I want to start by saying that the lyrics of this song are completely true about today's pop music industry. The position that this song questions is one that make us think about the economic goals of music labels/companies. The video and song describe how we as a society accept "good" music without actually listening to the lyrics. Like the song says, "we market this song to young, impressionable, and insecure teenage girls." So many labels are purely driven by money and spend thousands of dollars making music videos to attract more people to listen to the song. Because of the social structure of our society, if something is aesthetically appealing to us (the singers/the video), we approve of it. We don't necessarily listen to words, or pay attention to what the message of the song is. The song points out that in many rap songs, the lyrics don't necessarily have to make sense, they just have to sound good. Now this song at a first glance may not seem to be something you would listen to on a regular basis, but there is another message here. If you're not a young, teenage girl, that is why you don't like certain songs. It's all about the target audience. It is fascinating how labels can pick and choose the way they put together everything from the outfits of the singers/dancers, to the rhythm of the song, just to get the subjects that are most vulnerable. The economical way of thinking would see this as pure nonsense; if the artist is actually good, people will like the music without everything else. But as this video/song points out, our society is too focused on aesthetics and not focused at all on finding something that relates to our own identities.
I found this post to be extremely relevant as I just came back to the Cities after a weekend spent in my hometown celebrating my youngest sisters birthday. She is now age 7, but the girl is closer to age 13 how I remember the ages. She knows how to use the computer, she can make a call on a cell phone, and has the attitude I don't remember getting with my parents until I was a teenager. The 'tween' today is becoming younger and younger. Her music is the same music you hear on top 40's stations that college kids listen to at parties or in the car. I don't think it's so much the industry being ignorant to people's identities as much as it is the industry wanting to create our identities, especially those of the most impressionable age. If they can create the identities of the young people they influence their market will become even more absorbent to any music, fashion, movies, celebrities, media in general the industry creates. It's interesting to note what age is being exposed and persuaded to buy certain styles. It seems the industry is pushing for the youth to age more quickly, specifically young girls.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed this post, particularly because I used to be one of the girls this ad is referring to. I loved the Backstreet Boys, Aaron Carter, and many other artists that target young girls. It's extremely incredible to think that industries are able to pin point who the target audience will be. They are so confident that these young, insecure girls will listen to a song and will automatically fall in love with it because it portrays their life exactly. I mean what teenage girl doesn't go through the emotional ups and downs that go along with relationships and body image issues? I do believe that most of these girls will grow out of this stage, as I did, and realize that their are more important things to worry about than if a boy likes you or not, and whether your favorite pair of jeans make your butt look too big.
ReplyDeleteThere is a girl from my high school who has a beautiful voice and has "the look" required to enter the pop music industry. This song struck me because when she flew out to LA to meet with an agent who wanted to sign her she was given a list of things she needed to change about herself. This list included things as simple as changing her hair from champagne blonde to golden blonde, buying at least three pairs of cowboy boots (they wanted to gain some fans from the country sector), and getting a perm so her hair would look more "natural." This song was right on from everything that is readily displayed in the media along with what I was told from my friend. This video was almost to accurate for comfort.
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