Consider this conundrum, the more catchy or relatable a song, no matter the quality of its composition, often predicts its possibility of becoming overplayed.

It is too common that songs are played beyond their expiration date. For instance, tune to any radio station and there is a strong possibility that a popular song from 2014 is still clinging for life.

The reason for this is that radio stations are not in the “music business,” they are in the “radio business.” According to Alan Henry of LifeHaker, “the big problem though is that it’s a self-fulfilling cycle — only popular songs get to play, so they’re the ones that get popular, and then the relationship between big labels and big stations continues to devour itself like a Billboard Top 40.”

This idea is based upon the psychological belief that we are channel surfing to hear a song we are familiar with. If a station is not playing the song we want to hear, we will ultimately change the channel. There is not an evil disc-jockey with a grimacing smile, a pointy handlebar mustache and a white Persian cat which they seemingly always stroke methodically who’s purpose is to replay the songs that died in 2014. The disc-jockey’s purpose is to make the station money, not play the newest music.

Overplayed songs ruin the artistic nature of the song. For instance, a song like Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing” is considered a timeless classic, but due to it being overplayed it has lost its artistic value.

For many “Mo Bamba” was a cultural equalizer, but due to its overplayed nature lost its grip and eventually died off.

Stephan Thompson of NPR states that “These songs’ chart success can feel never-ending, but the pop charts are — and ever shall be — a cruel business that spits out every song eventually.”

At this point, I would venture to say that overplayed songs will be the death of the radio business. The modern person does not have the attention span to surf channels and probably has Apple Music.

NBC’s Rosa Golijan states that “iTunes killed the music shop in the last decade.”

The purpose of Apple Music is to allow its users to have the realm of music easily at their fingertips. By doing this though, Apple has created a simple outlet for those who are frustrated with listening to the same 37 songs on repeat.

I have witnessed the stagnation of many people’s musical experiences and explorations –  this is a result of routine lifestyles. Routine has created a stif-fness in the emotions felt by many. Routine, in totality, is difficult to break away from – the human soul finds comfort in its predictability. Fortunately, the effects felt from routine can be limited and filtered.

Music is a changing, morphing and ever evolving artistic outlet that provides the soul a crack to shine through in poetic harmonies. For the majority of beings, we are unable to compose our own concertos and, therefore, immerse ourselves in the music of others. Unfortunately, for many this leads to routine – this must be broken in order to satisfy the soul.

The options for breaking free from the shackles of routine are extensive, and no option is greater than the other. I do recommend one form – extensive exploration of a genre that is tasteful to yourself. For instance, if I enjoy the ranging guitar of Jimi Hendrix I would then dive deep into rock and discover similar artists. This task is evolutionary and should not become tedious or static – change up the genre or the artist of interest if it becomes so.

Music brings pleasure to the soul and, I would argue, has the power to heal. If your life is rather low, and music is something you like, explore the vast range of music. We live in a small world. Music is ranging over hundreds of genres – to live your life in one genre and seldom change habits promotes conformity to the static nature of routine.

Kyle Kashuv recently tweeted that there is no true point to music, that there are better things to occupy one’s time with. The purpose of music is to be an outlet for those who are artisticly inclined and those who appreciate the connection that the poet creates.

Though Kashuv is an entitled little man who believes his knowledge is infallible, he makes a good point. There are better things to occupy one’s time with – for instance, exploring more music, branching out into the unknown and finding the weird music that soothes the soul.

As a reminder, our lives naturally fall into routine. This is detrimental to our being and the happiness we find. Music is naturally healing and can change the way you feel.

Expand your horizon, and become a music explorer – not a genre groupie.

With love,

Benjamin Zahnd

Oct. 5 marked the release of Twenty One Pilots’ newest album “Trench,” described by some as their most important album release yet.

After taking a three year sabbatical, which they have done between every album they have released before, Twenty One Pilots have put out an album that sounds more prophetic and rugged – as if they climbed the unexplored regions in their minds to find a balance between rock and modern electronic-pop.

It is custom for a band’s previous work to be brought to examination after the release of a new album. Compared to preceding works, Twenty One Pilots took a more mature, deep-seated approach to their music. “Blurryface,” characterized by basic musical movements and overplayed sounds, is a polar opposite when compared to “Trench.”

“Blurryface” is in your face and intoxicating, energetic and energizing, passionate and praiseful. Songs like “Stressed Out” are plucky, choppy and poppy – everything depressed teens appreciate. Others like “Goner” are deep and reflective about times of pain.

Differing from the preceding album, “Trench” is calm and considered, tender and touchy, visceral and venerable. Songs like “Jumpsuit” demonstrate an energy that is new and refreshing – in relation to the alternative-pop scene. Yet others like “Bandito,” are xerox copies of earlier works, a disappointing turn for many.

Though Twenty One Pilots’ newest album is a better expression of what modern music should sound like, they have failed to hit the broad side of the barn. Their explicit effort to be popular and hip has hindered their ability to adapt to changing times and past musical truths.

Fortunately, they are not the only band that suffers from this disease.“Trench” shows the new mature adult-like band that Twenty One Pilots are morphing into. I predict their next album to fully transform into a new rock persona, extending their listening to a new group of followers.

Although Twenty One Pilots’ newest album does not resonate with me, that does not mean I am the keeper of all things true. We as individuals study music in different ways. For many, Twenty One Pilots are a cool breeze in a time of musical heat.

Photo courtesy of Twenty One Pilots

In 1965, Richard Harriman sought to bring undiscovered musical artists to the eyes of Kansas Citians and to ultimately unleash the unlimited power of music at no cost for those attending William Jewell College.

Luciano Pavarotti made his professional recital debut for the Harriman Jewell Series in 1973. Pavarotti sang five more times for the Series. Thanks to Harriman, Kansas City and the Jewell community saw first-hand the evolution of Pavarotti’s career and ultimately witnessed a star being born.

Thanks to Harriman’s passion, more than 900 performances have come to the Kansas City area, many being recital debuts for new artists.

Last weekend marked the 50-year reunion of the 1968 graduating class. Many expressed their favorite memories which included the Harriman Jewell concerts they attended.

“The opportunity to go to a world-class event for free is one of the great benefits of a William Jewell College experience,” said Clark Morris, executive and artistic director for the Series and vice president of advancement for William Jewell.

In planning the upcoming seasons, the Harriman Jewell staff works tirelessly to assemble the very best artists and ensembles from all over the globe to expand our musical borders. The performances they arrange are important mind-expanding opportunities. According to the staff, their tenets for the Series are quality, variety and discovery. These tenets guide their selection processes as they look for a diverse mix of both new and familiar high-quality artistic events – as not to become repetitive.

The Harriman Jewell Series’ mission is to bring the best of the performing arts to the Kansas City community. This season is a reflection of their overture.

This year the Kansas City and Jewell community are truly blessed to observe the elite ensembles of orchestral passion: the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Mariinsky Orchestra and the San Francisco Symphony.

“Every year is exciting, but we are particularly pleased to present a unique collection of some of the world’s greatest orchestras all in one season,” Morris said.

Saturday, Sept. 22 marked the official launch of the 2018-2019 Harriman Jewell Series with Alyson Cambridge as the christening artist. Cambridge has the magnificent ability to sing complicated operatics and jazz during the same show – a difficult task for most artists.

“For the first-year students who may be skeptical of these concerts, give it a try. When I first came to Jewell I didn’t know what I was getting in to, and it was my roommate that insisted we get tickets. I was amazed at the experience and have gone to hundreds of concerts since and am so grateful for this opportunity. You don’t have to like everything you see and hear, but I think everyone will find something that you like,” advised Morris.

For others who are unsure whether they want to expose themselves to the other end of the music spectrum, recognize that they are free events – perfect for cheap dates and opportunities to impress that special someone.

The Harriman Jewell Series challenges Jewell students to listen to the sounds of music that has stood the test of time and critique their understanding of rhythmic art. It is recommended for students to take this opportunity to step out of their comfort zone by being present at a Series event.

The joyous congregation of artists demands our ears and eyes to observe the processes of music to form appreciation. To take advantage of the Harriman Jewell Series is to allow our minds to wander in the areas unknown.

Photo courtesy of hjseries.org