Music and Emotionality

It's a debate that's been coming up increasingly within the past year or so: is it unfair to tar all 'sad music' with the same brush? Well, let's start by saying that it absolutely is. The idea that music is too depressing or melancholy is totally subjective, and to be honest I'd be inclined to say that if you don't like a certain type of music then don't listen to it. However, it's important that we understand why this happens, including the fact that a lot of this dismissing of sad music, particularly sad music written by non-men is rooted in sexism. 

I remember earlier in the year reading an interview done by Boygenius for the BBC where they discuss briefly the idea that emotional music made by non-men is seen as something that 'fell out of me as a spontaneous overflow of powerful emotion' (Julien Baker for the BBC) rather than a 'meticulously constructed piece of art'. This is something that I can personally relate to as well, having been both playfully and not-so-playfully teased about the sad nature of my music and told that I should write happier songs. Personally, I think it comes back to the way we as a society view women's emotions, often referring to an upset woman as overdramatic rather than validating her emotions. Women's pain is seen as something to be concealed, and for that reason music which showcases this is a source of discomfort. 

The good news is that this also means that artists who embrace their pain can build an audience of likeminded people. Artists like Phoebe Bridgers, for example, often have their work diminished because of their fanbase being predominantly 'depressed' teenage girls. However, I would argue that it's incredibly powerful to be able to engage this demographic and give us something that we can actually relate to. Music which embraces emotionality, whether it's sadness or anger, is going to play a huge part in shaping a more self-aware and emotionally intelligent generation which is something that everyone should get behind. It's okay to want to feel your feelings sometimes, and if that means that you want to listen to sad and angry music or make it then go for it! There's so much power in embracing the way you feel, and when done right emotional music can certainly bring people together. 

In this day and age, anyone can create content to put out into the world, so if you have something to say then say it. There's no shame in being happy, sad or anything inbetween and expressing it through the medium of music. All in all, make the music you want to make and listen to the music you want to listen to. Art is subjective, and as long as you're having fun making it it'll always be worth it. 

Credit to @selikfr on Pinterest