Substance Over Style: The Importance of Musical Excellence

This past week the Oregonian newspaper ran a story about an edict that’d been sent out by the Portland public schools instructing bus drivers to refrain from playing hip-hop music on their buses because it had been deemed “inappropriate” by school officials. The article said the memo called “pop, country, and jazz” acceptable. Immediately cries of racism went up from the local community and the school district is now discussing reversing the ban. Meanwhile, a high school buddy of mine found a different reason for offense in the story. He wanted to know why the school district didn’t include classical music in their list of acceptable music choices. He noted that people have been listening to Bach and Mozart for two hundred years. “No fans of Brahms at the school district?” he asked. “Why not? What’s wrong with these people?”

With music programs being cut from so many schools there’s a side of me that’s glad to hear that at least music is being celebrated on the ride to school. Truthfully though, is a school bus the best environment for a child to appreciate a Mozart minuet? Probably not. But then, unless the bus drivers have carefully screened the lyrics for content, which undoubtedly they haven’t, then neither is rap music a good choice for the commute. For that matter, the same could be said of much of rock and country music. As one who believes music is a treasure and something people of all ages, but especially children, should experience often, there are three points I’d like to make.

First of all, excellence is more important than style.

I love all kinds of music. Just because music is classical doesn’t make it great. Conversely, just because music is hip-hop doesn’t make it inappropriate. There is great rock and roll and pathetic rock and roll. There is a great country music and insipid country music. There is great jazz and horrible jazz. There is clever, intelligent rap and obscene, uninspired rap. I would encourage young people to listen to music in all styles, especially those styles you think you don’t like. I remember as a kid telling my dad I hated yogurt before I had tasted it. The same thing applies here. Don’t tell me you hate classical music if you’ve never listened to any. Whatever the style, seek out what is excellent.

Second, look for content that edifies, challenges, and expands your thinking – or content that celebrates life in some way. There is too much content in popular culture that debases – content that calls to the worst in us. Profanity and vulgarity of thought do not make for greatness. Too much of what is popular is creatively lazy, both musically and lyrically. There is so much exceptional music out there. Demand more of yourself as a listener. And demand more of the recording artists you give your valuable time to.

Third, variety is important. When my son was in high school he played a dizzying variety of music while doing his homework in the evenings. Sinatra, The White Stripes, Earth, Wind, and Fire – I never knew what was coming next! The point is this. There is an incredible musical buffet out there. Of course it’s OK to have favorites. But I encourage young people to expose themselves to a variety of music styles and a variety of artists within those styles. The diversity in music styles, I believe, has the ability to help create cultural understanding and break down barriers.

I think the Portland school buses need to do one of two things. To me the best option would be to put it on “shuffle” and let the kids hear music from a wide variety of artists, both past and present.

Short of that – if lyrics are the problem – there are always instrumentals.

Originally posted 8/29/16