According to Rolling Stone, the top forty songs
mostly consist of pop, alternative, and hip-hop. These songs were judged as the
most popular currently based on radio airplay, sales pertaining to a certain
distributer “Neilsen,” and by streaming music activity related to online music
sources. Songs like “Call Me Maybe,” “Wide Awake,” and “Payphone” are currently
within the top five on the list. All of these songs are of the pop genre, and
are all based around the first person point of view. Viewing the rest of the
top songs of 2012, the vast majority are written and sung in the first person
point of view as well. Most of the songs on this list are songs that you would
expect to hear at a club and would dance to, having the repetitive bass beat
holding the rhythm. As a whole, these songs are based on love, whether it be
finding love, losing it, or trying to hold on to it. “Call Me Maybe” is about a
girl finding someone she is interested, and trying to pursue that love. “Wide
Awake” is about falling from love. Following suit, “Payphone” is about trying
to rekindle his love, and “What Makes You Beautiful” is about young love.
Keeping the theme, “Where Have You Been” is about searching for and finding love.
All of these songs are within the top ten, as well as all have to do with love
in some way. Reviewing the rest of the songs, the overwhelming majority has to
do with some aspect of love. As a reflection of our culture, our current taste
in music shows the importance we place in love and experiencing it. We aspire
to find love, and to hold on to it. These songs represent that my generation
desires to love and be loved, as well as to have music that contains a steady
bass beat to dance to. Also, poetic devices and symbolism are used to portray
the universal ideas in this year’s top songs. For instance, in Elli Goulding’s “Lights,”
the line “I had a heart then but the queen has been overthrown” is symbolic and
interesting, as it alludes to someone losing their heart and way due to a
certain event, relating to the overthrowing of a queen. Another line that
contains poetic merit is in “Titanium” by David Guetta. “You shoot me down but I
won’t fall, I am titanium,” Guetta is attempting to show how strong he is by
saying that he is titanium. In this instance, the titanium is a symbol for
courage and strength.
No comments:
Post a Comment