Music

Music is an important part of the human experience, for individuals and societies alike. It has the power to entertain, enrich, and encourage, and has developed alongside humanity for tens of thousands of years. People have used music to express deep ideals, celebrate important people or events, forget troubles, earn money, unite for a cause, or simply have fun.

Overview

Despite the global and historic omnipresence of music, and its importance to billions of people, music is a challenging concept to describe or define. Musical taste is inherently subjective, meaning that what some people consider music, other people may consider mere noise. Some music theorists and scholars have rejected the notion of attempting to define music, while others have sought to create a rough outline of the meaning of music through widely held beliefs about that form of expression.

According to the Center for History and New Media at George Mason University, several widespread concepts help to delineate what music is and why it is both important yet hard to define. Music may be considered, at its most basic level, as any sounds that are organized in a specific way by people, often to achieve some purpose. Music, like language, can generally be viewed as a form of communication. Just as people have spoken or written words to share ideas and feelings, so too have musicians created patterns of sounds that attempt to demonstrate their emotions and beliefs. Music generally also has the power to summon up memories, whether of the people who created the music or the sense associations of the listener. For example, some people in relationships come to cherish a song that was playing in the background when they first met.

The definition, study, and enjoyment of music are highly and inherently subjective, and may inevitably be difficult—if not impossible—to satisfactorily summarize in nonmusical terms. Additionally, some people have complicated, or even contradictory, attitudes toward music, which make the relationship between societies and their music and musicians frequently complex and sometimes problematic. In some societies, even those that claim to appreciate music, musicians may be looked down upon or even persecuted. Other times, the works of some musicians may be appropriated to support ideas or movements that the creator does not necessarily endorse.

Prehistoric Music

Music has doubtlessly been a part of the human experience for tens of thousands of years. However, historians and music theorists have debated whether music developed before, around the same time as, or after the development of human speech. Some forms of music may have existed long before humans could express words; for example, humming or beating out a basic rhythm on a stone or tree trunk with the hands may have been spontaneous expressions of music well within the capabilities of even the earliest human-like creatures. However, no reliable records or archaeological traces of such early experiments exist.

The earliest artifacts definitely relating to the development of music are primitive instruments. Early humans in many cultures used animal bones, often the hollow bones of birds, to create simple flutes. Etchings and holes were added to moderate the tone of the sounds produced by blowing into the instrument. Modern people may assume their early ancestors used these flutes to create the first warbling musical notes. Perhaps the earliest surviving flutes, found in what is today Germany, have been dated to about 42,000 years ago. Early people certainly also used wood and stones for improvised percussion instruments.

It would be the introduction of vocalization, and ultimately speech and language, that enabled early people to hasten into the long journey that would lead to the highly developed music of modern times. Speech enabled people to communicate ideas and emotions, teach lessons both practical and cultural, and build stronger relationships. It also added a distinctly human element to the creation of musical sounds. Contributing vocal stylings to songs, or words used as lyrics, created more meaning and added a greater range of expression to music.

People know little about the earliest forms of music. One certain fact is that songs and music styles persevered and became increasingly popular. As humans spread to populate the world, they carried their musical impulses with them. In a phenomenon that would continue to the present day, types and trends of music began to develop in certain areas, spread to other regions, and merged with the music of other peoples. Music moved and evolved immeasurably through the centuries, with some forms fading away, others gaining strength, and all being constantly updated and innovated by new musicians. This evolution of music through cultures, places, and years became one of the most important and fundamental aspects of the human musical journey.

Ancient and Middle History

Music was likely an important part of life among many human populations worldwide in ancient times. Improved instruments and full-time (often traveling) musicians turned music into a cherished art form in many cultures. Another critical innovation in music history arrived in ancient times with the development of written records and visual arts. In ancient Greece, for example, musicians began writing down their musical notations, while artists often portrayed musicians and instruments in their paintings. Among the earliest paintings depicting music and dance is cave art in modern Algeria that dates to between 6000 and 4000 BCE.

The spread of organized religion brought other major changes to the experience of music. Many forms of religion, notably Christianity, embraced music as a means of celebrating and spreading spiritual beliefs. Religious practitioners, including monks and other devoted scholars, invented new music, often recording it in magnificently illuminated manuscripts. The invention of the printing press in the 1400s further popularized music by allowing musical notations to be copied and distributed with ease across potentially vast distances. The Silk Road, trade routes that connected the East and West from the second century BCE to the eighteenth century CE, affected music of many cultures as traders and adherents of various beliefs shared music, instruments, and spiritual chants.

By the Middle Ages, evidence shows music was commonplace in many parts of the world. An abundance of instruments, well-known songs, and well-developed styles allowed musicians to ply their craft everywhere from sacred places to public festivals to rowdy taverns. Musicians and their work diversified to suit their venues and audiences. While sacred music sought to connect the human soul to the otherworldly, more popular forms of music developed for the entertainment and enjoyment of common people. Varying greatly by region and culture, this popular music, often called traditional or folk music, used local instruments and familiar sentiments to speak to the joys, sadness, desires, and experiences of individuals and communities.

Renaissance to Modern Times

The Renaissance, a period of intellectual and artistic flourishing that began around 1450 and lasted for about 150 years, saw an enormous growth of music in Europe. Increasingly advanced instruments and intellectual strides beyond the constraints of religious dogma allowed musicians to create works of unparalleled scope and artistry. These trends continued in the following centuries, which are viewed by modern music historians as periods of development such as the Baroque, Classical, and Romantic.

Musical stylings in Western music became far more varied and sophisticated, and instruments such as violins, clarinets, pianos, and trombones permitted artists to produce sounds formerly unimagined. Whereas the typical musician had once been an individual singing or playing an instrument, now professional orchestras took up the task of performing the music of their eras. Great classical composers such as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Ludwig van Beethoven created complex works of musical artistry for both religious and secular contexts, developing finely differentiated musical styles such as the concerto, fugue, and sonata.

Even as music constantly spread and developed, the geopolitical regions and national and cultural borders of the modern age were forming. Some types of instruments and musical stylings developed in some degree of isolation and are strongly associated with different parts of the world. In many cases, a style of music that began as an entertainment to a group of people grew in significance to become a cherished symbol of their culture.

Further Insights

The modern world is host to hundreds of varieties of music, as distinct in form and function as they are in geographical and cultural context. Many genres have become inextricably linked to one location or group of people, who generally favor their homegrown styles and may categorize others as international or world music. However, these genres often blend together on the edges, or contribute elements to an almost endless variety of hybrid musical forms.

Names and characteristics of today’s musical styles are largely subjective and may vary from source to source. The online music database AllMusic.com lists some twenty-one major categories of music, which can be further broken down into a much wider array of subgenres and styles.

One such genre is avant-garde, a style of music characterized by forward-looking experimentation. Avant-garde musicians are known to break new ground and find new paths for music in the future, even if their work is not always understood by their contemporaries. Electronic music, or electronica, is another modern field of music that often experiments with new sounds and approaches to music. Originating in the 1970s and 1980s, electronica emphasizes electronic and computerized sounds, sometimes used for mesmerizing techno beats in dance clubs. New age music is still another genre that employs both traditional and electronic sounds, often meant to inspire peaceful and transcendent experiences in listeners.

Blues and jazz are two forms of music intrinsically tied to the United States. Their roots reach back to the 1800s and beyond, mainly to then-enslaved African Americans who drew on Southern American and African rhythms to sing songs of pain, loss, hope, and spirituality. African, American, and other influences led to many branches of music including R&B (rhythm and blues) and rap and hip-hop, forms of music based on fast-paced beats and rhymes. Branches of R&B spread to Jamaica where they helped to inspire new musical movements such as ska and reggae. Bluesy influences often appear in country music, a popular form of songwriting based on the instruments and ideals of the American South and West.

In modern times, early European influences on music are usually categorized as classical music. Classical music has become a staple of opera houses and many concert venues, and often employs large orchestras and intricate musical designs. Although much of what is known as classical music originated in the 1700s and 1800s, many modern musicians continue to contribute to that genre. Meanwhile, musical influences from Central and South America and other Spanish-speaking lands are often categorized as Latin music. This genre often features fast-paced and emotionally stirring music and may be accompanied by lyrics in Spanish or English.

Much of the music filling airwaves—in the United States and worldwide—in contemporary times is broadly categorized as pop or rock music. These generic terms encompass a wide variety of music, mostly made after the mid-1900s, which are primarily meant for recreation and entertainment. They often include fast beats and themes that deal with real-world experiences, such as love and heartbreak. Some of the biggest musical acts of the twentieth and twenty-first century have been of the pop and rock genres. A few include Elvis Presley, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Michael Jackson, and Nirvana.

Many other forms of music appeal to more specific audiences. Comedy music may include parodic spin-offs of major hits. Children’s music might teach lessons or incorporate beloved fictional characters. Many forms of music are tied to stage and screen performances, ranging from operas to popular movies. Holiday and religious forms of music are also popular, as they seek to celebrate and spread spiritual ideals or festive feelings.

Applications

Music affects many aspects of everyday life in all parts of the world. Sometimes this effect is subtle, such as an advertising jingle that encourages consumer spending, or a song in the background of a restaurant that sets a relaxed mood.

Usually, however, people openly embrace music for a wide variety of reasons. Perhaps the main reason is simply that music can bring joy, comfort, or excitement to life. People may listen to albums, attend concerts, or perform music for recreation. Many forms of music may be considered artistic and creating or listening to them may lead to creative fulfillment and the spread of interesting or important concepts. Sometimes, music may accompany revolutionary ideas that bring change on a large scale.

Music also has great social value. Many social events are accompanied by music, which can stir emotions, unify crowds, or allude to shared cultural milestones. Public ceremonies ranging from parades to weddings are generally accompanied by music meant to accentuate events. Music can accompany rituals or storytelling sessions, either as a background element or as its own means of transferring ideas or feelings. For example, religious worshippers may sing their prayers as a way of showing gladness, conviction, and appreciation to one another and to the focus of their worship.

Many people also use music for practical purposes. In the military, songs are often a means of maintaining morale as well as creating a rhythmic cadence for marching soldiers. In education, teachers often use songs that teach lessons, particularly for young learners. Music may also be used therapeutically. According to the Cleveland Clinic, researchers have found that music can ease medical conditions including depression, autism, and substance abuse. It may also help patients with cardiac conditions and Alzheimer’s. In these cases, peaceful or empowering music may serve to help increase patient wellbeing by reducing stress, heightening mood, or encouraging the patient to express her or his feelings.

Similar to many historical human endeavors, the advent of artificial intelligence (AI) has impacted the realm of music in many profound and non-traditional ways. While innovation is a natural and celebrated aspect of music, the prospect of machine-originated artistry has many grappling to understand how it fits into a historical understanding of music. Questions abound such as whether only human-derived creations can be considered “true” music. Similar to AI’s impact in other areas, matters of ethics seep into the forefront. For example, AI has the ability to learn, mimic, and reproduce the creative artistry of humans in ways akin to counterfeit productions. Many are calling for ethical guidelines to assist in the development of AI before the technology veers into uncontrollable pathways.

In March 2024, one of the first attempts to establish legal boundaries on AI-generated music occurred in the U.S. state of Tennessee. In deference to Elvis Presley (1935–1977), one of the first American music artists to attain mass popularity, Governor Bill Lee announced the passage of the ELVIS Act (Ensuring Likeness Voice and Image Security). The Act sought to prevent AI users from morphing the voices of human artists into AI-generated creations. These phony productions were made possible by human programmers first collecting large volumes of the musical works of actual artists. AI software then analyzed the musical content for patterns that could be replicated in fraudulent productions.

About the Author

Mark Dziak earned his BA in English from King’s College in Wilkes-Barre, PA, in 2003, and completed a secondary education program there in 2011. He has worked at Northeast Editing, Inc., since 2004. As a content developer, he has researched and written hundreds of educational articles, test items, and other resources on a wide variety of social science topics. In his spare time, Dziak has also published numerous works of nonfiction and fiction.

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