Introduction to Politics and Taylor Swift
Music as political activism is a very old concept. Franz Joseph Haydn composed the Farewell Symphony in 1772 as a staged musician’s strike. The musician Nina Simone (1933-2003) based her entire music career in politics and change. There are entire genres that have roots in creating political music, like Hip-Hop, Rap, and Punk. By 2020, Taylor Swift was no stranger to political messaging in music. On the album Lover that came out in 2019, there are two prevalent political songs: “The Man” and “You Need to Calm Down”. Earlier than this there is “Change” from Fearless and “Long Live” from Speak Now that are anthems of revolution. Additionally, while being born from a place of petty drama, reputation has its own moments of resistance.
Stop Relying on the Algorithm to Find New Music!
Stop Relying on the Algorithm to Find New Music!
Ok, but why should I?
There are lots of reasons to stop relying on algorithms to feed you culture. Algorithms are marketed as “made for you”. However, do they truly offer unique music selections? Or does Spotify just regurgitate popular songs from popular artists until you listen to them? The Algorithm suggests music similar to what you already played and music that the music streaming service has been paid to promote or sponsor. Often the suggestions will be songs already included in the top hits, and from artists that are already well established. The Algorithm gives the illusion of consuming diverse music.
Where did these ideas come from?
Hi, I’m Sarah! I read a lot about music and the arts industry. The subject of culture and algorithms is at the heart of two books I’ve read this year: The Death of the Artist by William Deresiewicz and Spotify Teardown by M Eriksson et al. For several years now, I have been on the hunt to diversify my music library. This is how I have been doing so!
How to Start Listening to Western Classical Music
Diving into a new genre of music can be daunting. Classical music is especially daunting because there is so much of it; several hundred years of it, in fact. The following tips and tricks have helped me discover all kinds of tracks and artists I love.