The Effect of Music on Millennials

Rapper such as “XXXTENTACION” can have good and bad influences, but in the end, it’s up to the listener. [Source: Sound Cloud] — Rapper such as “XXXTENTACION” can have good and bad influences, but in the end, it’s up to the listener.
[Source: Sound Cloud]

Everywhere I go, I hear it. No matter where I may be, whether it is at school, a restaurant, the mall, and even my home, there’s no escaping it. For many, music is a daily part of life, especially for millennials. According to Digital Music News in 2016, “Millennials listen to 75% more music than the Baby Boomers generation”. Compared to the Baby Boomers generation, the Millennial generation favors different genres of music such as: hip hop, R&B, rap, and pop. These figures bring us to the question: What are the impacts of music on the millennial generation?

A popular genre among the millennial generation has been rap. I myself, am an avid listener of this genre, as I do enjoy it. A popular figure among millennial music fans is a rapper by the stage name “XXXTENTACION”, or “XXX”, for short. He is currently in jail for assaulting his ex-girlfriend. Despite being behind bars, his music has become increasingly popular in the past couple months, with his most popular song, “Look At Me!”, having more than 16 million views on YouTube. However, his lyrical content and aggressive delivery style have generated controversy, especially among parents of millennials.

A famous YouTube reaction channel, “TheFineBros”, had parents react to a view of “XXX’s” most popular songs. Most of the parents expressed strong disapproval. However, while the parents did not endorse the songs, they were willing to let their children listen to his music.

Millennial music listeners themselves held a somewhat different opinion. Priyansh Gupta, a junior at Thousand Oaks High School, stated, “I think music is a form of expression. While the older generations may see our music as extreme, or even provocative, this has always been the case for new, emerging forms of music.”

In short, “XXX” is just one of the many artists that are currently influencing the millennial generation, for better or for worse. Because ultimately, the effect of music on the millennial generation is only as strong as an individual will let it influence him/her.

Christian Sim

Christian, a freshman at West Ranch High School, and is a new addition to the JSR team. He is active in many clubs, such as Speech and Debate. In his free time, Christian enjoys skateboarding and reading Greek mythology.

Christian Sim

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