liked her music, all of her crazy ideas began to seem more normal in the pop world. [2]

In 2008 Gaga released her first album “The Fame” which included her No. 1 Billboard chart singles “Just Dance”, “Poker Face”, “LoveGame”, and “Paparazzi”. As she became more popular in the music world, nothing was too weird for Lady Gaga. Her career exploded into the music industry with new and inventive songs and ideas. Her provocative dance music went mainstream instantly and made a huge imprint on the music world. Lady Gaga also took advantage of music videos and created outrageous videos that people talked about and remembered.[3] 

Her daring work’s extensive time on the charts is one of the reasons why I believe Lady Gaga belongs in a pop music textbook. Her success was huge and took over the number one spot many times with bold songs. Gaga took pop to a whole new level. The music videos that followed along are also a reason to be recognized. She proved that pop music can be as crazy and bold as you want, and still be successful.

Lady Gaga’s talent and imagination went on to influence other major stars as well. Soon after her first two albums released, artists such as Beyonce, Rihanna and Kanye West were quick to follow the wild path and collaborate with her. In 2009 Beyonce and Lady Gaga collaborated in “Telephone”, and made a bold-faced music video for the song that was over nine minutes long. This later inspired Kanye West to produce extremely long music videos, or short films, for his music.[4] This is another reason for Gaga to appear in future pop music textbooks. She made almost anything acceptable in pop music, impacting the work of upcoming artists and already made stars. Artists were inspired to take a leap of faith into the new world of Gaga’s pop music.

Not only did she influence artists, but the music itself had deep meaning that affected her fans. Lady Gaga’s lyrics were personal and powerful, set to up tempo dance music.[5] This way Gaga could grab the attention of her listeners with the catchy music and then present her important message to them. This is shown in her song “Born This Way” from her 2011 album, also called “Born This Way”. The song is an anthem of acceptance, no matter your sexual orientation, ethnicity, disabilities, or anything else.[6] The lyrics of the course,

“I’m beautiful in my way

‘Cause God makes no mistakes

I’m on the right track, baby

I was born this way

Don’t hide yourself in regret

Just love yourself and you’re set

I’m on the right track, baby

I was born this way”[7],

show that it is important to love yourself and be who you are. People are not mistakes that need to be fixed. Lady Gaga’s song of self –love soon became a signature tune for the queer community and for girls. The unapologetic and “you’re not alone” theme makes this song so easily accepted. Gaga’s “Born This Way” attitude even brought her to speaking out on gay rights and same-sex marriage at 2009 National Equality March in Washington, D.C.[8] Lady Gaga not only influenced the music industry, but she also used her music to connect with society. This is another reason why I believe Lady Gaga should be included in future pop music textbooks. She showed that it is perfectly normal and beautiful to be yourself completely. Her message has resonated with many people and effected society, therefore giving her music meaning and importance.

Throughout the years Lady Gaga has focused more on the music itself. She has gone in multiple directions with her sound.[9] Gaga’s albums have had ranges of sounds from the songs “Million Reasons” and “Joanne” that have softer piano and guitar with powerful vocals, compared to “Applause” with an electronic and more dramatic sound. She even ventures to jazz with Tony Bennett on their album “Cheek to Cheek”. Her versatility has expanded her audience and brought many new looks to her reputation. In this music she is becoming less mainstream pop and toning down her outrageous Gaga look, while maintaining success.[10]

Gaga deserves to be in upcoming textbooks about the pop music industry. She has taken her music in new and inventive directions and inspired other artists and fans to take risks and be yourself without shame. Her attitude and creativity has taken her to the top of the charts showing that being different can be successful too. Not only is she outrageous and wildly imaginative, but she has given her music importance as well. Lady Gaga is a pop icon that will be remembered forever for her music videos, fashion choices, performances, influence and great music.

[1]“The Defining Artists of the 2010s (So Far),” Billboard, Google, last modified January 15,2015, https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop-shop/6443462/best-artists-of-2010s-so-far

[2] Michael Levy, “Lady Gaga,” Encyclopaedia Britannica, Google, last modified June 14, 2018, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Lady-Gaga

[3] Andrew Unterberger, “How Lady Gaga Raised the Standards for Ambition in Pop,” Billboard, Google, last modified October 18, 2016, https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/7548935/lady-gaga-pop-ambition-kanye-beyonce

[4] Ibid.

[5]Michael Levy, “Lady Gaga,” Encyclopaedia Britannica, Google, last modified June 14, 2018, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Lady-Gaga

[6] Meghan Casserly, “Lady Gaga’s Born This Way: Gay Anthems and Girl Power,” Forbes, Google, last modified February 11, 2011, https://www.forbes.com/sites/meghancasserly/2011/02/11/lady-gagas-born-this-way-gay-anthems-and-girl-power/#4d95bce32fe5

[7] “Lady Gaga Lyrics ‘Born This Way’,” AZLyrics, Google, accessed August 8, 2018, https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/ladygaga/bornthisway.html   

[8]  Michael Levy, “Lady Gaga,” Encyclopaedia Britannica, Google, last modified June 14, 2018, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Lady-Gaga

[9] Andrew Unterberger, “How Lady Gaga Raised the Standards for Ambition in Pop,” Billboard, Google, last modified October 18, 2016, https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/7548935/lady-gaga-pop-ambition-kanye-beyonce

[10]Josh Duboff, “How Lady Gaga’s Joanne Marks the End of the ‘Zaney Pop Star’ Era,” Vanity Fair, Google, last modified October18, 2016, https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2016/10/lady-gaga-joanne-end-of-zany-pop-star

Source List

Casserly, Meghan, “Lady Gaga’s Born This Way: Gay Anthems and Girl Power,” Forbes, Google, last modified February 11, 2011, https://www.forbes.com/sites/meghancasserly/2011/02/11/lady-gagas-born-this-way-gay-anthems-and-girl-power/#4d95bce32fe5

Duboff, Josh, “How Lady Gaga’s Joanne Marks the End of the ‘Zaney Pop Star’ Era,” Vanity Fair, Google, last modified October18, 2016, https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2016/10/lady-gaga-joanne-end-of-zany-pop-star

“Lady Gaga Lyrics ‘Born This Way’,” AZLyrics, Google, accessed August 8, 2018, https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/ladygaga/bornthisway.html

Levy, Michael, “Lady Gaga,” Encyclopaedia Britannica, Google, last modified June 14, 2018, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Lady-Gaga

“The Defining Artists of the 2010s (So Far),” Billboard, Google, last modified January 15,2015, https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop-shop/6443462/best-artists-of-2010s-so-far

Unterberger, Andrew, “How Lady Gaga Raised the Standards for Ambition in Pop,” Billboard, Google, last modified October 18, 2016, https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/7548935/lady-gaga-pop-ambition-kanye-beyonce

Ed Sheeran is a 27-year-old singer-songwriter from the United Kingdom who has captured the attention of the world with his profound lyrics, authentic voice, and raw performance style. He rose to stardom in 2013 with the release of his first hit single, “The A-Team”, an acoustic song that came at a time when popular music was beginning to take on a slower pace. Songs like Sam Smith’s,“Stay With Me” and John Legend’s, “All of Me” were dominating the charts, showing people’s desire for slower songs with beautiful voices. Sheeran’s style catered to that change in tempo, leading him to become a popular artist that would eventually contribute to the changing style of popular music (Lipshutz, 2015).

Ed Sheeran began playing guitar and writing songs at a very young age, proving his natural artistic abilities. He worked hard for years before being discovered and signed with Atlantic Records in 2011. Sheeran put his writing skills to use in creating his debut album, “+” that same year and helping extremely famous artists such as One Direction and Taylor Swift write well-known songs (Biography.com, 2018).

In 2014, Ed Sheeran released his second studio album that contained chart-topping songs. The time of this album is when people really started to fall in love with Ed Sheeran and particularly his songs, “Don’t“, “Photograph“, and “Thinking Out Loud“. It was with this album he won his first and second Grammys and starting making his place in history when “Thinking Out Loud” was named Song of the Year and Best Solo Pop Performance (Biography.com, 2018).

Sheeran’s third album titled, “Divide” was released in 2017. This album features 16 tracks, each with moderate to extreme differences in sound and style than the one before. It, of course, has Sheeran’s classic ballads but also has songs that tap into different genres and cultures (Weatherby, 2017). The diversity of this album has brought something different into pop music and has the potential to influence the direction of popular music. It seems he isn’t afraid of drawing outside the lines and doesn’t care to only create the typical, commercially pleasing songs. Sheeran brings culture into his album with the Irish-influenced, “Galway Girl”, African-Influenced “Bibia Be Ye Ye”, and Spanish-influenced “Barcelona”. Through these songs, Ed has brought different cultures into popular music and penetrated the walls of mainstream pop music.

The Divide album resulted in Sheeran’s third and fourth Grammy with “Shape of You” winning Best Pop Solo Performance and the album winning Best Pop Vocal Album (Biography.com, 2018). Divide was declared the biggest album of 2017, which is no small feat considering that year included Taylor Swift’s comeback album, “Reputation” and Kendrick Lamar’s groundbreaking album, “DAMN” (McIntyre, 2018).

Ed Sheeran is categorized as a pop artist, but his repertoire goes far beyond traditional pop (Apple Music, 2018). Sheeran exhibits folk, hip-hop, and even rap styles in a lot of his music, showing his complexity as an artist. It takes pure talent to pull off so many different styles of music and Ed Sheeran pulls it off so effortlessly, making me believe he will be remembered for this talent far into the future.

Performance Style

Ed Sheeran’s performance style makes him unique as an artist. He does not use a band to accompany him, but rather uses a loop station to deliver his music one hundred percent by himself (Roy, 2017).  While researching Sheeran’s use of the loop station, I found quotes from Gary Dunne, the man who taught Sheeran how to use looping, and found that his perspective perfectly explained why Ed is so impressive for using this station. Dunne explained what Sheeran does on stage as having “complexity and vulnerability” to it considering if he presses one button even a fraction of a second too early, the whole song could fall out of beat (Chalk, 2017). His explanation made me realize how completely immersed in the music Sheeran is while on stage. This performance technique allows him to be the entire maker of his musical art, which is something a lot of artists today cannot say about themselves.

“It’s like watching a painter live paint a picture while doing something else at the same time – to a global TV audience. The pressure is insane!”- Gary Dunne

Sheeran’s raw performance style is another reason I believe he will be written about in textbooks. He’s managing to sell-out arenas and play to those large crowds with the confidence and sheer talent necessary to brave a crowd by himself. There are no theatrics involved nor can Sheeran abandon his looping pedal to run around the stage to engage his audience. It is solely up to his voice, his instruments, and his looping pedal to wow the crowds: a task he handles brilliantly. He will be remembered for this authentic and rare performance style that undoubtedly sets him apart from other pop stars of this generation.

“There are so many singer-songwriters who do what I do that play with a band. Everyone walks away from me and thinking, ‘I’ve never seen that before.’ As soon as you lose that element of ‘wow’ you’re just like everyone else.”- Ed Sheeran

Ed Sheeran’s Influence

The influence of Ed Sheeran is evident in popular music today. One of the biggest male pop stars, aside from Justin Bieber and Ed Sheeran, is a singer-songwriter named Shawn Mendes. It could be argued that Mendes’s folksy, Ed Sheeran-like music is so popular because Sheeran led people to fall in love with this type of music by having them fall in love with his own music. He paved the way for artists such as Mendes to have a place in mainstream music (Lipshutz, 2015).  Not only has Sheeran influenced the sound of pop music, but he has also influenced the songs in pop music. Sheeran has written countless hit songs for other artists, taking his influence to new heights and securing him a place in history.

Work Cited:

Chalk, Interview Will. “The Man Who Taught Ed Sheeran How to Use a Loop Pedal – BBC Newsbeat.” BBC. June 27, 2017. Accessed August 11, 2018. http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/article/40418376/the-man-who-taught-ed-sheeran-how-to-use-a-loop-pedal.

Chesterton, George. “How Ed Sheeran Became the Biggest Male Popstar on the Planet.” GQ. September 11, 2017. Accessed August 11, 2018. https://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/article/ed-sheeran-new-album-divide.

“Ed Sheeran.” Biography.com. June 30, 2018. Accessed August 11, 2018. https://www.biography.com/people/ed-sheeran.

“‎Ed Sheeran on Apple Music.” Apple Music. Accessed August 11, 2018. https://itunes.apple.com/ca/artist/ed-sheeran/183313439

Lipshutz, Jason. “The Sheeran Effect: Observing The Beginnings of Ed Sheeran’s Influence on Pop.” Billboard. February 18, 2015. Accessed August 11, 2018. https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop-shop/6473105/ed-sheeran-influencing-pop-shawn-mendes-cody-simpson

McIntyre, Hugh. “Ed Sheeran’s ‘Divide’ Ends 2017 As The Biggest Album Of The Year.” Forbes. January 03, 2018. Accessed August 11, 2018. https://www.forbes.com/sites/hughmcintyre/2018/01/03/ed-sheerans-divide-ends-2017-as-the-biggest-album-of-the-year/#75fe92c33f04.

Weatherby, Taylor. “Ed Sheeran’s ‘Divide’: Superlatives for All 16 Tracks on the Album.” Billboard. March 08, 2017. Accessed August 11, 2018. https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/7710111/ed-sheeran-divide-album-songs-superlatives.

Origins

In case you have never heard of Coldplay before, they are a pop/rock band that formed out of London, England in 1996. Chris Martin has led the group since the beginning and has made it his mission to unify the world and invoke happiness upon it; in a world full of inequality, hatred, and revenge, Coldplay takes advantage of Digital Media to pull the world closer together instead of tearing it apart. [1]

Music is more than just a means of entertainment, it affects its listeners by influencing their outlook of life. Coldplay’s music is no exception to that. Below you will find one of their early hits (2000), Yellow.

The song was recorded during a time where the world was rapidly changing and technology turned a new leaf. Applications like LimeWire (2000), iTunes (2001), and YouTube changed how people listened to music. With this idea in mind, Coldplay was able to effectively distribute their messages portrayed in this song on a global scale.

Yellow is an easy going song expressing how beautiful life is; that people should take a step back and look from the outside looking in, opposed to thinking you’re the center of the universe. The song actually originated when Chris Martin and his band were stargazing, realizing how wonderful this world is.[1] The lyrics:

“Look at the stars/Look, they shine for you/They were all yellow.”

Source: [1]

resulted from the band generally appreciating life which reflects on their image as a whole.

Transforming Pop Music

Coldplay is known as a rock band as well as a pop band. However, they make it quite apparent that they believe rock has been replaced by pop.[2] Again, going back to theme of life, Coldplay hopes to induce happiness when people listen to their music.

“The old-fashioned rock ’n’ roll lifestyle thing is great, but does it really make for great music? Does it make people happy? I don’t feel we’re embarrassed about being successful, but we don’t need the perm and the gold Rolex.”

– Chris Martin

Source: [2]

Coldplay impacted the transition from angry, rebellious rock into a heart-warming pop. Although not all of their songs are happy, the emotion and passion seems to be consistent throughout. “The Scientist” (2001) tells the story of a man filled with regret for hurting someone he loves; the music video shown below is played in reverse narrative which was quite innovative at that point in time.

This song is a good example of how rock was transformed into pop with the accompaniment of the piano alongside traditional rock instruments as well as a slower tempo and less angry mood. Coldplay expresses how important love is in this piece, and that we can’t go back in time no matter how bad we want it. This was a huge transition from the rebellious style of music that was popular in the ’90s; although it is important to experience a variety of emotions in life, Coldplay felt that happiness is something that everyone should pursue.[1]

Even though “The Scientist” isn’t necessarily a happy song, it still teaches a valuable lesson about happiness. It shows the importance of appreciating what someone has in their life, and that any moment it could change forever. The mood of the song becomes increasingly less depressing as it unravels; as the man travels back in time he is closer to being happy with the woman he loved. Coldplay cleverly sends the message that although its good to remember the past, it is important to live in the now in order to be happy.

Uniting the World

“No amount of unchoreographed movement from four little men can unite 80,000 people like one good chorus.”

– Chris Martin

Source: [2]

As mentioned earlier, Coldplay makes it their top priority to bring people together in a world that has been so torn apart in the past. “A Sky Full of Stars” (2014) is one of their more recent big hits and its chorus indicates that every human is fascinating in their own way.

The video shows the Coldplay crew out in the real world spreading joy with their upbeat music. Apart from their catchy music, they leave the listener in a healthy state of mind opposed to a hateful attitude which is what set them apart from other artists in the late 90’s/early 2000’s. Throughout their long existence in the music industry, their mood and theme hasn’t changed; it is easy to see the impact they’ve made judging just by how popular their music videos are.

Coldplay had perfect timing in that they were able to utilize the rapidly advancing technology of the time. Technology helped them get their message across the globe but at the same time, produced some innovative music videos that even today are still relevant. Coldplay will always be remembered as pop/rock group that helped unify the world with lively music.

References

1. Hiatt, Brian. “Chris Martin: The Rolling Stone Interview.” Rolling Stone. June 25, 2018. Accessed August 03, 2018. https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/chris-martin-the-rolling-stone-interview-190116/.
2. McCormick, Neil. “Coldplay: ‘Rock Music Has Nowhere Left to Go’.” The Telegraph. December 10, 2015. Accessed August 03, 2018. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/music/artists/coldplay-rock-music-has-nowhere-left-to-go/.

Origins

In case you have never heard of Coldplay before, they are a pop/rock band that formed out of London, England in 1996. Chris Martin has led the group since the beginning and has made it his mission to unify the world and invoke happiness upon it; in a world full of inequality, hatred, and revenge, Coldplay takes advantage of Digital Media to pull the world closer together instead of tearing it apart. [1]

Music is more than just a means of entertainment, it affects its listeners by influencing their outlook of life. Coldplay’s music is no exception to that. Below you will find one of their early hits (2000), Yellow.

The song was recorded during a time where the world was rapidly changing and technology turned a new leaf. Applications like LimeWire (2000), iTunes (2001), and YouTube changed how people listened to music. With this idea in mind, Coldplay was able to effectively distribute their messages portrayed in this song on a global scale.

Yellow is an easy going song expressing how beautiful life is; that people should take a step back and look from the outside looking in, opposed to thinking you’re the center of the universe. The song actually originated when Chris Martin and his band were stargazing, realizing how wonderful this world is.[1] The lyrics:

“Look at the stars/Look, they shine for you/They were all yellow.”

Source: [1]

resulted from the band generally appreciating life which reflects on their image as a whole.

Transforming Pop Music

Coldplay is known as a rock band as well as a pop band. However, they make it quite apparent that they believe rock has been replaced by pop.[2] Again, going back to theme of life, Coldplay hopes to induce happiness when people listen to their music.

“The old-fashioned rock ’n’ roll lifestyle thing is great, but does it really make for great music? Does it make people happy? I don’t feel we’re embarrassed about being successful, but we don’t need the perm and the gold Rolex.”

– Chris Martin

Source: [2]

Coldplay impacted the transition from angry, rebellious rock into a heart-warming pop. Although not all of their songs are happy, the emotion and passion seems to be consistent throughout. “The Scientist” (2001) tells the story of a man filled with regret for hurting someone he loves; the music video shown below is played in reverse narrative which was quite innovative at that point in time.

This song is a good example of how rock was transformed into pop with the accompaniment of the piano alongside traditional rock instruments as well as a slower tempo and less angry mood. Coldplay expresses how important love is in this piece, and that we can’t go back in time no matter how bad we want it. This was a huge transition from the rebellious style of music that was popular in the ’90s; although it is important to experience a variety of emotions in life, Coldplay felt that happiness is something that everyone should pursue.[1]

Even though “The Scientist” isn’t necessarily a happy song, it still teaches a valuable lesson about happiness. It shows the importance of appreciating what someone has in their life, and that any moment it could change forever. The mood of the song becomes increasingly less depressing as it unravels; as the man travels back in time he is closer to being happy with the woman he loved. Coldplay cleverly sends the message that although its good to remember the past, it is important to live in the now in order to be happy.

Uniting the World

“No amount of unchoreographed movement from four little men can unite 80,000 people like one good chorus.”

– Chris Martin

Source: [2]

As mentioned earlier, Coldplay makes it their top priority to bring people together in a world that has been so torn apart in the past. “A Sky Full of Stars” (2014) is one of their more recent big hits and its chorus indicates that every human is fascinating in their own way.

The video shows the Coldplay crew out in the real world spreading joy with their upbeat music. Apart from their catchy music, they leave the listener in a healthy state of mind opposed to a hateful attitude which is what set them apart from other artists in the late 90’s/early 2000’s. Throughout their long existence in the music industry, their mood and theme hasn’t changed; it is easy to see the impact they’ve made judging just by how popular their music videos are.

Coldplay had perfect timing in that they were able to utilize the rapidly advancing technology of the time. Technology helped them get their message across the globe but at the same time, produced some innovative music videos that even today are still relevant. Coldplay will always be remembered as pop/rock group that helped unify the world with lively music.

References

1. Hiatt, Brian. “Chris Martin: The Rolling Stone Interview.” Rolling Stone. June 25, 2018. Accessed August 03, 2018. https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/chris-martin-the-rolling-stone-interview-190116/.
2. McCormick, Neil. “Coldplay: ‘Rock Music Has Nowhere Left to Go’.” The Telegraph. December 10, 2015. Accessed August 03, 2018. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/music/artists/coldplay-rock-music-has-nowhere-left-to-go/.