Osler's Razor

Music is nearly universal. It exists across cultures, time, and anything else that usually divides us. It animates worship, lets us dance, gives us a sense of place and time. But... can you name a song that come out in 2020? I can, if I think hard and press my finger against my head (I do that when I think hard-- I suppose that I must subconsciously think by brain is activated by a button). 

 Something has happened. For many people, including me, music has become less a part of my life in the last ten years.

It is easy to blame music for the problem. We often wax nostalgic about prior eras. For example, in just one year, 1967, all of the following things happened:

-- The Beatles released "Sgt. Pepper" AND "Magical Mystery Tour"

-- Dionne Warwick sang "I Say a Little Prayer"

-- Aretha Franklin released "Respect"

-- Frank Sinatra recorded "That's Life"

-- Van Morrison recorded "Brown Eyed Girl" 

-- Dolly Parton joined Porter Wagoner's band (pictured above)

--  Phillip Glass released "600 Lines"

-- Nina Simone was female jazz singer of the year

And that's just a bit of what happened. But 2020? Hmmmm...

 Part of what has changed is the role that radio plays in our lives. In 1968 through my own young adulthood, you always heard new music on the radio (if you listened to, say, WABX in Detroit). Now, radio is mostly people yelling about politics and a few stations playing country (which has remained vibrant, as has hip-hop) or music from, like, 1967. 

 Formats changed, too-- from vinyl to CD's to having songs somewhere in a computer someplace-- and not everyone followed along.

The truth is, there is still good music out there. We just have to find it. I know I am going to start trying! 

# posted by Mark Osler @ 1:00 AM