Brain Development In Young Adolescents By Peter Lorain: An Analysis
We’ve all heard music before. We listen to it every day. We sing it out for all the world to hear, whether we actually know how to sing in tune or not. Music is a large part of American society, American culture, and the American people. It’s in every aspect of our lives but somehow, it slips under the radar of importance. After all, how important can pop music with bad messages and even worse grammar be to an entire nation? In all honesty, it’s actually pretty important. Music in America is formulated, manufactured, and sold to the impressionable youths of our country. I know, it sounds like one of those huge conspiracy theories. And no matter how much I wish I could laugh and say it is just a huge made-up conspiracy to get TV ratings,
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it’s not. Music is created specifically by corporations and other people, NOT your favorite singer or band, with the purpose being to make money and fuel the response of a specific age group. An article in “The Vigilant Citizen” outlines this by using Rihanna as an example, based off of Harold Lasswell’s media analysis model. “Who (says) What (to) Whom (in) What Channel (with) What Effect,” which means that “in order to properly analyze a media product,” like pop music, “one must look at who produced the product… who it was aimed at… and what were the desired effects of this product… on the audience.” Using Rihanna and her music as an example, “the analysis would be as follows: WHO PRODUCED: Vivendi Universal; WHAT: pop artist Rihanna; TO WHOM: consumers between the ages of 9 and 25; WHAT CHANNEL: music video; and WHAT EFFECT: selling the artist, her song, her image, and her message.” But who cares about Rihanna, right? She only has, what, over 9 million Instagram followers, 47 million twitter followers, and a fan page with who knows how many average viewers? It’s not like she produces songs like “S&M” or “B**** Better Have My Money.” She produces plenty of good music, too, stuff that most people wouldn’t mind showing to their parents. I mean, I’m a personal fan of “Love the Way You Lie,” which is technically an Eminem song that features Rihanna, but that’s not my point. My point is still on what is pushed out towards us and why those mediums are used. “S&M,” a song with an obvious theme about sexual intercourse, sadomasochism, bondage, and fetishes, was written by an American Songwriter named Ester Dean, yet sung by the young and popular Rihanna. “B**** Better Have My Money,” characterized as a “trap” song (earning this name through the old connotation in which a “’trap’ referred to a place where drugs were sold,” as explained in an LA Weekly Article entitled “What the Hell Is Trap Music (and Why Is Dubstep Involved)?” by Rebecca Haithcoat. This genre also typically includes themes of “being ‘trapped’ in the lifestyle” of drugs and looking for an escape), was written by Jamille Pierre, Bibi Bourelly, Travis Scott, Kanye West, WondaGurl, and Rihanna; but only sung by one individual in that list of songwriters. Even my personal favorite, “Love the Way You Lie,” was written by Marshall Mathers, Alexander Grant, and Holly Hafermann. It’s about abusive romantic relationships, and was sung by two people who had absolutely no involvement in the writing of the lyrics whatsoever. Why pick Rihanna to sing the messages of those songs? Why pick a 20-something year old female to sing songs about sex and drugs and abuse? Why not? Not only is Rihanna considered a pop artist, she is also popular, especially among teens. That is where the marketing comes in. That youth demographic to teenager to young adult is a large span of people for one artist to be projecting to, and it’s for a reason. That 9-25 year age group is the group that is growing up, figuring themselves out, learning what they like and don’t like and what they believe in versus what they will argue until the end of time about.
“Adolescence is a critical time for brain growth.
Significant intellectual processes are emerging.” This is the opening sentence in an article entitled “Brain Development in Young Adolescents,” by Peter Lorain. We transition from those thoughts of “whatever my parents say must be true” to “what if my parents aren’t exactly correct? What if I don’t agree with my parents?” It is within “this period of brain growth” that we mark “the beginning of a person's ability to do problem solving, think critically, plan, and control impulses.” Impulses, like, for example, what a teenager or young adult may or may not purchase. What they may or may not agree with when a new idea is first heard. What they may or may not like in clothing, style, or music. “This brain development cycle also impacts short-term memory. A middle school student can generally retain from 5 to 7 bits of information at one time,” sadly. One of the best ways to use that disadvantage, however, is through …show more content…
music.
I mean, how often have we heard the “We The People” Constitution preamble song in history, just so that we would remember the first part of the Constitution? I know I still remember it. Students use music and song to aid in memory retention, especially at that time when our brains only remember those 5 to 7 bits. “Music has been found to stimulate parts of the brain, and studies have demonstrated that music enhances the memory of Alzheimer’s and dementia patients, including a study conducted at UC Irvine, which showed that scores on memory tests of Alzheimer’s patients improved when they listened to classical music” (“Boost Memory and Learning with Music”). People with diseases that cause memory loss had better retention once music was involved, and that same idea can be utilized “to help [adolescents] retain information.”
It’s amazing what music can do, isn’t it?
Now put all of these things together. Adolescents, teenagers especially, all maturing and angsty and figuring out who they are and what image they want to project. All only able to retain bits and pieces at a time, not every single word but the general gist. Music, there to help improve memory retention.
This is where Rihanna comes in. If she was to lecture students on the meaning of one of the many songs she did not write, but most definitely made popular, who would listen? Not those teenagers they’re marketing towards. It’s when the message is shortened down and put to a catchy tune that people remember the meaning.
But why would a group of people write a song for a different person to sing, specifically towards a set age group in society? What’s the point in all that? It is specifically because of these reasons that music is broadcasted and sold to the youths of America. If music plays such an important role in the development of a person’s ideas, beliefs, actions, and self-image, then who in their right mind would NOT take advantage of that opportunity to spread a message, a thought, an idea, across thousands of teenagers all looking to prove that they’re the next best generation?
Music isn’t just a device or item adolescents use to make sense of the world. It’s a marketing tool from artists directly to those insecure, unsure, impressionable youths. Take a look back at 2010 through 2013. What was the big hot topic for three years?
Gay rights.
Prop 8 was voted unconstitutional, people got married, other people got angry, it became a huge movement that is still being progressed today, but now with less media attention.
However, in that three year time span, how many people remember Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way,” or Macklemore & Ryan Lewis’ “Same Love,” or Christina Aguilera’s “Let There Be Love,” by any chance?
All three were songs by big name artists.
All three were produced and sent out to the masses of America in those three years.
All three songs were huge hits, especially at the time when gay rights was such a hot topic.
Coincidentally, each artist also had a large role in the writing or producing of this song.
Why? To get a message across. All three artists were valiantly in favor of the progression of the gay rights movement. All three wanted to garner support for the movement. All three are very much so popular artists whose names aren’t new to anyone.
So why not write a song about gay rights? Why not push out a message that is easy to understand, catchy, and is in favor of their own personal beliefs?
So that’s what happened, and still happens today. Music is still continually used to convey messages in that short span that aids in better message comprehension. For gay rights, it was Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Lady Gaga, and Christina Aguilera, as well as countless other artists all having songs written for them to sing and make money off of, because what better way to make money than play on our desire to express ourselves? With the even more recent #BlackLivesMatter movement, our singing frontrunners are Beyonce (“Formation”), Janelle Monae (“Hell You Talmbout”), and Kanye West (“Life of Pablo”).
These artists, though great and catchy, are making money off of our need to have purpose and be a part of society as teenagers. I’m not saying it’s wrong or right, I’m saying it is what it is. When a new hot topic comes out, famous artists come swooping in to save the day with some inspiration
tunes.
Music is being fed to us by our own reactions. We only have to see the “trap” first to realize it happening around us. Works Cited
"Bitch Better Have My Money." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 12 Mar. 2016.
Haithcoat, Rebecca. "What the Hell Is Trap Music (and Why Is Dubstep Involved)?" L.A. Weekly. N.p., 04 Oct. 2012. Web. 13 Mar. 2016.
Lorain, Peter. "Brain Development in Young Adolescents." Rss. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Mar. 2016.
"Love The Way You Lie." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 12 Mar. 2016.
"Love The Way You Lie." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 15 Mar. 2016.
Lucas, Cheri. "Boost Memory and Learning with Music." Education.com, n.d. Web.
"S&M (Song)." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 12 Mar. 2016.
"Topic: Record Labels." Www.statista.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Mar. 2016.
VC. "Mind Control Theories and Techniques Used by Mass Media." S. N.p., 28 Apr. 2010. Web. 18 Mar. 2016.
it’s not. Music is created specifically by corporations and other people, NOT your favorite singer or band, with the purpose being to make money and fuel the response of a specific age group. An article in “The Vigilant Citizen” outlines this by using Rihanna as an example, based off of Harold Lasswell’s media analysis model. “Who (says) What (to) Whom (in) What Channel (with) What Effect,” which means that “in order to properly analyze a media product,” like pop music, “one must look at who produced the product… who it was aimed at… and what were the desired effects of this product… on the audience.” Using Rihanna and her music as an example, “the analysis would be as follows: WHO PRODUCED: Vivendi Universal; WHAT: pop artist Rihanna; TO WHOM: consumers between the ages of 9 and 25; WHAT CHANNEL: music video; and WHAT EFFECT: selling the artist, her song, her image, and her message.” But who cares about Rihanna, right? She only has, what, over 9 million Instagram followers, 47 million twitter followers, and a fan page with who knows how many average viewers? It’s not like she produces songs like “S&M” or “B**** Better Have My Money.” She produces plenty of good music, too, stuff that most people wouldn’t mind showing to their parents. I mean, I’m a personal fan of “Love the Way You Lie,” which is technically an Eminem song that features Rihanna, but that’s not my point. My point is still on what is pushed out towards us and why those mediums are used. “S&M,” a song with an obvious theme about sexual intercourse, sadomasochism, bondage, and fetishes, was written by an American Songwriter named Ester Dean, yet sung by the young and popular Rihanna. “B**** Better Have My Money,” characterized as a “trap” song (earning this name through the old connotation in which a “’trap’ referred to a place where drugs were sold,” as explained in an LA Weekly Article entitled “What the Hell Is Trap Music (and Why Is Dubstep Involved)?” by Rebecca Haithcoat. This genre also typically includes themes of “being ‘trapped’ in the lifestyle” of drugs and looking for an escape), was written by Jamille Pierre, Bibi Bourelly, Travis Scott, Kanye West, WondaGurl, and Rihanna; but only sung by one individual in that list of songwriters. Even my personal favorite, “Love the Way You Lie,” was written by Marshall Mathers, Alexander Grant, and Holly Hafermann. It’s about abusive romantic relationships, and was sung by two people who had absolutely no involvement in the writing of the lyrics whatsoever. Why pick Rihanna to sing the messages of those songs? Why pick a 20-something year old female to sing songs about sex and drugs and abuse? Why not? Not only is Rihanna considered a pop artist, she is also popular, especially among teens. That is where the marketing comes in. That youth demographic to teenager to young adult is a large span of people for one artist to be projecting to, and it’s for a reason. That 9-25 year age group is the group that is growing up, figuring themselves out, learning what they like and don’t like and what they believe in versus what they will argue until the end of time about.
“Adolescence is a critical time for brain growth.
Significant intellectual processes are emerging.” This is the opening sentence in an article entitled “Brain Development in Young Adolescents,” by Peter Lorain. We transition from those thoughts of “whatever my parents say must be true” to “what if my parents aren’t exactly correct? What if I don’t agree with my parents?” It is within “this period of brain growth” that we mark “the beginning of a person's ability to do problem solving, think critically, plan, and control impulses.” Impulses, like, for example, what a teenager or young adult may or may not purchase. What they may or may not agree with when a new idea is first heard. What they may or may not like in clothing, style, or music. “This brain development cycle also impacts short-term memory. A middle school student can generally retain from 5 to 7 bits of information at one time,” sadly. One of the best ways to use that disadvantage, however, is through …show more content…
music.
I mean, how often have we heard the “We The People” Constitution preamble song in history, just so that we would remember the first part of the Constitution? I know I still remember it. Students use music and song to aid in memory retention, especially at that time when our brains only remember those 5 to 7 bits. “Music has been found to stimulate parts of the brain, and studies have demonstrated that music enhances the memory of Alzheimer’s and dementia patients, including a study conducted at UC Irvine, which showed that scores on memory tests of Alzheimer’s patients improved when they listened to classical music” (“Boost Memory and Learning with Music”). People with diseases that cause memory loss had better retention once music was involved, and that same idea can be utilized “to help [adolescents] retain information.”
It’s amazing what music can do, isn’t it?
Now put all of these things together. Adolescents, teenagers especially, all maturing and angsty and figuring out who they are and what image they want to project. All only able to retain bits and pieces at a time, not every single word but the general gist. Music, there to help improve memory retention.
This is where Rihanna comes in. If she was to lecture students on the meaning of one of the many songs she did not write, but most definitely made popular, who would listen? Not those teenagers they’re marketing towards. It’s when the message is shortened down and put to a catchy tune that people remember the meaning.
But why would a group of people write a song for a different person to sing, specifically towards a set age group in society? What’s the point in all that? It is specifically because of these reasons that music is broadcasted and sold to the youths of America. If music plays such an important role in the development of a person’s ideas, beliefs, actions, and self-image, then who in their right mind would NOT take advantage of that opportunity to spread a message, a thought, an idea, across thousands of teenagers all looking to prove that they’re the next best generation?
Music isn’t just a device or item adolescents use to make sense of the world. It’s a marketing tool from artists directly to those insecure, unsure, impressionable youths. Take a look back at 2010 through 2013. What was the big hot topic for three years?
Gay rights.
Prop 8 was voted unconstitutional, people got married, other people got angry, it became a huge movement that is still being progressed today, but now with less media attention.
However, in that three year time span, how many people remember Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way,” or Macklemore & Ryan Lewis’ “Same Love,” or Christina Aguilera’s “Let There Be Love,” by any chance?
All three were songs by big name artists.
All three were produced and sent out to the masses of America in those three years.
All three songs were huge hits, especially at the time when gay rights was such a hot topic.
Coincidentally, each artist also had a large role in the writing or producing of this song.
Why? To get a message across. All three artists were valiantly in favor of the progression of the gay rights movement. All three wanted to garner support for the movement. All three are very much so popular artists whose names aren’t new to anyone.
So why not write a song about gay rights? Why not push out a message that is easy to understand, catchy, and is in favor of their own personal beliefs?
So that’s what happened, and still happens today. Music is still continually used to convey messages in that short span that aids in better message comprehension. For gay rights, it was Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Lady Gaga, and Christina Aguilera, as well as countless other artists all having songs written for them to sing and make money off of, because what better way to make money than play on our desire to express ourselves? With the even more recent #BlackLivesMatter movement, our singing frontrunners are Beyonce (“Formation”), Janelle Monae (“Hell You Talmbout”), and Kanye West (“Life of Pablo”).
These artists, though great and catchy, are making money off of our need to have purpose and be a part of society as teenagers. I’m not saying it’s wrong or right, I’m saying it is what it is. When a new hot topic comes out, famous artists come swooping in to save the day with some inspiration
tunes.
Music is being fed to us by our own reactions. We only have to see the “trap” first to realize it happening around us. Works Cited
"Bitch Better Have My Money." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 12 Mar. 2016.
Haithcoat, Rebecca. "What the Hell Is Trap Music (and Why Is Dubstep Involved)?" L.A. Weekly. N.p., 04 Oct. 2012. Web. 13 Mar. 2016.
Lorain, Peter. "Brain Development in Young Adolescents." Rss. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Mar. 2016.
"Love The Way You Lie." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 12 Mar. 2016.
"Love The Way You Lie." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 15 Mar. 2016.
Lucas, Cheri. "Boost Memory and Learning with Music." Education.com, n.d. Web.
"S&M (Song)." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 12 Mar. 2016.
"Topic: Record Labels." Www.statista.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Mar. 2016.
VC. "Mind Control Theories and Techniques Used by Mass Media." S. N.p., 28 Apr. 2010. Web. 18 Mar. 2016.