Opinions are divided on whether music is just a form of enjoyment or whether it plays an essential part in society. While I understand why some people support the former view, I am still in favour of the latter.
Those who believe that music only serves to entertain people may have several arguments. From their point of view, music is commonly associated with relaxation such as a quiet evening at home after a long day’s work or a night with friends at a club or a karaoke. This popularity of music, however, makes people underestimate its value as few would bother to stop and think about the artistry and work that went into every song. Some may also argue that modern music in particular does not seem to be very serious and deep in terms of content and lyrics. This means that many songs, despite their catchy hooks, appear to certain people to be superficial and meaningless, which can be exemplified by several pop songs of the “boy meets girl” variety produced by the music industry with the ultimate purpose of entertainment.
Nevertheless, I still believe that music has been used in society as more than just a form of entertainment for several reasons. As far as the first idea is concerned, music allows groups of people to establish their unique cultural identities. A prime example is the Flamenco music which not only is a sign of Spanish culture but also provides listeners insights into Spanish history. Another point worth mentioning is that music has been also used widely for political purposes. For instance, in the world of politics, several black musicians have produced many revolutionary songs and protest songs to deal with social injustice and systemic racism in the United States.
In conclusion, although I acknowledge why people think that music is just merely a form of entertainment, I still hold the belief that it also performs several major roles in society.