Popular music, as an aspect of popular culture, has traditionally been perceived as unworthy of serious academic scrutiny. To dismiss popular music as trivial, however, is to ignore the significant roles it performs in the lives of the people who engage with it. Moreover, in taking such an elitist view, we are in danger of dismissing all consumption of popular music as passive and missing out on an opportunity to understand how people actively use it in their lives.
Whilst popular music undoubtedly works on different levels, and functions more deeply in the lives of some people than others, consumption for the majority of us is far from passive. This article highlights some of the ways in which we use popular music actively in our lives, irrespective of the specific genre or artist.
One of the most basic levels on which popular music operates is as a soundtrack to our lives. Have you ever found yourself in the situation whereby a song comes on the radio and you are immediately reminded of a specific moment, place or event from your past? For many of us the answer to this question will be yes. This is an example of the power of music in our lives. Furthermore, simply hearing a certain song can often evoke strong feelings, and memories, which have a potent effect on mood; this is anything but passive consumption.
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