Music is everywhere. It’s in movies, it’s in TV shows, it’s in commercials, it’s in stores, it’s in restaurants, it’s in elevators, and it’s in our heads. There are major companies, awards shows, and livelihoods dedicated to music. It’s nearly impossible to go a day without hearing a tune if you live in a civilized part of the world. There is nothing else like it. This has begged the question, at least for me, is music sensationalism?

Nearly all people ‘like’ music. How often do you come across a deprived, sad soul who claims that he or she does not ‘like’ music? Not often. But lately, this ‘like’ has grown to a ‘love,’ and has now become “OMG I LOVE THIS SONG<33!!” even though the person making this statement probably hasn’t played a note in his or her life. That might’ve been harsh, so let’s back up for a second. A century ago, you did not hear everyone claiming to love music. The people who loved music were the people who genuinely appreciated it for its beauty and elegance. These people mainly consisted of musicians, people who worked in the blossoming music industry, and some true fans of music. These people understood music; they understood its structure, its emotion, its meaning, its being.

With the invention of radio, records, cassettes, CDs, and Walkman’s, the crowd of fans grew. This crowd of fans became less educated about the nature of music as time went on as well. Instead of a small crowd of well-educated listeners, there is a crowd of many casual listeners. (Am I trying to be an elitist, know-it-all musician? No. I am merely making an observation. Just a disclaimer, please continue at your pleasure). The evolution of portable music players played a vital role in allowing music to become as popular as it has. The music players became an advocate for consumerism and sensationalism, not the music it offered to hold. Everyone had one, and then everyone had to have a Smartphone.

Ever since the invention of the music players, music has become sensationalism. Music is constantly in the media. Have you heard about Miley Cyrus’s performance at the VMA’s? Did you hear about the Gangnam Style craze? Have you heard of that new band called One Direction? Of course you have. Is this bad though? No. Because of all of the hype, musicians keep their jobs. Not only can musicians keep their jobs, but more jobs are can be created. Music composition and directing is No. 3 on the list of growing jobs according to 247wallst.com. This is fantastic news for musicians everywhere.

There is nothing else like music. It brings people together in a way that no other medium can. The genres are endless and there is one that practically everyone can enjoy. What has sensationalism done? It’s kept the music alive.