Music has changed over the years, but has it changed for the better? More technology has been developed over the years, which causes us to be able to make music louder and the tempo better.  “The most conspicuous differentiation between classical music in the Contemporary period and in previous periods is the shift in tone.” More instruments are being used in music. Instruments that weren’t being used years ago are being used now. 

A lot of instruments that are being used now weren’t used as much before. The trumpet, violin, flute, and recorder are some of the few instruments being used now that weren’t earlier on. Before, a lot of these instruments weren’t even thought to be used in songs. In the 21st century they are using viola, piccolo, oboe, tuba, ect. These are all instruments that are just now starting to be used in songs. Songs that were created in the 90’s weren’t using these instruments.

Recording songs is much easier now than they were years ago.  In the 70’s, they had what was called a multi-track recording that was able to record “multiple performances separately and at different times.” In 1966, the Beatles recorded a song on a four-track machine. A four track machine “was the world’s first four-track recorder based on a standard compact audio cassette tape.” Now in 2021, we have recording studios that can record better than the recording machines they had in the 60’s or 70’s. 

Pop music has changed over the years. In the 70’s, Elvis Presley was a very famous pop artist. To this day people still listen to him. His music is very well known. Elvis mainly used piano, bass, and guitar in his music. Harry Styles is one of the top 10 most famous pop stars in the U.S.  Even if you don’t listen to his music you still know who he is. He mainly uses piano, guitar, drums, and he’s even played the harp before. 

Mariah Carey was declared the artist of the decade 1990. Even if you don’t listen to her music now, you still know her name.  Mariah Carey was able to play the piano, which caused her to use the piano in her music often. Ariana Grande is a known pop star in 2021. She is in the top 10 most famous pop stars in the U.S.  If you don’t listen to her music it’s likely one of your friends does. She can play the guitar, and a lot of her music has the guitar. 

I asked some students, who chose to be anonymous, what they thought. The first student I asked said “I like to listen to old music more than I do listen to the newer stuff. But that’s just a preference.” The second student I asked told me “The newer music just sounds better to me.” If you were to ask my parents they would say “I like older stuff because newer stuff isn’t as fun.”  So what do you think, what do you prefer in music? Do you like to listen to older stuff or the newer stuff?