First-year Fiona Dandler takes an evening after classes to play hymns on her keyboard at her first-year dorm in Darnell on Feb. 6. Fiona said this traditional style of music is soothing because it allows her to connect with her faith. Photo courtesy of Fiona Dandler
Before there were artists like Drake and Olivia Dean, there were B.B. King and Tricky. While people are busy celebrating popular heavy-metal bands like Metallica and Black Sabbath, punk groups that were also significant contributors to the world of rock, such as L7 and the Bad Brains, remain overlooked.
Today’s most popular musicians and music genres hold a history of influences that tend to go unrecognized, according to the Musicians Institute.
“When we forget about a genre of music, we lose access to a complex and wondrous world,” first-year Fiona Dandler said. “The decline of diversity in musical genres reflects a culture that pushes popularity over creativity.”
“The Thrill Is Gone” (B.B. King)
Today, rap can be considered one of the most popular music genres. First-year Bassam Dadabhoy said he prefers listening to mainly R&B and rap, and provided insight into some of the artists he believes to be most influential within the two genres.
“The most influential artists would be Don Toliver and Drake mainly because of the way they’re branding themselves,” Dadabhoy said.
When thinking about ‘influence’ the artists that come to mind are those who debuted themselves in the early 2000s; people often forget to consider what came before their curated Spotify playlists, according to The Scholarly Kitchen. For instance, traditional blues is highly influential to the foundation of both R&B and rap, according to the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage.
Nevertheless, Dadabhoy said he isn’t a big fan of traditional blues.
“From the stuff that I have listened to, it’s not my vibe,” Dadabhoy said. “It’s too slow and doesn’t have enough energy.”
This perspective provides a stark contrast to the hype surrounding blues in the mid-1900s, when many referred to it as the language of life and a necessary storyteller, according to the Hume Blues Club.
Shelves stocked with traditional blues hits at Record Outlet on Feb. 17. Local record stores like this are the perfect places to indulge in older music genres. Photo courtesy of Taylor Wooten
“Chills Me to the Bone” (Tricky)
Another genre that peaked and just as quickly fell, is trip-hop. Though samples of this genre can be found within various modern pop singles, many individuals remain unfamiliar with the niche genre that ultimately revolutionized electronic music.
First-year Chidubem Okigbo said some of his favorite alternative-pop musicians are Olivia Dean and Daniel Ceasar, and it’s the “beat” that entices him when indulging in this genre.
High praise can be noticed surrounding the instrumental aspect of modern alternative pop music; however, artists like Tricky, Massive Attack and Portishead did it first as pioneers of trip-hop in the 1980s, according to Stereofox.
The atmospheric bass within the neo-pop genre inspires strong emotion, Okigbo said, which is a non-negotiable for him when it comes to music.
“I either listen to music that reflects my emotions or projects what I want to feel,” Okigbo said.
Serving as a nearly-direct reflection, trip-hop was also known for inspiring a moody and introspective feeling among listeners. Blends of jazz, soul and hip-pop created a culture that was centered on fusion and funk, according to an article by Roland.
“One More Thing” (L7)
Murphy’s Vinyl Shack, a record store popular for its vintage CDs and diverse selection of old rock albums, captured Feb. 17 . This is a popular spot in Simi Valley for local high school and college students. Photo courtesy of Taylor Wooten
Transitioning into the world of rock, a very specific selection of bands tends to come to mind for most people.
“The most influential artists within the genre of 80s and 90s rock are Metallica and Ozzy Osbourne,” Junior Divina Contreras said.
When it comes to rock, so many people are conditioned to think of either heavy metal or classic rock, however punk is often overlooked. Something about the former genres seems to overpower the sound of bands like L7 and the Bad Brains, according to the Medium.
“I love listening to my 80s and 90s rock playlist, because it’s a way to better understand myself,” Contreras said. “Some people will understand and some people won’t.”
It’s crucial for individuals to let their minds venture beyond the facts that they are fed and rediscover the meaning of music, according to Pop Appreciation.
“If you’re not listening to music the world is black and white,” Dandler said. “It enhances any emotion that you have. It enhances reality in every way.”
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Contact Jamiee Bowman via email: jamiee.bowman@pepperdine.edu