my favorite music band essay

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Describe your favourite music band

Describe your favourite music band.

You should say:

what music band it is
how do people react to the music of this band
when you first heard their songs/music

and explain why this is your favourite music band.

Follow-up Questions:

Why do people listen to music?
Talk about the type of international music.
What are some types of traditional music found in your country?
How does the internet affect the sales of CV, DVD and Music Albums?
What is more important: Traditional music or International Music? Why?

Sample Answer 1

I like to listen to all kinds of songs, whether they are taken from some solo albums or some famous music bands. Talking about music bands, of course, they usually have a different kind of appeal to music lovers, especially if they are some musical bands like “Air Supply”.

By the way, “Air Supply” is my favourite music band. I first heard their songs about 15 years ago, when I still was a college student, and since then, I have been hooked to their music.

This famous music band is a soft rock duo consisting of English singer-songwriter and guitarist Graham Russell and Australian lead vocalist Russell Hitchcock. Since starting its journey, Air Supply has had a succession of hits worldwide, including eight top-ten hits in the United States, in the early 1980s. Formed in Australia in 1975, this music band has included various accompanying musicians and singers to make some of the best music in the history of soft rock.

From the beginning, as a soft rock duo, Air Supply has been popular for their love songs, and people react to these love songs very strongly and passionately because of their romantic nature and mellow sound. Anyway, just like everybody else, I also love their acoustic music. These days, it seems to me that everyone is making acoustic versions of their old songs to make songs sound even better, but I don’t think their “remakes” sound as good as the original songs sung by Graham Russell and Russell Hitchcock.

Anyway, Air Supply is my favourite band, primarily because their songs are light, and their lyrics are relatively easygoing. Besides, I have heard very few voices as beautiful and lyrical as Russell Hitchcock’s. I would consider their songs as something I can hum to anytime and anywhere. However, the best thing which makes “Air Supply” my favourite music band is that when I listen to their songs, it makes me feel as if it’s just me in the room with them, and they are singing only for me.

Sample Answer 2

I like many music bands very much, but Pink Floyd is my favourite music band. This music band is a famous music band for their music which falls under the genres of progressive rock, psychedelic rock and art rock. Though the band is not active anymore yet, they are heard by millions of music lovers. They are an English rock band that was founded in 1965 and remained active till 1995, and reunited in 2005. I have become a big fan of this band primarily because of their distinguished philosophical lyrics, sonic experiment and mind-blowing music quality.

Pink Floyd is considered one of the most musically influential and commercially successful bands. Their albums have sold well over 250 million records worldwide. Regarding how people react to their music, it depends on the listener and their choice of music, but people with good music choices and quality lyrics choices are bound to love this band’s songs. Each of their albums got a high appraisal from the music critic, and their album “The Wall” is widely known worldwide.

I first listened to their music (most probably, songs from the album ‘Atom hearted mother’) when I was in my 10th grade in school, and after that, I listened to almost all of their songs countless times.

There are many reasons we should listen to music. It is considered to be the food of the soul. Music is refreshing and washes away the tiredness, boredom and monotonousness. Good lyrics help us brainstorm, understand things more deeply and from different perspectives, and help grow positive inspiration and motivation. Music inspires us deeply and eliminates our boredom and narrowness in life. It is one of the best entertainment and inspirational sources for human beings.

Sample Answer 3

I have heard the music of so many music bands over the years, since my high school years, and all of them quenched the musical thirst of my heart and mind in some capacity. But, there is one music band, which blows my mind away with its legendary sounds and lyrics, is called “Enigma”. And, I am certainly glad to have an opportunity today to tell something about this music band because it tops the list of all of my favourite music bands in the world.

Anyway, if I remember correctly, I listened to the songs of this world-famous music band for the first time in almost 15 years when one of my rich high school friends played them for me in his car on our way to a market. Back then, I didn’t own any audio cassette player at my home. Still, after listening to the songs of Enigma, I not only fell in love with their songs but also became very desperate to buy my cassette player despite my parents’ reluctance.

Apparently, my parents thought that having a cassette player at home would distract me from my regular study work. But, I wasn’t exactly ready to listen to any advice or warnings from my parents because I wanted to listen to the songs of my favourite music band to my heart’s content. Anyway, after buying my cassette player, only god knows how many times I had listened to their songs, which included the songs like “I love you, I’ll kill you”, “Age of loneliness” and “ Mea Culpa”.

Anyway, I like this music band mainly because their songs are uniquely sensual with a very calming effect on minds and bodies. I also like this music band because their songs tend to transcend the time and generation, because of their extraordinary musical appeal, unlike the discos of the 80s and the techno and hip-hop music of the 90s. Their music just takes me on a beautiful, emotional journey every time I listen to them.

Sample Answer 4

The Beatles is an English music band that was formed in England, and later on, the band gained unbelievable popularity worldwide. It was one of the hit music bands in the world after its inception in the 1960s in Liverpool. ‘The Beatles’ was formed by George Harrison, John Lennon, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr. The band experimented with several types of music composition and became quite successful. It was widely popular for its unconventional types of music. This is an excellent candidate task card for me, and I am glad about this. Here are the remaining answers.

I have been listening to their songs since my childhood. Though the band is no longer available, I have a large collection of their songs. And often I love listening to their songs in my leisure hours. I cannot manage much time owing my business to listen to music, but when I was a student, I used to listen to music around the day. And the melodious songs of The Beatles entertained me much.

The Beatles have lots of famous songs. The band has reshaped different types of songs and initiated pop culture. Some of the most noted songs of this band are – ‘Tomorrow Never Knows, ‘The Ballad of John and Yoko’, ‘I Feel Fine, ‘Getting Better, ‘All My Loving’, ‘Hello Goodbye’, ‘All You Need is Love’ etc. All the songs were composed and tuned differently. So, they gained global popularity.

There are many reasons to like this group. The band has dominated the rock era of the world. And I am in love with the music style of The Beatles. The group has experimented with various types of music genre together, and the application of classical instruments have brought a change in style. The band was commercially successful as well, and each individual in this band is a legend, and this is quite rare for any music band in history. So, I like this band very, very much. Their music still inspires me and help me fight my stress.

More Ideas to help you prepare your answer:

Cue card topic: describe your favourite music band..

1. I love to listen to rock music, and Broadcast is my favourite music band. It was formed in 1995 in the UK with the participation of original members, including James Cargill, Steve Perkins, Trish Keenan, Roj Stevens, Tim Felton and others. I have been listening to their songs for the past couple of years. The band has some popular tracks like “The Book Lovers”, “Echo’s Answer”, and “Lights Out”. I love the band for its special types of music composition.

2. The Band is my preferred music band, and despite being a Canadian majority, it has some special blends of country and folk music and also performs blues. I have been familiar with the band for the past seven years, and it has a remarkable number of famous tracks like “Ain’t No More Cane”, Atlantic City, “Chest Forever”, and “Go-Go Liza Jane”. “I Shall Be Released”, “Life Is A Carnival”. I liked the band for its enriched music and superb lyrics.

3. I prefer to listen to band music from AC/DC – the Australian band based in Sydney. The band is run by Angus Young, Stevie Young, Chris Slade and Axl Rose. I have been listening to the band for the past five years. “Back in Black”, “Highway to Hell”, “T.N.T”, “Shoot to Thrill” – are some of its popular tracks. Since I love to listen to rock music, this band goes with my demand. Besides, I also like the unique types of lyrics of this band.

4. Headless Chickens is my favourite band in New Zealand. The band is famous for using electronic musical instruments. The band members were Chris Matthews, Fiona McDonald, Johnny Pierce, Michael Lawry, Grant Fell, Bevan Sweeney, and Anthony Nevison. I have been listening to the band since my teenage. Some of its popular tracks are “In Love With These Times”, “Collision”, “Give It a Whirl” etc. I love the band, particularly for the superb music composition.

5. The number of bands in Indonesia is fewer, and Hightime Rebellion is one of them. the band got fans within a short time after its formation. Ready Surindrapati, Reza Arafat, Miyane Soemitro, Pulung Wahyuaji and Jason Sutrisn are the current band members. F Song, Walking Hour, Hum, Winter in the Window, Crest of Mind, Sail, Left-Right etc., are some of the famous tracks of the band. I mostly love the psychedelic beats, tone, and female voice.

Tips for answering this Cue Card Speaking topic:

This should be an easy cue card topic as it allows you to talk about any music band you like from your country or internationally renowned music bands.

First name the music band and say what type of music band it is (Genre, music style, lyrics style and member(s) of this music band).

Now talk about the reasons you like this music band. This part is a bit tricky as this is the part when you need to convince the examiner about your style and topic of speaking. Try to give some compelling reasons why you like this music band.

Some of the common reasons for liking a music band could be:

The music is touchy/ contemporary

This is a famous band for their extraordinary works on music.

Their music and lyrics are perfect.

They have a large fan base, and their works are critically acclaimed.

They have made a revolution in music.

All of this music band’s members are famous for their contribution to the music.

They have some hit songs that are heard by many people worldwide.

They have created a new style and music.

Their lyrics speak of your unspoken words.

You enjoy listening to their music.

The songs of this music band have good themes, and the lyrics are of high class.

The music is heart soothing, and you always love to listen to their music.

For the question “ How do people react to the music of this band ” you should mention that the fans of this music band revere the songs. You should also mention that people have different tastes in music, and tastes vary primarily based on age group and geographical location. People with different music choices or people who do not have a taste for this band sometimes criticise this music band, but yet this is a famous music band with a good number of hit songs.

For the question “ When you first heard their song ”, mention your first memory of the songs by this music band. If a friend or relative recommended this, mention it or say that you heard it on the radio or all of a sudden like this music. Also, mention that later on, you explored the songs of this music band from your interest.

The final question asks you to explain the necessity of listening to music. This answer should reflect your point of view of listening to music. In general terms, music is considered like food for the soul. Music is relaxing, washes away our sorrow and opens new dimensions. Good music relates us to the memory we have and can inspire us. Music is also helpful when we pass through depressed and challenging times as music helps us to heal our wounds.

The above paragraph explains why we should listen to music, but you certainly have your own reasons and mention that logically and convincingly in your answer.

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My Favourite Band

Filed Under: Essays

I have always loved music since I was young . My favorite band is One Direction . I love One Direction because they are the most amazing band in the world . When I first heard their music, I knew that they were always going to be one of my favorites band. They song made me want to get up, dance, and sing . Their music is catchy ,fun to listen to and over all great. One Direction are a British-Irish boy band consisting of members Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Liam Payne, Harry Styles and Louis Tomlinson . The cutest guys you could imagine . I like One Direction most because their voice is very nice and when they sings their voice comes from the heart and which is very touchy and tends the song listen many times. They competed on the seventh season of The X Factor . One Direction’s first single is “What Makes You Beautiful” . The first song of one direction that makes me feel crazy is What Makes You Beautiful . A catchy tune began to play, it made not only my body dance but my heart too.

A deep and sweet voice began to sing meaningful lyrics that made me smile so much it hurt my cheeks. One Direction’s song Little Things has the emotions kind of moving, with the lyrics that make you want to cry because they are so meaningful. One Directions voices are reason why I love them so much. Their singing voices and talking voices can catch anyone speechless . Their voices are so beautiful, in every single way possible. I mostly like Harry and Zayn voices . Each member has beautiful personalities as well, another reason I love them so very much. Liam has a sweet and caring personality.

The Homework on How Can You Love Someone And Make Them Cry

Throughout life we have heard many people repeat wise sayings. The majority of the time we don't stop to think about what these sayings really mean. For example, "Those who truly love you and care about you will make you cry." How can you love someone and make them cry? When I was younger and very rebellious, I would always be disciplined by my mother. She would make sure I was doing the right ...

Louis believes he will never grow up and thinks everything needs to be fun in a way. Zayn has a sweet, over protective, bad boy personality. Niall has an adorable, care free, special personality that makes everyone love him. Harry has the perfect kind of personality. He can be shy, but at the same time completely friendly. Harry is very sweet and seems to always make people feel special. One Direction is the most important thing in my life. I absolutely in love with One Direction. Especially, Zayn Malik! I hope that my dream to go to One Direction 2013 World Tour will come true .

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Guide on How to Write a Music Essay: Topics and Examples

Let's Understand What is Music Essay

You know how some school assignments are fun to write by default, right? When students see them on the course syllabus, they feel less like a burden and more like a guaranteed pleasure. They are about our interests and hobbies and therefore feel innate and intuitive to write. They are easy to navigate, and interesting topic ideas just pop into your head without much trouble.

Music essays belong to the category of fun essay writing. What is music essay? Anything from in-depth analysis to personal thoughts put into words and then to paper can fall into a music essay category. An essay about music can cover a wide range of topics, including music history, theory, social impact, significance, and musical review. It can be an analytical essay about any music genre, musical instruments, or today's music industry.

Don't get us wrong, you will still need to do extensive research to connect your opinions to a broader context, and you can't step out of academic writing standards, but the essay writing process will be fun.

In this article, our custom essay writing service is going to guide you through every step of writing an excellent music essay. You can draw inspiration from the list of music essay topics that our team prepared, and later on, you will learn what an outstanding essay on music is by an example of a music review essay.

What are Some Music Topics to Write About

There are so many exciting music topics to write about. We would have trouble choosing one. You can write about various music genres, be it country music or classical music; you can research music therapy or how music production happens.

Okay, forgive us for getting carried away; music makes us enthusiastic. Below you will find a list of various music essay topics prepared from our thesis writing service . Choose one and write a memorable essay about everyone's favorite art form.

Music Argumentative Essay Topics

Music essays can be written about an infinite number of themes. You can even write about performance or media comparison.

Here is a list of music argumentative essay topics. These edge-cutting topics will challenge your readers and get you an easy A+.

Exploring the evolution of modern music styles of the 21st century
Is it ethical to own and play rare musical instruments?
Is music therapy an effective mental health treatment?
Exploring the Intersection of Technology and Creativity in electronic music
The Relevance of traditional music theory in modern music production
The Role of musical pieces in the Transmission of cultural identity
The value of historical analysis in understanding the significance of music in society
How does exposing listeners to different genres of music break down barriers
Exploring the cognitive effects of music on human brain development
The therapeutic potential of music in treating mental disorders

Why is Music Important Essay Topics

Do you know which essay thrills our team the most? The importance of music in life essay. We put our minds together and came up with a list of topics about why music is so central to human life. Start writing why is music important essay, and we guarantee you that you will be surprised by how much fun you had crafting it.

Popular Music and its Role in shaping cultural trends
Music as a metaphorical language for expressing emotions and thoughts
How music changes and influences social and political movements
How the music of different countries translates their history to outsiders
The innate connection between music and human beings
How music helps us understand feelings we have never experienced
Does music affect our everyday life and the way we think?
Examining the cross-cultural significance of music in society
How rock music influenced 70's political ideologies
How rap music closes gaps between different racial groups in the US

Consider delegating your ' write my essay ' request to our expert writers for crafting a perfect paper on any music topic!

Why I Love Music Essay Topics

We want to know what is music to you, and the best way to tell us is to write a why I love music essay. Below you will find a list of music essay topics that will help you express your love for music.

I love how certain songs and artists evoke Memories and Emotions
I love the diversity of music genres and how different styles enrich my love for music
I love how music connects me with people of different backgrounds
How the music of Linkin Park helped me through life's toughest challenges
What does my love for popular music say about me?
How the unique sounds of string instruments fuel my love for music
How music provides a temporary Release from the stresses of daily life
How music motivates me to chase my dreams
How the raw energy of rock music gets me through my daily life
Why my favorite song is more than just music to me

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Music Therapy Essay Topics

One of the most interesting topics about music for an essay is music therapy. We are sure you have heard all the stories of how music cures not only mental but also physical pains. Below you can find a list of topics that will help you craft a compelling music therapy essay. And don't forget that you can always rely on our assistance for fulfilling your ' write my paper ' requests!

The effectiveness of music therapy in reducing stress and pain for cancer patients
Does pop music have the same effects on music therapy as classical music?
Exploring the benefits of music therapy with other genres beyond classical music
The potential of music therapy in aiding substance abuse treatment and recovery
The Role of music therapy in Addressing PTSD and Trauma in military veterans
The impact of music therapy on enhancing social interaction and emotional expression in individuals with developmental disabilities
The use of music therapy in managing chronic pain
Does musical therapy help depression?
Does music reduce anxiety levels?
Is music therapy better than traditional medicine?

History of Music Essay Topics

If you love analytical essays and prefer to see the bigger picture, you can always write a music description essay. Below you can find some of the most interesting topics for the history of music essay.

The Significance of natural instruments in music production and performance
Tracing the historical development of Western music theory
How electronic music traces its roots back to classical music
How the music industry evolved from sheet music to streaming services
How modern producers relate to classical composers
The Origins and Influence of Jazz Music
How folk music saved the Stories of unnamed heroes
Do we know what the music of ancient civilizations sounded like?
Where does your favorite bandstand in the line of music evolve?
The Influence of African American Music on modern pop culture

Benefits of Music Essay Topics

If you are someone who wonders what are some of the values that music brings to our daily life, you should write the benefits of music essay. The music essay titles below can inspire you to write a captivating essay:

How music can be used to promote cultural awareness and understanding
The benefits of music education in promoting creativity and innovation
The social benefits of participating in music groups
The Impact of Music on Memory and Learning
The cognitive benefits of music education in early childhood development
The effects of music on mood and behavior
How learning to play an instrument improves cognitive functions.
How music connects people distanced by thousands of miles
The benefits of listening to music while exercising
How music can express the feelings words fail to do so

Music Analysis Essay Example

Reading other people's papers is a great way to scale yours. There are many music essay examples, but the one crafted by our expert writers stands out in every possible way. You can learn what a great thesis statement looks like, how to write an engaging introduction, and what comprehensive body paragraphs should look like.

Click on the sample below to see the music analysis essay example.

How to Write a Music Essay with Steps

Writing music essays is definitely not rocket science, so don't be afraid. It's just like writing any other paper, and a music essay outline looks like any other essay structure.

Start by choosing a music essay topic. You can use our list above to get inspired. Choose a topic about music that feels more relevant and less researched so you can add brand-new insights. As we discussed, your music essay can be just about anything; it can be a concert report or an analytical paper about the evolution of music.
Continue by researching the topic. Gather all the relevant materials and information for your essay on music and start taking notes. You can use these notes as building blocks for the paper. Be prepared; even for short essays, you may need to read books and long articles.
Once you have all the necessary information, the ideas in your head will start to take shape. The next step is to develop a thesis statement out of all the ideas you have in your head. A thesis statement is a must as it informs readers what the entire music essay is about. Don't be afraid to be bold in your statement; new outlooks are always appreciated.
Next, you'll need a music essay introduction. Here you introduce the readers to the context and background information about the research topic. It should be clear, brief, and engaging. You should set the tone of your essay from the very beginning. Don't forget the introduction is where the thesis statement goes.
One of the most important parts of essay writing is crafting a central body paragraph about music. This is where you elaborate on your thesis, make main points, and support them with the evidence you gathered beforehand. Remember, your music essay should be well structured and depict a clear picture of your ideas.
Next, you will need to come up with an ideal closing paragraph. Here you will need to once again revisit the main points in your music essay, restate them in a logical manner and give the readers your final thoughts.
Don't forget to proofread your college essay. Whether you write a long or short essay on music, there will be grammatical and factual errors. Revise and look through your writing with a critical mind. You may find that some parts need rewriting.

Key Takeaways

Music essays are a pleasure to write and read. There are so many topics and themes to choose from, and if you follow our How to Write a Music Essay guide, you are guaranteed to craft a top-notch essay every time.

Be bold when selecting a subject even when unsure what is research essay topic on music, take the writing process easy, follow the academic standards, and you are good to go. Use our music essay sample to challenge yourself and write a professional paper.

If you feel stuck and have no time our team of expert writers is always ready to give you help from all subject ( medical school personal statement school help ). Visit our website, submit your ' write my research paper ' request and a guaranteed A+ essay will be on your way in just one click.

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FAQs on Writing a Music Essay

Though music essay writing is not the hardest job on the planet, there are still some questions that often pop up. Now that you have a writing guide and a list of essay topics about music, it's time to address the remaining inquiries. Keep reading to find the answers to the frequently asked questions.

Should Artists' Music be Used in Advertising?

What type of music is best for writing an essay, why do people love music.

is an expert in nursing and healthcare, with a strong background in history, law, and literature. Holding advanced degrees in nursing and public health, his analytical approach and comprehensive knowledge help students navigate complex topics. On EssayPro blog, Adam provides insightful articles on everything from historical analysis to the intricacies of healthcare policies. In his downtime, he enjoys historical documentaries and volunteering at local clinics.

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Cue Card Sample

Ielts cue card sample 61 - describe your favourite music band, describe your favourite music band..

what music band it is
how do people react to the music of this band
when you first heard their songs/music
Why do people listen to music?
Talk about the type of international music.
What are some types of traditional music found in your country?
How does the internet affect the sales of CV, DVD and Music Albums?
What is more important: Traditional music or International Music? Why?

Tips for answering this Cue Card Speaking topic:

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My Favorite Music Essay Example

In response to Klosterman's question, I would say that I am open-minded. As a child, I grew up on R&B and Hip Hop. However, once I became older was able to expose myself to new musical worlds. Specifically, the categories of music I like are Hip Hop/Rap, Pop, R&B/Soul, and Indie.

In the rap group, I listen to Kendrick Lamar, Logic and Kanye West. Lamar makes me think in a deep and metaphorical way. He keeps me educated upon the societal and political issues that affect today. Similarly to Lamar, Logic, also makes you think. Through his music, Logic can remarkably tell a story. In addition, he uses his platform as an artist to encourage positivity and equality. Lastly, on Kanye West, I love his unapologetic attitude. I sometimes rely upon him in helping me discover older artists and music through of his use heavily sampling.

In the pop music category, I have an admiration for Hall and Oates and the Bird and the Bee. 80’s pop duo, Hall and Oates have a way of creating classical hooks and harmonies that make it impossible not to sing along to. The Bird and The Bee, a popular Indie duo band attract me through their eccentric songwriting. Which blends elements of jazz, electronic, Pop and R&B music. In the R&B category, my favorite singers are Mayer Hawthorne and Justin Timberlake. What draws me to Mayer Hawthorne, is that he has an old school but yet soulful vibe. His soulful voice and lyrics have elements of Motown blended within them. Justin Timberlake has such flexibility in his songwriting nature. Having the ability to go from singing an energetic dance tune to a powerful love ballad.

In some way shape or form, these musical categories have helped shaped my identity today. What these musical patterns say about me is that I like having emotional connections. Whether that is through the artist themselves and or through the music they create.

Out of the 7 musical elements that are mentioned in the textbook, rhythm and form are the most important to me. I am always reeled in first by the beat and from that, I am able to determine the quality of a song. Take, for instance Travis Scott’s “Sicko Mode”. Throughout the duration of the song the beat unexpectedly goes through three changes. The unexpected changes force the listener to do two things: never get acquainted with one single beat and hear three songs in one. The form is also key as well. One thing that I enjoy about rap is that certain lyrics are left to open interpretation. Wordplay is a magical example of this interpretation. Which leaves a word or phrase to either be seen as literal or figurative.

In all, If I met someone at Klosterman’s party, they would assume based off my identity that I would like hip-hop and pop music. Over time I found that some tend to stereotypically determine that just because I am African-American I only enjoy “hip-hop” music. However, if they got to know me more they would come to find that those two genres are not what I solely listen to. I am very open and enjoy listening to any music genre. I feel the more open-minded one is, the more they set themselves up to discover new things. Music continuously re-develops and it waits for no one.

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Essay Writing Guides

Essay About Music for Any Student

Our extensive article will walk you through the complex process of writing an essay about music. We’ll present you with a step-by-step guide on conveying the subtleties of music through writing, from picking an exciting topic and doing extensive research to dissecting musical aspects and adding personal observations.

Whether you’re analyzing the historical significance of a musical era, assessing the influence of a particular musician or band, or investigating the cultural and emotional aspects of music, our guide seeks to provide you with the fundamental knowledge and abilities required to write a well-reasoned essay. Come along on this journey with us as we explore the skill of turning music’s profound message into an engaging story.

Essays about Music: Importance and Impact

Music is a profound expression of human creativity, emotion, and culture that transcends cultural boundaries. It serves as a companion, providing solace and amplifying the human experience. Its influence extends beyond individuals, shaping the collective identity of communities and contributing to global culture.

To effectively explore the world of writing about music, one must first understand the fundamental elements that constitute this universal language. The music encompasses a vast array of sounds organized in a structured manner, from classical symphonies to contemporary pop hits, traditional folk tunes, and avant-garde experimental compositions. The diversity of musical forms reflects the kaleidoscope of human creativity, and understanding this diversity lays the groundwork for appreciating the nuanced aspects of different genres and styles.

Music’s emotional and cultural impact is remarkable, as it evokes feelings ranging from joy to sorrow, nostalgia to anticipation. It is a vessel for cultural narratives, preserving traditions and reflecting the spirit of an era. Exploring music’s emotional and cultural dimensions provides writers with a rich tapestry of motifs to weave into their essays about music, allowing for a more profound exploration of the human experience through the lens of musical expression.

Choose Essay Topics About Music

The essay-writing process involves selecting a topic that shapes the narrative and allows the writer to explore the intricacies of musical expression, history, and cultural impact. There are three main ways to choose essay topics about music:

Selecting a specific genre or style: Each genre has unique characteristics, histories, and cultural contexts. For example, the evolution of hip-hop can be explored by examining its roots in African and African-American communities, its socio-political impact, and the artistic innovations that have shaped its trajectory over the decades.
Exploring the historical significance of a musical era: Music has reflected societal changes, political movements, and cultural shifts throughout history. Writers can focus on a specific period, such as the Renaissance, the Roaring Twenties, or the counterculture movements of the 1960s, and analyze how the music of that era influenced and was affected by the broader socio-political landscape. For example, an essay could explore the impact of the Beatles during the tumultuous 1960s, examining how their music mirrored the cultural upheavals of the time and influenced popular music.
Analyzing the impact of a particular artist or band: Focusing on the life and work of a specific artist or band allows for a detailed examination of their contributions to the musical landscape, unique style, artistic evolution, and lasting impact on music and society. For example, an essay focused on Bob Dylan’s impact could explore his role as a poet-prophet during the folk revival of the 1960s, his transition to electronic music, and his enduring influence on subsequent generations of musicians.

Understanding the background of the chosen topic is essential for providing readers with a comprehensive view of its development and significance. That’s what we are going to analyze further.

Understanding Music Essay Examples

In crafting an insightful essay about music, it is crucial to conduct thorough research. This involves using credible sources such as scholarly articles, books, academic journals, and reputable websites dedicated to music history, theory, and criticism. By drawing on authoritative sources, writers can ensure the accuracy and reliability of the information in their essays.

This involves delving into the historical evolution of the genre, key milestones, and cultural influences that shaped its trajectory. By studying the background, writers can contextualize the music within a broader historical narrative, unraveling the threads that connect artistic expression to the time’s social, political, and cultural landscapes. For example, if the essay focuses on the development of blues music, researching the historical roots in African American communities, migration patterns that spread the genre, and its evolution through different regions and eras would be integral to providing a nuanced understanding.

Understanding the cultural context of the music adds depth and richness to the narrative. Culture shapes and is shaped by music, and understanding this symbiotic relationship is crucial for a comprehensive analysis. Writers should explore the societal norms, values, and movements that influenced the creation and reception of the music they are examining. They should consider the cultural milieu, social dynamics, and even geographical influences that contributed to forming a particular musical style.

In conclusion, the research and information-gathering phase lays the groundwork for a well-informed and insightful exploration of the chosen music essay examples. By utilizing credible sources, studying the background, and understanding the cultural context, writers can embark on a journey that informs, captivates, and enriches the reader’s understanding of music in its multifaceted dimensions.

How to Write an Essay About Music – Valuable Insights

A well-structured essay about music is essential for capturing the reader’s attention and understanding of the subject matter. The essay should follow a structured approach, starting with an introduction about music essay that captures the reader’s attention with a compelling hook. This can be a thought-provoking question, anecdote, quote, or surprising fact. The thesis statement should clearly articulate the central argument or perspective of the essay, outlining the central theme and key points to be explored in subsequent sections.

The body paragraphs should be divided into distinct paragraphs dedicated to a specific aspect or point related to the thesis. Evidence and examples should be provided to support arguments, such as quoting lyrics, citing critical reviews, or referencing historical events. This helps provide a comprehensive understanding of the chosen topic.

Maintaining a logical flow between paragraphs is crucial, as it helps readers follow the logical progression of the essay and understand the relationships between different aspects of the topic. Transitional phrases and explicit connections between ideas help readers follow the logical progression of the essay.

In the conclusion, summarize critical points discussed in the body paragraphs, reinforcing the thesis statement and emphasizing how the evidence presented throughout the essay supports the overarching argument. This reinforces the central theme and leaves a lasting impression on the reader. In the Beatles essay, the conclusion might reiterate how their innovative approach to music defined a generation and left a significant mark on popular music history.

Lastly, the argumentative essay about music should leave a lasting impression on the reader by connecting the themes to broader cultural or societal implications or posing a thought-provoking question that encourages further reflection. In the case of the Beatles essay, the conclusion might invite readers to consider the ongoing impact of their music on contemporary artists or encourage reflection on the timeless nature of artistic innovation.

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Write a Strong Thesis Statement

A strong thesis statement is vital for a music essay, providing a clear roadmap for the writer and the reader. It defines the central argument or perspective, ensures clarity and relevance, and sets the tone for music essays. A concise and focused articulation of the central argument or perspective is essential, such as analyzing the cultural impact of a genre, the artist’s style evolution, or the societal resonance of a musical movement.

Clarity is paramount in a thesis statement, as it should convey the essay’s main idea in a way that the reader quickly understands. Avoiding vague or overly broad statements enhances clarity and relevance.

The thesis statement serves as the introductory handshake between the writer and the reader, setting the tone for the essay. Depending on the essay’s nature, it can range from analytical and objective to passionate and subjective. For example, if the essay explores the emotional impact of a specific genre, the thesis might set a tone of subjective reflection.

Incorporating Analysis and Critique

An essay about my favorite music requires a nuanced analysis and critique that delves into the intricacies of musical elements, assesses the impact on the audience, and allows the music writer to offer personal insights and interpretations. The music essay writing should evaluate the musical elements such as lyrics, melody, harmony, and rhythm, focusing on their poetic qualities, thematic depth, and storytelling capacity. It should also explore the symbiotic relationship between the music and its audience, exploring how the chosen music resonates with listeners, triggers emotional responses, and influences societal attitudes.

This may involve examining historical reactions, critical reviews, or audience testimonials. When you write an essay about music, you should also offer personal insights and interpretations, allowing the writer to inject their voice into the narrative and share their views of the music’s meaning. This multifaceted approach to analysis and critique enriches the narrative and encourages readers to engage with the music more profoundly, resulting in a lasting impact.

Evergreen To Kill a Mockingbird Essay Topics

267 Music Essay Topics + Writing Guide [2024 Update]

Your mood leaves a lot to be desired. Everything around you is getting on your nerves. But still, there’s one thing that may save you: music. Just think of all the times you turned on your favorite song, and it lifted your spirits!

So, why not write about it in a music essay? In this article, you’ll find all the information necessary for this type of assignment:

267 brilliant music essay topics,
a sample paper,
a step-by-step guide and writing tips.

And don’t forget to bookmark  custom-writing.org  where you can find helpful essay tips in articles like this one.

🔝 Music Essay Topics: Top 10
🎵 Music Essay Definition
🎼 Essay Topics
✍️ How to Write
📑 Essay Sample

🔗 References

🔝 music essay topics: top 10 .

Compare different recording formats.
The purpose of music.
Ternary and rondo: compare and contrast.
Music as a lifestyle.
The benefits of singing.
Ethnomusicology as a career.
Evolution of the radio.
The importance of school musicals.
Music as a tool for meditation.
Music in sports.

🎵 Essays about Music: What Are They?

A music essay describes or analyzes a piece of music, its context, or one’s personal attitude towards it. This type of assignment requires a compelling primary argument and a clear structure.

To write well about music, you don’t have to be a professional musician. All you need is to be able to listen, understand, and evaluate it. You should also provide your interpretation and opinion on it.

Writing about Music: Assignment Types

An essay on music is a popular assignment in high school and college. However, many students find it hard to describe sounds in a written form. In this article, we will give you some tips on writing about music.

Here are the typical tasks that you might receive:

Concert report. It requires describing the music you’ve heard using as many details and terms as you can.
Historical analysis of a piece. Your aim is to describe the historical context of a piece or its relation to the historical setting. For this type of assignment, you may need to do some research.
Song analysis. In this type of essay, you explore song lyrics’ meaning and show how they work together with the melody.
Performance or media comparison. Here you need to compare several interpretations or performances of one piece of music.

The picture shows different tasks related to writing about music.

All of these assignments require a different approach and topic. You will find topics for these types of tasks below.

How to Choose a Music Essay Topic

First things first, you need to find a suitable music essay topic. To accomplish this task, you might want to take the following steps:

Analyze your relationship with music . What role does it play in your life? Your topic choice will be different if you are a musician or merely a listener.
Think about how music influences your everyday life . For instance, you can study how listening to music affects our mental health. Impressing your readers with some historical facts from the world of music is also a great idea.
Try reflecting on the role of different music genres in your life . Whether you prefer rap or classical music, exploring a genre is an excellent topic idea. Topics related to musical instruments are also worth attention.
Narrow your topic down. Otherwise, it will be too difficult to focus your essay on just one idea.

🎼 Music Essay Topics List

The first thing you need to do is to choose your topic. We have prepared a variety of music topics perfect for research papers and short essays. You can also use them for speeches or college application essays.

Argumentative Essay about Music: Topics & Ideas

Argumentative essays about music are usually concerned with a specific music-related issue you choose to address. Just like with any other argumentative essay, you should present both sides of the topic. Also, reliable facts are a must for this type of essay.

The influence of modern technologies on the music industry. Technologies allow artists to create and promote their songs independently. Because of this, record labels are less critical to musicians than before. However, the emergence of new technologies also gave rise to piracy. Do the positives outweigh the negatives?
What’s the effect of pop music on the modern generation? Today’s pop songs are usually commercial . Because of this, some people say that pop has ruined the current generations’ perception of music. Others argue that contemporary pop music expanded the possibilities of the genre.
Rock music makes people more aggressive. Some consider rock music merely an arrangement of aggressive tunes that foster violence. On the counter side, science has proven that people who prefer rock to other genres are calmer and more concentrated. Which position do you agree with?
Can people with hearing impairments become famous musicians? Many believe that access to fame and fortune is limited for disabled people. The deaf may seem especially unsuited for the music business . Yet, the examples of Beethoven, Neil Young, and Chris Martin show that hearing problems don’t have to be an issue.
Will streaming completely substitute physical copies? Digitalization is on its way to replacing LPs and CDs. For most people, it’s simply more convenient. But their opponents claim that an MP3 file can never sound as good as a physical copy.
Some music genres can be a catalyst for violence. While their beats may be calm, hip-hop and rap’s lyrics are often aggressive and brutal. Does it have adverse effects on a listener?
Can a person become addicted to music?
Censorship on the radio: why stations shouldn’t bleep out obscenities.
Is mandatory musical education in high schools practical?
The impact of Mozart’s music on toddlers.
Should a musician’s personal life affect people’s perception of their art?
How susceptible are teenagers to political messages in songs?
Music influences one’s mental and physical capabilities .
Are children who listen to music more intelligent than others?
Music genres are inherently dependent on musical instruments .
Is music as an art form more popular than cinema ?
Debate whether rap musicians promote a frivolous and careless lifestyle .
Many musicians became famous only because they’ve had connections.
Music festivals are the best form of entertainment.
Does music always sound better live than on records?
Is classical music better than modern genres?
Is it justified that some religions view music as a sin?
Typically, music defines a culture and its traditions: true or false?
Rap music has a strong connection to rebellious movements.
Jamaican music’s link to the stoner lifestyle is unjustified.
Synesthesia: how is music related to visuals?

Opinion on Music: Essay Topics

Opinion essays about music might seem similar to the argumentative type. Here, you are expected to write your personal opinion on a topic. Naturally, you can have many opinions on musical topics. Why not broadcast them? Keep in mind that you also need to provide reasons for your point of view.

Music therapy can help people with mental illnesses. It’s a well-known fact that music affects the human brain. This ability makes it perfect for treating mental health problems. On the one hand, psychologists established that listening to classical music increases one’s cognitive capacity . On the other hand, listening to heavy rock impacts responsiveness.
The questionable treatment of women in the music industry . While it may seem that both sexes are treated equally, women still earn much less than they deserve. Moreover, the extreme sexualization of girls persists as one of the most pressing problems in the industry.
Which musician or band impacted your worldview ? Discuss what makes your favorite artist special. Consider analyzing their lyrics, genre, and evolution. If you want to, add a review of one of their albums .
What are the challenges of being an independent artist? Typically, independent artists deal with all the financial, promotional, and distributional affairs by themselves. In the increasingly complex music business, this is not an easy task.
Is social media efficient for promotion? Almost every modern artist uses social media to promote their albums or songs. Users often check their networks for updates, which increases the musician’s visibility. But do such methods help in the long run?
Passion is the essential personal quality for every musician . If an artist is not eager to continually produce high-quality output, they’re unlikely to succeed. However, qualities such as responsibility, honesty, hard work, and creativity are also vital.
Is music good for stress relief?
How does music connect people ?
Analyze qualities that good musicians shouldn’t have.
Who are the most excellent musicians in the country genre ?
Is it possible to live without interacting with music ?
Choose three successful rappers and analyze their influence.
How can a musician become famous without having money or connections?
What are the difficulties of being in a band?
Who impacted the development of indie music the most?
Is pop music losing its popularity? If so, why?
Three factors that affected your choice of a favorite genre .
Which artists are the most prominent in power metal?
Which record label is the most influential now?
Can Justin Bieber’s songs be considered legendary?
Did Kanye West introduce a new kind of rap?
Which rock bands lost their fame because of a scandal ? How did it happen?
Discuss Dire Straits’ impact on music history .
Who are currently the most successful women pop singers ?
Why are some music genres more popular than others?
What does success in the music world depend on?

Topics for a Persuasive Essay about Music

Is there anything music-related you want to convince people of? A persuasive paper is your chance. Carefully craft your arguments to show your readers you’ve always been right about the beauty of cowbells. If it’s not your jam, consider these essay topics about music:

A seven-string guitar is superior to a six-string one. The additional string gives more room for creativity. It might be challenging to master, but in the end, the music has a fuller sound . Do you think it’s worth the effort?
The lyrics don’t matter as long as the melody is good. It’s possible to like songs from different countries, even if the listener doesn’t understand the language. The singing is simply part of the composition. Does this mean that what the vocalist says is unimportant?

The picture shows the information about the oldest surviving musical composition.

Most people living in big cities neglect country music. People from urban areas tend to think that country music is tasteless. For them, its tunes and lyrics sound too simple. Does the strong association with cowboys, farms, and long roads simply not appeal to the city lifestyle?
Should rap music be performed only by black people? The genre hosts a large portion of African American artists . Not only that, but black rappers are widely considered the best of their craft. Do white artists do the genre justice?
Music that artists make merely to get money is soulless. Passion is a critical factor for every musician. If money is the primary driver for creating a song, the result is inevitably flawed. Do you agree?
Pop music is undergoing a transformation. Listeners acknowledge pop as the primary genre of contemporary music . Yet, new musical instruments are changing the game. Even the lyrics touch on more serious topics than before.
Indie is the new pop. Indie music is a relatively novel genre. Still, it continues to gain popularity. The light-hearted tunes paired with existential lyrics have captured the audience’s hearts. Is it possible to envision the future of music without bands such as Coldplay, The 1975, and the Arctic Monkeys?
The meaning of freedom for jazz as a musical genre .
Punk rock has recently witnessed a renaissance.
Exposing plants to classical music makes them grow faster.
Classical music: intellectually stimulating or relaxing ?
Is it justified that some countries legally prohibit artists from performing?
Is it easier for children to learn with music?
Can a person ever become a great artist without a natural talent ?
Should workplaces allow their employees to listen to background music ?
Jimi Hendrix’s guitar skills are still unmatched.
The impact of pop music on European culture and trends.
Kurt Cobain’s death should have been a wake-up call for the music industry .
Why is music beneficial to society?
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s legacy can be felt even today.
Nintendocore is a legitimate genre that the industry should take more seriously.
Should you listen to a bands’ music even if you disagree with their opinions ?
Musicians should receive more government support.
Patriotic songs make people feel passionate and energetic about their country.
Depressive and sad tunes can worsen a person’s mood.
Doctors and therapists need to understand the importance of music.

Music Evaluation Essay Topics

Do you want to know how to evaluate music? The point is to divide your overall impression into several parts. Music evaluation requires much attention and concentration, so try to do your best to stay focused while listening.

Use these criteria for evaluating music performances:

Now all you need to do is choose a topic and get down to writing!

Discuss the rise and fall of hardcore punk. Many bands that started in the hardcore punk scene softened their sound over time. Why did this genre disappear from the mainstream?
Copyright laws are going too far . It’s getting increasingly difficult to use somebody else’s intellectual property. Creators on YouTube have to fear lawsuits for creatively repurposing copyrighted music. Moreover, laws such as the DMCA are frequently abused to generate revenues.
More bands should use their influence for political purposes. Renowned artists have a broad reach. Bands like Rise Against or Anti Flag use this influence to raise political awareness among their fans. Is it a fair approach?
Borrowing and plagiarism in contemporary music . New artists don’t emerge without having listened to other musicians. They draw inspiration from their predecessors. Thus, songs are always a mix of already existing tracks. In your essay, discuss the difference between homage and plagiarism.
What are the similarities between poetry and song lyrics? Songs and poems are similar in that they deliver a message to the audience. Their creation demands extensive knowledge of rhyming, literary devices, and other components.
Why do some musicians ask others to write lyrics for them? It is a common practice to have a crew of songwriters who create texts for performers. Sometimes it happens due to a lack of imagination or inspiration. Does finding out that your favorite artist doesn’t write their lyrics destroy the magic of their music?
How can popular music diversify as a genre? Pop music reached its peak. Adding and borrowing elements from different genres can be one way to diversify a streamlined genre.
The history of music as political propaganda.
Explain the difference between high and low contemporary music culture .
How is contemporary music related to that from other periods?
What are the connections between pop music and the hip-hop genre?
What connects popular music and contemporary culture ?
How does music in the United States relate to Spanish music ?
Analyze the evolution of Indian music .
Discuss why certain albums manage to climb to the top of the charts.
The link between social classes and musical genres.
Differences and similarities of music and other art forms .
How does a musical instrument’s origin influence its development?
What is the role of traditional music today?

The picture shows a Victor Hugo quote about music.

What are the main processes in music production?
How is music theory relevant today?
Analyze which contemporary artists’ albums had an effect comparable to that of Queen’s A Night at the Opera .
Eurodance: Europe’s most extravagant genre.
Songs and everyday life of Michael Jackson vs. Madonna: who wins the ultimate pop crown?
What difficulties has Eminem faced throughout his career?
Over-ear headphones provide a better sound experience than on-ear ones.

Topics for an Expository Essay on Music

An expository essay explains or describes a subject. In the colorful world of music, topics can range from the physics of sound waves to artists’ social impact.

The importance of Blues music in the late 19 th century and now. Blues originated in the 19 th century American South. It was an outlet for African Americans to express their sorrows. Later, it exceeded by far the cultural boundaries that confined it.
The role of music in prison camps. Singing was an essential part of life in the Nazi concentration camps. One of the most well-known songs of that time is called Peat Bog Soldiers . In your expository essay, explore why prisoners started singing and how it developed.
How did Chester Bennington’s death impact the music industry? Linkin Park was a giant in the business for decades until depression made their lead singer take his own life. The event sparked debates surrounding mental health and pressure in the creative industry. What long-lasting effects did these discussions have?
How did Baroque music reflect the zeitgeist? Compared to the Renaissance period, Baroque was in all aspects very pompous. The artists of the Sun King’s time didn’t shy away from the extravaganza. This ideal is especially prominent in architecture. How does music fit into the picture?
Investigate the development of musical harmony. The Ancient Greeks already had an idea of some tones fitting together better than others. However, it wasn’t until the 1600s that tonality became a crucial part of music theory.
Music in commercials: an analysis. Songs and jingles are commonplace in TV commercials. But what are they good for? In your essay, you can compare the success of advertisements with and without music.
What causes music trends to change? It’s easy to define various eras of music . Naturally, the invention of new instruments has influenced this development. What other factors played a role in these transformations?
Why is 4/4 a universal beat?
Examine the origins of The Star-Spangled Banner .
The effects of dissonance on the human mind .
How do staccato, legato, and other forms of articulation influence the perception of a musical piece?
Discuss the significance of music in video games.
Music drives people’s motivation.
Explain the calming effects of nature sounds .
How does music influence literature?
Celtic music is known to have an extraordinary impact on the psyche. How does it work?
How does music impact the discharge of hormones such as dopamine?
Music therapy is suitable for those who have bipolar disorder.
What made Falco such a unique artist?
How does the perception of a silent film differ from that of a movie with sound?
A rock concert by Kansas: How the relevance of live concerts changed over time.
Is being able to read music important for a composer ?
How did Beethoven write music after losing his hearing?
Should all songs have proper rhythm and structure?
Why do so many indie artists become commercial?
Is it essential for song lyrics to rhyme?

History of Music: Essay Topics

If you’re interested in the evolution of music, you’ve come to the right section. Historical research reveals the significance of music throughout time. Unsurprisingly, songs and melodies have been part of human culture for centuries. Dive deeper into this exciting subject with one of the following ideas:

How did the Catholic Church influence music development in Europe? During the Middle Ages , religious movements had a significant impact on music. Consequently, composers used to create more sacred music. It became a way of personal expression since it often contained religious texts. 
The cultural meaning of Renaissance music and its influence on other styles . During the time of the Renaissance , sacred and secular music heavily impacted each other. As a result, more variety emerged. The chanson and madrigal, for example, became popular around Europe.
Research archaeological findings of early musicality. The search for the oldest musical instrument delivers thrilling insights. Archaeologists have excavated a flute made of ivory and bird bones, dating approximately 43,000 years ago. They found it in a cave in Germany where Neanderthals lived.
History of early music and appearance of musical instruments. The beginning of the human culture was the turning point of musical instruments’ appearance. They were primarily used for spiritual rites; typically, they were horns or drums for ceremonies.
Louis Armstrong’s contributions to the jazz world. Jazz originated in New Orleans and was a favorite among African Americans. Louis Armstrong’s improvisations forever changed the genre, making the soloist-improviser the center of the performance.
The phenomenon of pop music and its origins. Popular music dates back to the second half of the last century. It comes from the US and the UK. Its main peculiarity lies in the variety of tunes and lyrics .
Native American music before the discovery of the New World . Incas and Aztecs had particular styles of music. Findings show that these ancient civilizations used instruments for ceremonies. Researchers also discovered that various American cultures mingled, thus creating new techniques.
The use of string instruments in classical Greek songwriting.
Famous composers of 18th century Italy and their influence.
Mozart vs. Beethoven: comparison of techniques.
Deliver a thoughtful analysis of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony .
What role do acoustic instruments play in jazz compositions?
Explore the history of the Ocarina.
Due to what circumstances did Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart become one of the greatest musical geniuses in history?
Influence of the Romantic period on modern music.
How and why were the swing era and jazz connected?
Rock and roll as an international language in the 20th century.
Explore the rise of techno music.
Is there a historical connection between music and math?
How did music become a staple subject in many schools?
The greatest musicians of World War I.
Industrialization and its effect on music development.
How did female producers such as Kate Bush impact the music industry?
Analyze Frédéric Chopin’s contribution to classical music .
Music evolution in ancient Greece vs. the Roman Empire.
How does archeology help to uncover musical traditions ?
Tupac’s influence on modern rap music .

Classification Essay about Music: Topic Ideas

In a classification essay, you explain how a whole relates to parts or vice versa. To do it, you need to divide one broad category into several subcategories. Each classification paragraph focuses on one subcategory, so you need to find a key feature that will be your basis of division. For example, you can divide music by genre, volume, musical instruments, etc.

Here is our list of musical topics for this essay type:

The most popular types of alternative music among teenagers. Naturally, teens like different kinds of rock and experimental music . Try to dig deeper and ask some teenagers about their preferences to get a clear picture.
Types of modern dance music . Describe the tendencies and popular genres. You can also focus on a specific country.
The most popular types of jazz music in Europe. Although jazz emerged in the United States, this genre became recognizable all over the world. You can analyze the most popular streamed songs, or the concerts and other mass events.
Rock music in the ’70s. You can describe the genres, styles, or types of performers. The concerts, clothes, and lifestyles are also suitable for this topic.
Blues musicians of different time periods. Analyze the lyrics, the musical instruments they used, and how long their careers lasted.
Classification of music for children . Some of it can be for dancing, development, or just listening. Research the purposes of different kinds of music for children.
Types of music used in films. The soundtrack is one of the main things we remember after watching a movie. There can be popular songs or tracks composed specifically for a film .
Rock bands that represent different subgenres.
Rap subgenres in the United States.
Periods of classical music.
What motivates people to start a musical career?
Different kinds of music for relaxation.
The industries where composers work .
Types of opera singers and instrumental music.
Different professions in the music industry.
Unpopular genres of independent music.
Different types of music listeners .

College Essay about Music: Topics

When you apply to your dream college, you need to write an impressive essay. Admissions officers pay attention not only to your grades and achievements but also to your personality. Your writing can indicate your motivation, academic interests, and how well you fit into the college. Writing an essay about “music in my life” is a great way to demonstrate your passion and creativity.

Choose one of these topics related to music for your college essay:

The role of music in your life . Describe what music means to you, how often you listen to it, and how it helps you in life. For example, you can write about inspiration, motivation, or the sense of freedom that it gives you.
What are the essential aspects of music for you? Try to write down everything you like about music. It might be melodies, lyrics, vocals, or mood. You can choose several aspects if you feel that you can’t decide.
The time when music changed your life. In this essay, you can pick one occurrence or describe how music changed your life gradually. It’s important to indicate where you started from and where it led you.
How do you see the future of the music industry? Demonstrate to the admissions officer how well you know the art and the business.
Your role model in the music industry. You may write about the qualities of the person you admire and why you want to develop them in yourself. Remember that admission officers want to read about you, not your idol.
How did your musical taste change over the last ten years? Describe the evolution of your preferences. Explain why you have changed some of your past choices. Do you think your musical taste has improved?
Your favorite musical genre .
Does listening to music help to heal body and spirit?
What is the best music performance you have ever seen?
Why do people become fans of particular musicians?
Your favorite song lyrics .
Can people be judged by their musical taste?
Why is music an essential part of human culture?
Quote about music that appeals to you the most.
How can music education help you in the future?
Do you prefer listening to music or performing it?
How can music change your mood?
Why you want to become a musician.
Which culture has the most beautiful ethnical music?
Is music more of an art or business?
What are the essential parts of musical education ?

✍️ Music Essay: How to Write

So, you have chosen your essay title. Now it’s time to start writing! But before you begin, read the sections below and learn how to organize your work.

How to Describe Music in Writing

You might think that writing about music is like dancing about architecture. Well, it is not an easy task, but we know how to cope with it.

Follow these tips while writing:

Make a comparison. Explain which characteristics of a piece remind you or are identical to those of another one. It’s better to avoid comparing music from different composers in this case. Instead, evaluate and analyze two musical pieces from the same composer.
Describe the melody and dynamics. You may want to use musical terms to show your knowledge and proficiency. Define the genre and what kind of instruments and tones are used.
Explain how it makes you feel. You can use basic human emotions to describe the feelings of a listener. For example, it can be anger, tenderness, irritation, excitement, or nostalgia.
Use metaphorical language. You may try using your imagination to create analogies. Be careful not to make your metaphors overcomplicated, as it may confuse the readers.

Essays about Music: Descriptive Words

Do you want your essay on music to be interesting and expressive? Then you may want to use descriptive vocabulary. Here are some of the terms that you can use in your essay to make it sound more professional:

Tempo is the “speed” of music. There are fixed expressions to define tempo—for example, largo, moderate, or presto. You can also describe how fast the music feels.
Timbre is the term that evaluates the “color” of music. Even if two instruments play the same note of the same volume, the sound is still different. This is how you can notice the color of the tone. For example, gentle, clear, heavy, or warm can be the adjectives to describe timbre.
Dynamics define the volume levels of music. The volume can be the same all the time, for example loud or soft. If the volume of music changes, you can use such expressions as “gradually gets louder” “or suddenly becomes soft.”
Harmony characterizes how all the notes and chords sound together. The sequence of chords—chord progression—defines how satisfying the melody is for the listener. For example, if the transitions are smooth, you can use such words as “relaxed” or “warm.”

Music Essay Outline

Like any other assignment, writing about music requires a proper essay outline that will guide you through the writing. The following sections will help you with that.

Before you start, here are some tips that will help you prepare for writing:

Do some prior research. Try to learn as much as possible about the piece you will be writing about. It’s also helpful to listen to the music several times with headphones to notice more details.
Don’t be afraid of asking questions. Consult your instructor if you’re unsure about your topic or the piece you have chosen.
Choose the topic that you like. If you’re passionate about a subject, it is always easier to write about it. Who said that homework could not be interesting?
Follow the recommendations that your instructor gives. It includes word limit, formatting style, deadline, and essay type.

Music Essay Introduction

The introduction is the section where you come up with a brief explanation of the topic. You may start it with a quotation, definition, or short statement that catches your reader’s attention and leads them to the essay subject.

A thesis statement is usually the last sentence of the introduction that defines the content of body paragraphs. It needs to be specific and not longer than two sentences. If you decide to shift the focus of your essay while writing, it’s crucial to change your thesis too.

Different types of essays require different thesis statements. Let’s take a closer look:

Music Essay Body

Your essay’s body is the most significant part of your writing. Here, you provide evidence and explanations of your claims.

The typical body paragraph structure includes:

A topic sentence explaining the argument for a particular paragraph.
An introduction to the evidence you gathered to support an argument.
Quotes and facts (don’t forget about proper citation!) and their explanation.
A connection between the evidence and the essay topic.
Paragraph transitions  leading your reader to the next section.

Topic Sentence about Music

Topic sentences can be used as a roadmap to writing your essay. Each body paragraph begins with a topic sentence that defines what the paragraph is about. It introduces the argument or main thought that will be explained. It’s also connected with the thesis statement.

It’s essential to make your thesis easy to understand, so it’s better not to overcomplicate it. For example, here’s an unsuccessful topic sentence with unnecessary words:

As stated above, the guitar is an essential musical instrument in rock music that defines how it sounds.

Instead, you can formulate it like this:

The guitar is the most iconic musical instrument in rock music that defines how it sounds.

Music Essay Conclusion

When writing a conclusion for your essay on music, you can use the following structure:

Summarize the text in a few sentences.
Review the key points of your paper.
Paraphrase the thesis.

To make your essay conclusion more effective, avoid the following:

📑 What Music Means to Me: Essay Example

Now you know all about writing an essay on music! To make it even easier for you, we’ve prepared an essay sample that you can use for inspiration. Check it out:

Now all you need is to turn the music on and get down to writing! We hope you liked this guide. If you did, don’t hesitate to share it with your friends.

✏️ Music Essay FAQ

Music is a vast topic. An essay might deal with anything ranging from trends in the 1950s to the best guitarists of all time. Writing an introduction to certain music styles or bands is also possible. In any case, the paper should be well-structured, logical, and cohesive.

Writing about music doesn’t necessarily require any specific skills. If you’re not familiar with the theory of music and can’t play musical instruments, you can just write about the music you like. Here are some topic ideas: favorite music band, style, or how you perceive music.

You can interpret music as a topic in various ways. If you are getting a degree in this field, you might want to write something more specific and technical. If your essay aims to merely inform and entertain, write about your favorite music style or band.

If you are writing an essay for school, a good choice would be an expository essay. It doesn’t require any specific knowledge of the music industry. Title suggestions might be: “My perception of music,” “My favorite band,” “How music can change the world.”

What is the Music Industry? Definition and Facts: Study.com
What Music Do You Write To?: Writers & Artists
A Music Review: British Council
Music: UNC Writing Center: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Sound and Sense: Writing about Music: Colorado State University
Music analysis Research Papers: Academia.edu
The Power of Music Therapy: Belmont University
Musicology: Northwestern Bienen School of Music
Musicology: Areas of Study: Indiana State University
Music Facts: Facts.net
Music History from Primary Sources: Library of Congress
Music: Encyclopedia Britannica
A History of Classical Music: Part 1: The List
What Is Jazz: Smithsonian Institution
The 50 Greatest Composers of All Time: Classical Music
Musical Terms and Concepts: SUNY Potsdam
Ethnomusicology: University of Oxford
Music Research Process: Syracuse University
Journal of Popular Music Studies: University of California Press
The History of Pop Music in 5 Defining Decades: The Culture Trip
Music of the 20 th Century: Lumen Learning
Explainer: Indie Music: The Conversation
Your Brain on Music: University of Central Florida
Music and Health: Harvard University
The Psychological Function of Music Listening: NIH
Essays that Worked: Hamilton
Writing in Music: Writing Thesis Statements: The City University of New York
Academic Writing about Music: University of Denver
How to Write Song Lyrics: Berklee
Essay Introduction: University of Maryland
Tips and Examples for Writing Thesis Statements: Purdue University
Writing Body Paragraphs: Monash University
Some Tips for Writing Efficient, Effective Body Paragraphs: University of California, Berkeley
Writing a Paper: Conclusions: Walden University
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Thank you very much for this post on music essay writing! You don’t know how long I looked for the helpful information on writing music essays!

Music takes an important part in my life. I wake up and go to bed listening to music. And now when I’m writing my music essay, I also listen to music. And it’s also a pleasure to read an article on how to write an essay on music!

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Last updated March 22, 2024

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Blog > Essay Advice , Personal Statement > How to Write a Great College Essay About Music (with examples)

How to Write a Great College Essay About Music (with examples)

Admissions officer reviewed by Ben Bousquet, M.Ed Former Vanderbilt University

Written by Alex McNeil, MA Admissions Consultant

Key Takeaway

Ask any admissions officer if they’ve read a college essay about music, and they’ll definitely say yes. Between music extracurriculars and academic interests in music, it’s is one of the most common college essay topics.

So does that mean that you shouldn’t write your college essay about music?

Not necessarily. But as with any common college essay topic, some approaches are better than others.

Let’s get into it.

Why you should (and shouldn’t) write your Common App essay about music

As we explained in our Stanford Items exercise , writing your college essay on a common topic isn’t off-limits. In fact, most college essays share common topics and themes. Trying to find a completely unique, never-been-done-before topic is almost impossible. And writing about a quirky topic in hopes of coming across as unique usually backfires.

In other words, it’s likely that you’ll write about the same topic as someone else.

The problem arises, however, when you write about a common topic in a cliche way . Cliches are always a danger in college essays, but in especially college essay topics that tend to surface again and again.

To avoid cliches, your college essay about music needs to be deeply personal, specific, and meaningful. You’ll want to let go of any over-generalizations or truisms and focus on the details of your own story.

Because you’ll need to write meaningfully and vulnerably, you should only write your college essay about music if you have something genuine and significant to say.

The Best Ways to Approach Your College Essay about Music

College essays about music aren’t off the table, but you should be thoughtful in how you write about them. The following two approaches will help you avoid cliches and find an authentic, meaningful story that fulfills all the requirements of a personal statement .

Writing about music as an academic interest

If you’re interested in studying music in college, then you can consider writing your college essay about music as an academic interest. A college essay about your academic interest in music can show fantastic intellectual fit with a school.

Let’s say you want to study music theory or composition. You might write about a topic you find compelling, a problem you’ve solved, or even a recounting of your journey becoming interested in the subject.

Or maybe you’re an aspiring performer planning on studying music performance. As an admissions officer, I read outstanding essays about students performing their favorite pieces, creating emotional music projects, and teaching lessons to young children.

No matter your topic, your goal with this approach is to show an intellectual spark, a curiosity and passion that will demonstrate to your admissions officers that you’ll be a great addition to the music community on their campuses.

Writing poignantly about a deeply meaningful extracurricular

The previous approach is great if you want to study music, but what if music is just an extracurricular passion of yours? Don’t worry—you can still write about it.

In that case, the best way is to focus on meaning. Remember: personal statements should be deeply-meaningful reflections on your personal strengths.

To start, reflect on your music extracurricular. Is it playing guitar in a band? Playing trombone in your school’s symphony? Learning piano from your grandma? How your love of poetry turned into a love of songwriting?

Next, think about what strengths you have to showcase. If you play guitar in a band, maybe you want to highlight your collaborative spirit. If you love poetry and songwriting, perhaps you focus on your creativity.

Writing about your love of music in a way that draws upon your strengths will make sure that your Common App essay avoids the following two approaches and gives admissions officers a reason to admit you.

Approaches to Avoid

While the following two approaches aren’t necessarily bad, they are the most cliche ways of approaching a college essay about music. You might want to consider avoiding them.

An inauthentic tale of triumph

Let me tell you a cliche story.

When I was in fourth grade, I decided to join the school orchestra. I found it exceedingly difficult at first. No matter how hard I tried, I never could seem to place my fingers correctly on the fingerboard. Every sound I made mimicked a screeching cat. But I decided not to give up. I practiced every day after school and on the weekends. By the time I was in ninth grade, I had made it into my high school’s top orchestra.

Is that a lovely story? Yes, absolutely. Is it hearty enough for a college essay? No. While it tells a good narrative of growth and progress, it remains on the surface of the writer’s life. It comes across as a convenient way to brag about your strengths instead of exploring them in a genuine way. In this example, the story also focuses on events that happened way too far in the past.

A song that changed your life

This approach is by far the most common cliche in college essays about music. We’ve all been there: a favorite song that transports you to a moment in your life whenever you hear it. It makes sense that you’d want to write about yours.

But there’s a problem with this approach. Too often, it reads as trite or unoriginal, and the end result usually doesn’t say much about the writer. And when it does, the message an admissions officer gets doesn’t typically give them any more reason to admit you. Since you want your college essay to be meaningful, even vulnerable, and strengths-based, you’re better off choosing another topic that better speaks to who you are.

Key Takeaways + Examples

College essays about music aren’t for everyone. But when you get it right, you can strike the perfect chord with admissions officers (you’re welcome for the pun).

As you go, dig deep, find something genuinely personal, and try to avoid the most common and cliche ways of approaching the topic.

Want to see some examples of college essays about music before you get started? Check out our examples, The Time Machine and The Band .

Liked that? Try this next.

The Incredible Power of a Cohesive College Application

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We built the best admissions chancer in the world . How is it the best? It draws from our experience in top-10 admissions offices to show you how selective admissions actually works.

Describe your favourite singer or musician. | IELTS Speaking Part 2: IELTS Cue Answer

Describe your favourite singer or musician. You should say: who this singer/musician is what type of songs/music he/she sings/composes what type of people listen to his / her songs/music and explain why he/she is your favourite singer/musician.

Learn How To Answer IELTS Speaking Test Part 2 : CUE Cards.

Sample Response 1:

My favorite singer is the legendary Freddie Mercury, the lead vocalist of the iconic rock band Queen.

Freddie Mercury was known for his incredible vocal range and flamboyant stage presence. His music with Queen spanned various genres, including rock, pop, opera, and more. Some of their most famous songs include “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “We Will Rock You,” and “Somebody to Love.”

People of all ages and backgrounds listen to Freddie Mercury’s music. It transcends generational divides and appeals to those who appreciate creativity and powerful vocals.

I admire Freddie Mercury for his unparalleled talent and his ability to connect with the audience. His passion and energy on stage are infectious, and his unique voice has a way of captivating listeners. His music has left a lasting impact on the world and continues to inspire many.

Sample Response 2:

My favorite musician is Ludovico Einaudi, an Italian pianist and composer.

Ludovico Einaudi is famous for his contemporary classical music compositions that often fuse traditional piano with electronic sounds and other instruments. His compositions are often used in film soundtracks, such as “Intouchables” and “Mommy.”

Einaudi’s music appeals to a wide variety of listeners, from classical music enthusiasts to those seeking relaxing or meditative tunes. It’s commonly enjoyed in calm settings or as background music for study or relaxation.

I love Einaudi’s music for its elegance and simplicity. His melodies are soothing and have a way of taking me to a peaceful state of mind. I often listen to his compositions while reading or working, as they provide a calming ambiance.

Sample Response 3:

My favorite singer is Beyoncé, an American singer, songwriter, actress, and record producer.

Beyoncé is known for her powerful voice and her ability to blend various musical styles, including R&B, pop, soul, and hip-hop. She’s behind hit songs like “Halo,” “Formation,” and “Single Ladies.”

Beyoncé’s music resonates with a diverse audience. From young fans to older generations, her songs speak to those who appreciate strong vocals, catchy beats, and empowering themes.

What makes Beyoncé my favorite singer is not only her incredible talent but also her strong sense of individuality and her role as an advocate for women’s rights and social justice. She’s an inspiration to many, both in her music and her life.

Explore Various IELTS Speaking Part 2 Cue Card Questions and Answers.

Recommended Vocabulary:

Example: Freddie Mercury is a legendary singer known for his remarkable vocal abilities.
Example: Freddie Mercury’s flamboyant stage presence made him a standout performer.
Example: Queen’s music transcends generational divides, appealing to listeners of all ages.
Example: Ludovico Einaudi is a composer of contemporary classical music.
Example: Einaudi’s compositions create a calming ambiance, perfect for relaxation or study.
Example: Beyoncé’s songs resonate with many people due to their empowering themes.
Example: Beyoncé’s music often features catchy beats that make you want to dance.
Example: Beyoncé is an advocate for women’s rights and uses her platform to promote equality.
Example: Freddie Mercury’s unparalleled talent as a vocalist set him apart from other singers.
Example: Freddie Mercury’s passion and energy on stage were infectious, energizing audiences worldwide.

Different Cue Card Topics

Personal Experiences: IELTS Cue Card Topics People and Personalities: IELTS Cue Card Topics Places: IELTS Cue Card Topics Objects: IELTS Cue Card Topics Events: IELTS Cue Card Topics Experiences and Achievements: IELTS Cue Card Topics Hobbies and Interests: IELTS Cue Card Topics Plans and Dreams: IELTS Cue Card Topics Nature and Environment: IELTS Cue Card Topics Education: IELTS Cue Card Topics Work and Careers: IELTS Cue Card Topics Technology: IELTS Cue Card Topics Health and Fitness: IELTS Cue Card Topics Food and Drinks: IELTS Cue Card Topics

IELTS speaking part 2 cue card describe a restaurant you enjoyed going to

IELTS Cue Card 11 – Describe A Restaurant You Enjoyed Going To

Practice with sample cue cards for the IELTS Speaking Test part 2. You can read a…

Describe a kind of exercise you often do. | IELTS Speaking Part 2: IELTS Cue Answer

Response to the IELTS Speaking Part 2 cue card topic "Describe a kind of exercise…

Essay on My Favourite Musician

Students are often asked to write an essay on My Favourite Musician in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on My Favourite Musician

Introduction.

My favourite musician is Ludwig van Beethoven, a renowned composer of the classical and romantic periods.

Beethoven’s music is magical. His symphonies, especially the ‘Fifth Symphony’, are full of emotion.

His Influence

Beethoven’s music has greatly influenced the world of classical music. His compositions continue to inspire musicians today.

In conclusion, Beethoven’s music has a special place in my heart. His compositions are timeless and continue to captivate me.

250 Words Essay on My Favourite Musician

Music is an essential part of human culture, providing a medium for expression, communication, and emotional connection. Among the countless musicians who have graced the world with their talent, my favourite is Ludwig van Beethoven, a German composer and pianist. His profound influence on the transition from the Classical to the Romantic era in Western music marks him as a revolutionary figure.

Beethoven’s Life and Works

Born in 1770, Beethoven began his musical journey at a young age. Despite enduring a tumultuous personal life, including progressive hearing loss, he composed some of the most iconic pieces in Western music. His works, including Symphony No. 5, Symphony No. 9, and Moonlight Sonata, have left an indelible mark on the world of music.

Innovative Musical Style

Beethoven’s compositions are renowned for their emotional depth and innovative structure. He expanded the symphonic form and the sonata, introducing new thematic development and formal principles. His music often reflects his personal struggles, adding a new layer of emotional intensity.

Beethoven’s Legacy

Beethoven’s impact extends beyond his lifetime. His compositions continue to inspire contemporary musicians and composers, and his commitment to his art in the face of adversity offers a powerful narrative of resilience.

My admiration for Beethoven lies not just in his musical genius but also in his strength of character. He transformed his personal challenges into a source of inspiration, creating a musical legacy that continues to resonate with audiences worldwide. His life and works serve as a testament to the transformative power of music.

500 Words Essay on My Favourite Musician

Music, a universal language that transcends boundaries, has the power to evoke deep emotions and connect souls. Among the myriad of musicians who have touched my heart, one stands out: Ludwig van Beethoven, a titan in the realm of classical music.

Early Life and Struggles

Beethoven was born in 1770 in Bonn, Germany, into a family of musicians. He displayed prodigious musical talent from an early age. However, his life was far from smooth, marked by personal struggles and familial issues. He moved to Vienna in his early twenties, a city that would become his home and the stage for his musical feats. The most profound of his struggles was his gradual loss of hearing, which began around 1801. Despite this, he continued to compose music, a testament to his indomitable spirit.

Beethoven’s Music

Beethoven’s music is a reflection of his life, a mirror of his struggles and triumphs. His compositions, while rooted in the classical tradition, pushed the boundaries of music, paving the way for the Romantic era. His work can be divided into three periods: the early period, heavily influenced by his predecessors, particularly Haydn and Mozart; the middle period, marked by innovative and heroic compositions like the Symphony No. 3 ‘Eroica’; and the late period, characterized by profound, introspective works such as the Symphony No. 9 ‘Choral’.

Personal Connection

The reason Beethoven is my favourite musician is not only because of his extraordinary musical prowess but also due to the emotional depth and complexity of his works. His music resonates with me on a profound level, inciting a range of emotions, from joy to despair, from contemplation to liberation. The ‘Moonlight Sonata’, for instance, evokes a sense of melancholic beauty, while ‘Ode to Joy’ from the Ninth Symphony exudes a triumphant spirit, a celebration of human brotherhood.

Beethoven’s influence on music is immeasurable. His compositions broke the conventions of his time, expanding the symphonic form and introducing novel harmonic and structural ideas. He was a pivotal figure in the transition from the Classical to the Romantic era in music, inspiring countless musicians and composers that followed. His music, imbued with a timeless quality, continues to be revered and enjoyed by audiences worldwide.

In conclusion, Ludwig van Beethoven, through his life and music, embodies the triumph of the human spirit over adversity. His music, laden with emotional depth, intellectual complexity, and innovative techniques, has left an indelible mark on the history of music. His legacy continues to inspire and influence musicians and music lovers alike. For these reasons, Beethoven is, and will always be, my favourite musician.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

Essay on Music Has the Power to Heal
Essay on Importance of Music
Essay on Say No to Junk Food

Apart from these, you can look at all the essays by clicking here .

Happy studying!

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Fear you’ll never hear your favorite band live? These Maine tribute shows might do the trick

See homages to David Bowie, Prince, The Cure and The Rolling Stones in Portland this week, and other shows coming this summer.

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If you’ve never seen a tribute act perform the songs of artists that are either too big to play in Maine or who have passed away, there’s a way to do a whole bunch of that this week in Portland.

There are also tribute shows happening in venues around the state all summer long.

A Strange Day is the Portland-based tribute to The Cure. Photo by Seth D. Warner

Let’s start with Portland-based A Strange Day, a tribute to British alternative act The Cure, fronted by singer and guitarist Seth Warner.

The band will perform The Cure’s second album, “Seventeen Seconds,” in its entirety, along with some hits and other cuts at Portland House of Music on Thursday.

The album was released on April 18, 1980. Lead singer and guitarist Robert Smith turned 21 three days later. The single “A Forest” marked the band’s debut on the U.K. Singles Chart, where it reached the No. 31 spot. The song remains a setlist staple at The Cure’s live performances.

Warner said he put himself in the shoes of Cure fans when deciding what album to cover. “What I would like to hear from a Cure band is a dive into the specific eras that surrounded each record, and ‘Seventeen Seconds’ set the tone for the more introspective and gloomy textures and themes.” Advertisement

As for Warner’s favorite “Seventeen Seconds” tracks, he said, “I really like ‘At Night’ for its dynamic potential, and the edgy and angsty ‘M.'”

The band took its name from the track “A Strange Day” from The Cure’s 1982 album “Pornography.”

Along with Warner, the band is Pete Dugas (keys), Andrew Hodgkins (drums), Matt Kennedy (synth/sax), Kevin O’Reilly (bass), Casey Urich (trumpet) and Corey Urich.

Angel Butts, a copy editor living in Westbrook, has seen The Cure more than 100 times on three continents and at least 10 countries, including Latvia and Colombia. “They’re like breathing to me. They have this massive catalog and it spans every possible mood, I don’t know of another band with a palette like that. “Seventeen Seconds” is among her favorite of the band’s 13 studio albums.

Butts has seen The Cure play the “Seventeen Seconds” album all the way through three times. “One of those shows stands as the best show I’ve ever seen in my life. The Cure: Reflections, Nov. 27, 2011 at the Beacon Theatre in New York City.”

Butts said she and her 13-year-old daughter will be attending the A Strange Day show. “I think she’s more excited than I am.” Advertisement

A Strange Day 8:30 p.m. Thursday. Portland House of Music, 25 Temple St., Portland, $12 in advance, $15 day of show, 21-plus. portlandhouseofmusic.com

Another British act that will likely never perform in Maine is The Rolling Stones. With more than 30 albums, the band achieved legendary status decades ago. Singer Mick Jagger and guitarist Keith Richards are both 80, and the band is currently on tour and will be at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts, on Thursday.

There are still tickets left for that show, but you can save yourself hours of traffic jams and a lot of more by instead heading to Aura on Saturday to see Satisfaction: The International Rolling Stones tribute show. Or maybe you’ll see the real deal and then keep the party going here in Maine.

Satisfaction has been slinging Stones hits for over two decades and has played more than 4,000 shows. Chris LeGrand’s take on Mick Jagger is pretty convincing, and he and the band will surely be pleased to meet you.

Satisfaction: The International Rolling Stones Tribute Show 9 p.m. Saturday. Aura, 121 Center St., Portland, $15, $25.50, 18-plus. auramaine.com

The Prince/Bowie tribute act performing live. Photo by Tammie Birdwell

David Bowie and Prince died within five months of each other in 2016, at the ages of 69 and 57, respectively, and their losses were felt by millions of fans around the world. Advertisement

With contributions that are impossible to quantify, both artists left behind a legacy of music that lives on through radio play, home listening and tribute shows.

Boston-based musician Eric Gould loves both artists and is the bandleader of a Prince/Bowie tribute coming to Portland on Saturday. The band is a revolving lineup of players from all over the country.

Gould plays bass and designs the setlists. For this show, the musicians are Cal Kehoe (guitar, vocals), Adrian Tramontano (drums), Sammi Garrett (percussion, vocals), Josh Schwartz (baritone sax, vocals), Rob Somerville (tenor saxophone), Rob Volo (trombone) and Kiran Edwards (keys).

Gould said that, to him, Prince embodies soul, creative arrangement and precision. “His music has the best energy and makes you feel on top of the universe.”

He described Bowie as having a voice and character that is completely unique.

“It is powerful and epic and decadent,” said Gould, who has made a career out of finding unique connections through the songbooks of artists. “It is such a treat to present music people know and love in a way that is fresh to the ears. This combination brings so much joy to everyone on and off stage.” Advertisement

Prince/Bowie 8 p.m. Saturday. Portland House of Music, 25 Temple St., Portland, $25, 21-plus. portlandhouseofmusic.com

Other upcoming tribute shows

The Peacheaters: An Allman Brothers Band Experience, Friday. Jonathan’s, Ogunquit, $31 to $72.50. jonathansogunquit.com

Sweet Baby James: James Taylor Tribute, Saturday. Vinegar Hill Music Theatre, Arundel, $30 to $45. vinhillmusic.com

Studio Two: The Early Beatles Tribute, June 9. Vinegar Hill Music Theatre, Arundel, $30, $35. vinhillmusic.com

Magic Bus: A Tribute to The Who, June 14. Vinegar Hill Music Theatre, Arundel, $30. vinhillmusic.com Advertisement

The The Band Band, June 21. Vinegar Hill Music Theatre, Arundel, $45, $55. vinhillmusic.com

Bruce In The USA, June 21. Aura, Portland, $20 to $39.50. auramaine.com

Elvis Tribute Show, June 22, July 20. Jonathan’s, Ogunquit, $29 to $70. jonathansogunquit.com

Higher Ground: A Tribute to Stevie Wonder, July 20. Vinegar Hill Music Theatre, Arundel, $40. vinhillmusic.com

Studio Two: The Early Beatles Tribute, July 6. Jonathan’s, Ogunquit, $41.50 to $82.50. jonathansogunquit.com

Johnny Cash Tribute Show, July 7, Aug. 10. Jonathan’s, Ogunquit, $29 to $70. jonathansogunquit.com Advertisement

Rose Alley: A Tribute to Jerry Garcia, June 28. Vinegar Hill Music Theatre, Arundel, $23. vinhillmusic.com

Runnin’ Down A Dream: The Tom Petty Tribute Band, July 13, Nov. 14. Jonathan’s, Ogunquit, $35 to $76. jonathansogunquit.com

The Elton John Experience, July 21. Jonathan’s, Ogunquit, $29 to $79. jonathansogunquit.com

Zach Nugent’s Dead Set, Aug. 1. Vinegar Hill Music Theatre, Arundel, $25. vinhillmusic.com

The Stray Horses, Aug. 8. Vinegar Hill Music Theatre, Arundel, $25. vinhillmusic.com

Wake Up Mama: The Allman Brothers Tribute Band, Aug. 24. Vinegar Hill Music Theatre, Arundel, $25. vinhillmusic.com

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‘American Idol’ star Julia Gagnon to pursue a career in music, starting with a Maine tour

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StarTribune

Scene makers q+a: pamela mcneill will sing at the dakota in minneapolis.

She's sung at Royal Albert Hall in England and the Tokyo Dome in Japan. A song she co-wrote with Yanni was performed at the Taj Mahal in India.

Now veteran Twin Cities vocalist Pamela McNeill will make her debut at the Dakota in Minneapolis on May 30.

It's a rare opportunity for McNeill to offer her original material in the Twin Cities. Usually, she's part of tribute shows to Fleetwood Mac (13 years and counting), Pink Floyd (performed by the Fabulous Armadillos) and a rock 'n' roll Christmas concert (21 performances per year). Pre-pandemic, those gigs added up to about 150 nights a year. Nowadays, she averages 60 to 70 annually.

After spending a busy week in Nashville performing, writing songs and doing a photo shoot, McNeill chatted about her upcoming EP and the "surreal" performance at Royal Albert Hall with Rick Astley. Here are excerpts.

Q: How often do you perform your original music?

A: Not as often as I'd like. I plan to do a lot more. It was not as easy to do because I was part of the Fabulous Armadillos for almost 20 years and we were so busy all the time. That's wonderful. I sort of had to take a step back a couple years ago to focus on my own solo career. I'd love to play original music four times a month.

A lot of my fans used to come out and see me at Bunkers and the Fine Line. I haven't played downtown [Minneapolis] in years. It'll be fun to be back downtown again.

Q: Tell me about your new EP coming out in late July.

A: "Wave After Wave" was recorded in Nashville. But it's got more of a rock feel this time. It's six songs. Two of them are reimagined from previous albums. "In My Next Life," when I originally did it, it was just piano, vocal and a bass. Very low-key. With this new band, they took it and just gave it this heavy, more rock edge. It's an angry song about someone who was not a good person to me years ago. I thought I'd put that away, but as soon as I heard the version it brought that all back. It's amazing, the power of music.

One of the songs called "The Ocean," I wrote in Clearwater Beach [Florida]. I saw people walking on the shore and giving their pain or whatever it is to the ocean. I feel like the ocean is really healing.

Q: Tell me about "Boys Lie," the single.

A: That was a song that came to me when I was in my apartment, I'd just gone through a divorce in 2018, I think. All of a sudden it dropped out of the sky [she sings]: "Why do boys lie/ why do they run." It's one of those ones that came really fast. It's about going back to someone you think you're done with and then they keep pulling you back in. It's sort of questioning yourself and thinking you've got this nailed and there it is again.

Q: How often do you go to Nashville?

A: I get there at least two or three times a year. Last year when I was making the new record, I was there probably five times doing different things. I just wrote with a woman named Jan Buckingham; she wrote "Cleopatra, Queen of Denial" for Pam Tillis. I love that city. It's got a great energy. And I've got a lot of friends there. It's always fun to go there and just soak it up.

Q: Tell me about your very first gig.

A: It was a rock band called Mroz, named after the guitar player's last name. They were all college guys and I was 16. My first gig was at Winona State University opening up for the Suburbs. My mom took me to the local mall [in Winona] and bought me a sparkly dress and we got onstage in this gymnasium. It was pretty amazing. I like to say it was all downhill after that. A lot of bars and stuff. It was all good.

Q: What bands have you played with over the years?

A: I was in a cover band based out of Hastings called Heartbreaker in the '80s. I was recruited for a short moment to sing backing vocals for Lamont Cranston when I was 20. Then I moved to England. I was a backing singer for Rick Astley for a while. I played with a band in Japan called TM Network. They were huge. When I came back to America in 1991, I was in Jonah & the Whales for a while and then I started the Pamela McNeill Band in 1999. We played the Cities for many, many years until I got diagnosed with sarcoidosis in 2004. I lost my ability to sing for about a year but I joined the Armadillos shortly after that.

Q: What was it like to perform at Royal Albert Hall?

A: This was 1988 or something. My first gig with Rick Astley was at Royal Albert Hall singing for the Smash Hits Poll Winners Party. It was my birthday. Singing live on TV. It was so surreal. What a beautiful place. It's probably my favorite place I've ever played just because it's so historic and grander than life.

Q: And the Tokyo Dome?

A: That is a huge place. With TM Network, they were the Duran Duran of Japan. They had places in London where I was living at the time. They rehearsed for two months and then we went to Japan. It was incredible. I had these gas permeable lenses because I'm blind without glasses. I lost one of them before the show. And right before we went onstage, the other one had to come out. I essentially did the show blind and I had to walk down this huge staircase and do all this choreography and it was broadcast live on TV. I made it. I was so nervous. It was definitely a crazy moment in my life.

Q: How did you come to write with Yanni?

A: I had known him because my ex-husband [Dugan McNeill] was in [the Twin Cities band] Chameleon with him. He'd come to the Target Center and he called us backstage. He said, "Someone gave me your demo tape and I love your writing and you have a beautiful singing voice. We should work together." I was flying out to L.A. I ended up writing his first song with lyrics, "Love Is All." It was on the "Tribute" [1997 concert] album [sung by Vann Johnson]. It was performed at the Taj Mahal and the Forbidden City in China. We ended up writing another three songs together.

Jon Bream has been a music critic at the Star Tribune since 1975, making him the longest tenured pop critic at a U.S. daily newspaper. He has attended more than 8,000 concerts and written four books (on Prince, Led Zeppelin, Neil Diamond and Bob Dylan). Thus far, he has ignored readers’ suggestions that he take a music-appreciation class.

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Whales Have an Alphabet

Until the 1960s, it was uncertain whether whales made any sounds at all..

This transcript was created using speech recognition software. While it has been reviewed by human transcribers, it may contain errors. Please review the episode audio before quoting from this transcript and email [email protected] with any questions.

[MUSIC PLAYING]

From “The New York Times,” I’m Michael Barbaro. This is “The Daily.”

Today, ever since the discovery that whales produce songs, scientists have been trying to find a way to decipher their lyrics. After 60 years, they may have finally done it. My colleague, Carl Zimmer, explains.

It’s Friday, May 24.

I have to say, after many years of working with you on everything from the pandemic to —

— CRISPR DNA technology, that it turns out your interests are even more varied than I had thought, and they include whales.

They do indeed.

And why? What is it about the whale that captures your imagination?

I don’t think I’ve ever met anybody who is not fascinated by whales. I mean, these are mammals like us, and they’re swimming around in the water. They have brains that are much bigger than ours. They can live maybe 200 years. These are incredible animals, and animals that we still don’t really understand.

Right. Well, it is this majestic creature that brings us together today, Carl, because you have been reporting on a big breakthrough in our understanding of how it is that whales communicate. But I think in order for that breakthrough to make sense, I think we’re going to have to start with what we have known up until now about how whales interact. So tell us about that.

Well, people knew that whales and dolphins traveled together in groups, but up until the 1960s, we didn’t really know that whales actually made any sounds at all. It was actually sort of an accident that we came across it. The American military was developing sophisticated microphones to put underwater. They wanted to listen for Russian submarines.

As one does. But there was an engineer in Bermuda, and he started hearing some weird stuff.

[WHALE SOUNDS]

And he wondered maybe if he was actually listening to whales.

What made him wonder if it was whales, of all things?

Well, this sound did not sound like something geological.

It didn’t sound like some underwater landslide or something like that. This sounded like a living animal making some kind of call. It has these incredible deep tones that rise up into these strange, almost falsetto type notes.

It was incredibly loud. And so it would have to be some really big animal. And so with humpback whales swimming around Bermuda, this engineer thought, well, maybe these are humpback whales.

And so he gets in touch with a husband and wife team of whale biologists, Roger and Katy Payne, and plays these recordings to them. And they’re pretty convinced that they’re hearing whales, too. And then they go on to go out and confirm that by putting microphones in the water, chasing after groups of whales and confirming, yes, indeed, that these sounds are coming from these humpback whales.

So once these scientists confirm in their minds that these are the sounds of a whale, what happens with this discovery?

Well, Roger and Katy Payne and their colleagues are astonished that this species of whale is swimming around singing all the time for hours on end. And it’s so inspirational to them that they actually help to produce a record that they release “The Song of the Humpback Whale” in 1970.

And so this is being sold in record stores, you know, along with Jimi Hendrix and Rolling Stones. And it is a huge hit.

Yeah, it sells like two million copies.

Well, at the time, it was a huge cultural event. This record, this became almost like an anthem of the environmental movement. And it led, for whales in particular, to a lot of protections for them because now people could appreciate that whales were a lot more marvelous and mysterious than they maybe had appreciated before.

And so you have legislation, like the Marine Mammal Act. The United States just agrees just to stop killing whales. It stops its whaling industry. And so you could argue that the discovery of these whale songs in Bermuda led to at least some species of whales escaping extinction.

Well, beyond the cultural impact of this discovery, which is quite meaningful, I wonder whether scientists and marine biologists are figuring out what these whale songs are actually communicating.

So the Paynes create a whole branch of science, the study of whale songs. It turns out that pretty much every species of whale that we know of sings in some way or another. And it turns out that within a species, different groups of whales in different parts of the world may sing with a different dialect. But the big question of what these whales are singing, what do these songs mean, that remains elusive into the 21st century. And things don’t really change until scientists decide to take a new look at the problem in a new way.

And what is that new way?

So in 2020, a group of whale biologists, including Roger Payne, come together with computer scientists from MIT. Instead of humpback whales, which were the whales where whale songs are first discovered, these scientists decide to study sperm whales in the Caribbean. And humpback whales and sperm whales have very, very different songs. So if you’re used to humpback whales with their crazy high and low singing voices —

Right, those best-selling sounds.

— those are rockin’ tunes of the humpback whales, that’s not what sperm whales do. Sperm whales have a totally different way of communicating with each other. And I actually have some recordings that were provided by the scientists who have been doing this research. And so we can take a listen to some of them.

Wow, It’s like a rhythmic clicking.

These are a group of sperm whales swimming together, communicating.

So whale biologists knew already that there was some structure to this sound. Those clicks that you hear, they come in little pulses. And each of those pulses is known as a coda. And whale biologists had given names to these different codas. So, for example, they call one coda, one plus one plus three —

— which is basically click, click, click, click, click, or four plus three, where you have four clicks in a row and a pause and then three clicks in a row.

Right. And the question would seem to be, is this decipherable communication, or is this just whale gibberish?

Well, this is where the computer scientists were able to come in and to help out. The whale biologists who were listening to the codas from the sperm whales in the Caribbean, they had identified about 21 types. And then that would seem to be about it.

But then, an MIT computer science graduate student named Prajusha Sharma was given the job of listening to them again.

And what does she hear?

In a way, it’s not so much what she heard, but what she saw.

Because when scientists record whale songs, you can look at it kind of like if you’re looking at an audio of a recording of your podcast, you will see the little squiggles of your voice.

And so whale biologists would just look at that ticker of whale songs going across the screen and try to compare them. And Sharma said, I don’t like this. I just — this is not how I look at data. And so what she decided to do is she decided to kind of just visualize the data differently. And essentially, she just kind of flipped these images on their side and saw something totally new.

And what she saw was that sperm whales were singing a whole bunch of things that nobody had actually been hearing.

One thing that she discovered was that you could have a whale that was producing a coda over and over and over again, but it was actually playing with it. It was actually stretching out the coda,

[CLICKING] So to get a little bit longer and a little bit longer, a little bit longer.

And then get shorter and shorter and shorter again. They could play with their codas in a way that nobody knew before. And she also started to see that a whale might throw in an extra click at the end of a coda. So it would be repeating a coda over and over again and then boom, add an extra one right at the end. What they would call an ornamentation. So now, you have yet another signal that these whales are using.

And if we just look at what the sperm whales are capable of producing in terms of different codas, we go from just 21 types that they had found in the Caribbean before to 156. So what the scientists are saying is that what we might be looking at is what they call a sperm whale phonetic alphabet.

Yeah, that’s a pretty big deal because the only species that we know of for sure that has a phonetic alphabet —

— is us, exactly. So the reason that we can use language is because we can make a huge range of sounds by just doing little things with our mouths. A little change in our lips can change a bah to a dah. And so we are able to produce a set of phonetic sounds. And we put those sounds together to make words.

So now, we have sperm whales, which have at least 150 of these different versions of sounds that they make just by making little adjustments to the existing way that they make sounds. And so you can make a chart of their phonetic alphabet, just like you make a chart of the human phonetic alphabet.

So then, that raises the question, do they combine their phonetic alphabet into words? Do they combine their words into sentences? In other words, do sperm whales have a language of their own?

Right. Are they talking to each other, really talking to each other?

If we could really show that whales had language on par with humans, that would be like finding intelligent life on another planet.

We’ll be right back.

So, Carl, how should we think about this phonetic alphabet and whether sperm whales are actually using it to talk to each other?

The scientists on this project are really careful to say that these results do not definitively prove what these sperm whale sounds are. There are a handful of possibilities here in terms of what this study could mean. And one of them is that the whales really are using full-blown language.

What they might be talking about, we don’t know. I mean, perhaps they like to talk about their travels over hundreds and thousands of miles. Maybe they’re talking about, you know, the giant squid that they caught last night. Maybe they’re gossiping about each other.

And you have to remember, sperm whales are incredibly social animals. They have relationships that last for decades. And they live in groups that are in clans of thousands of whales. I mean, imagine the opportunities for gossip.

These are all at least imaginable now. But it’s also possible that they are communicating with each other, but in a way that isn’t language as we know it. You know, maybe these sounds that they’re producing don’t add up to sentences. There’s no verb there. There’s no noun. There’s no structure to it in terms of how we think of language.

But maybe they’re still conveying information to each other. Maybe they’re somehow giving out who they are and what group they belong to. But it’s not in the form of language that we think of.

Right. Maybe it’s more kind of caveman like as in whale to whale, look, there, food.

It’s possible. But, you know, other species have evolved in other directions. And so you have to put yourself in the place of a sperm whale. You know, so think about this. They are communicating in the water. And actually, like sending sounds through water is a completely different experience than through the air like we do.

So a sperm whale might be communicating to the whale right next to it a few yards away, but it might be communicating with whales miles away, hundreds of miles away. They’re in the dark a lot of the time, so they don’t even see the whales right next to them. So it’s just this constant sound that they’re making because they’re in this dark water.

So we might want to imagine that such a species would talk the way we do, but there are just so many reasons to expect that whatever they’re communicating might be just profoundly different, so different that it’s actually hard for us to imagine. And so we need to really, you know, let ourselves be open to lots of possibilities.

And one possibility that some scientists have raised is that maybe language is just the wrong model to think about. Maybe we need to think about music. You know, maybe this strange typewriter, clickety clack is actually not like a Morse code message, but is actually a real song. It’s a kind of music that doesn’t necessarily convey information the way conversation does, but it brings the whales together.

In humans, like, when we humans sing together in choruses, it can be a very emotional experience. It’s a socially bonding experience, but it’s not really like the specific words that we’re singing that bring us together when we’re singing. It’s sharing the music together.

But at a certain point, we stop singing in the chorus, and we start asking each other questions like, hey, what are you doing for dinner? How are you going to get home? There’s a lot of traffic on the BQE. So we are really drawn to the possibility that whales are communicating in that same kind of a mode.

We’re exchanging information. We’re seeking out each other’s well-being and emotional state. And we’re building something together.

And I think that happens because, I mean, language is so fundamental to us as human beings. I mean, it’s like every moment of our waking life depends on language. We are talking to ourselves if we’re not talking to other people.

In our sleep, we dream, and there are words in our dreams. And we’re just stewing in language. And so it’s really, really hard for us to understand how other species might have a really complex communication system with hundreds of different little units of sound that they can use and they can deploy. And to think anything other than, well, they must be talking about traffic on the BQE. Like —

— we’re very human-centric. And we have to resist that.

So what we end up having here is a genuine breakthrough in our understanding of how whales interact. And that seems worth celebrating in and of itself. But it really kind of doubles as a lesson in humility for us humans when it comes to appreciating the idea that there are lots of non-human ways in which language can exist.

That’s right. Humility is always a good idea when we’re thinking about other animals.

So what now happens in this realm of research? And how is it that these scientists, these marine biologists and these computer scientists are going to try to figure out what exactly this alphabet amounts to and how it’s being used?

So what’s going to happen now is a real sea change in gathering data from whales.

So to speak.

So these scientists are now deploying a new generation of undersea microphones. They’re using drones to follow these whales. And what they want to do is they want to be recording sounds from the ocean where these whales live 24 hours a day, seven days a week. And so the hope is that instead of getting, say, a few 100 codas each year on recording, these scientists want to get several hundred million every year, maybe billions of codas every year.

And once you get that much data from whales, then you can start to do some really amazing stuff with artificial intelligence. So these scientists hope that they can use the same kind of artificial intelligence that is behind things like ChatGPT or these artificial intelligence systems that are able to take recordings of people talking and transcribing them into text. They want to use that on the whale communication.

They want to just grind through vast amounts of data, and maybe they will discover more phonetic letters in this alphabet. Who knows? Maybe they will actually find bigger structures, structures that could correspond to language.

If you go really far down this route of possibilities, the hope is that you would understand what sperm whales are saying to each other so well that you could actually create artificial sperm whale communication, and you could play it underwater. You could talk to the sperm whales. And they would talk back. They would react somehow in a way that you had predicted. If that happens, then maybe, indeed, sperm whales have something like language as we understand it.

And the only way we’re going to figure that out is if we figure out not just how they talk to themselves, but how we can perhaps talk to them, which, given everything we’ve been talking about here, Carl, is a little bit ironic because it’s pretty human-centric.

That’s right. This experiment could fail. It’s possible that sperm whales don’t do anything like language as we know it. Maybe they’re doing something that we can’t even imagine yet. But if sperm whales really are using codas in something like language, we are going to have to enter the conversation to really understand it.

Well, Carl, thank you very much. We appreciate it.

Thank you. Sorry. Can I say that again? My voice got really high all of a sudden.

A little bit like a whale’s. Ooh.

Yeah, exactly. Woot. Woot.

Thank yoooo. No. Thank you.

Here’s what else you need to know today.

We allege that Live Nation has illegally monopolized markets across the live concert industry in the United States for far too long. It is time to break it up.

On Thursday, the Justice Department sued the concert giant Live Nation Entertainment, which owns Ticketmaster, for violating federal antitrust laws and sought to break up the $23 billion conglomerate. During a news conference, Attorney General Merrick Garland said that Live Nation’s monopolistic tactics had hurt the entire industry of live events.

The result is that fans pay more in fees, artists have fewer opportunities to play concerts, smaller promoters get squeezed out, and venues have fewer real choices.

In a statement, Live Nation called the lawsuit baseless and vowed to fight it in court.

A reminder — tomorrow, we’ll be sharing the latest episode of our colleagues’ new show, “The Interview.” This week on “The Interview,” Lulu Garcia-Navarro talks with Ted Sarandos, the CEO of Netflix, about his plans to make the world’s largest streaming service even bigger.

I don’t agree with the premise that quantity and quality are somehow in conflict with each other. I think our content and our movie programming has been great, but it’s just not all for you.

Today’s episode was produced by Alex Stern, Stella Tan, Sydney Harper, and Nina Feldman. It was edited by MJ Davis, contains original music by Pat McCusker, Dan Powell, Elisheba Ittoop, Marion Lozano, and Sophia Lanman, and was engineered by Alyssa Moxley. Our theme music is by Jim Brunberg and Ben Landsverk of Wonderly.

Special thanks to Project SETI for sharing their whale recordings.

That’s it for “The Daily.” I’m Michael Barbaro. See you on Tuesday after the holiday.

May 30, 2024 • 25:21 The Government Takes On Ticketmaster
May 29, 2024 • 29:46 The Closing Arguments in the Trump Trial
May 28, 2024 • 25:56 The Alitos and Their Flags
May 24, 2024 • 25:18 Whales Have an Alphabet
May 23, 2024 • 34:24 I.C.C. Prosecutor Requests Warrants for Israeli and Hamas Leaders
May 22, 2024 • 23:20 Biden’s Open War on Hidden Fees
May 21, 2024 • 24:14 The Crypto Comeback
May 20, 2024 • 31:51 Was the 401(k) a Mistake?
May 19, 2024 • 33:23 The Sunday Read: ‘Why Did This Guy Put a Song About Me on Spotify?’
May 17, 2024 • 51:10 The Campus Protesters Explain Themselves
May 16, 2024 • 30:47 The Make-or-Break Testimony of Michael Cohen
May 15, 2024 • 27:03 The Possible Collapse of the U.S. Home Insurance System

Hosted by Michael Barbaro

Featuring Carl Zimmer

Produced by Alex Stern , Stella Tan , Sydney Harper and Nina Feldman

Edited by MJ Davis Lin

Original music by Elisheba Ittoop , Dan Powell , Marion Lozano , Sophia Lanman and Pat McCusker

Engineered by Alyssa Moxley

Listen and follow The Daily Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTube

Ever since the discovery of whale songs almost 60 years ago, scientists have been trying to decipher the lyrics.

But sperm whales don’t produce the eerie melodies sung by humpback whales, sounds that became a sensation in the 1960s. Instead, sperm whales rattle off clicks that sound like a cross between Morse code and a creaking door. Carl Zimmer, a science reporter, explains why it’s possible that the whales are communicating in a complex language.

On today’s episode

Carl Zimmer , a science reporter for The New York Times who also writes the Origins column .

A diver, who appears minuscule, swims between a large sperm whale and her cub in blue waters.

Background reading

Scientists find an “alphabet” in whale songs.

These whales still use their vocal cords. But how?

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The Daily is made by Rachel Quester, Lynsea Garrison, Clare Toeniskoetter, Paige Cowett, Michael Simon Johnson, Brad Fisher, Chris Wood, Jessica Cheung, Stella Tan, Alexandra Leigh Young, Lisa Chow, Eric Krupke, Marc Georges, Luke Vander Ploeg, M.J. Davis Lin, Dan Powell, Sydney Harper, Mike Benoist, Liz O. Baylen, Asthaa Chaturvedi, Rachelle Bonja, Diana Nguyen, Marion Lozano, Corey Schreppel, Rob Szypko, Elisheba Ittoop, Mooj Zadie, Patricia Willens, Rowan Niemisto, Jody Becker, Rikki Novetsky, John Ketchum, Nina Feldman, Will Reid, Carlos Prieto, Ben Calhoun, Susan Lee, Lexie Diao, Mary Wilson, Alex Stern, Dan Farrell, Sophia Lanman, Shannon Lin, Diane Wong, Devon Taylor, Alyssa Moxley, Summer Thomad, Olivia Natt, Daniel Ramirez and Brendan Klinkenberg.

Our theme music is by Jim Brunberg and Ben Landsverk of Wonderly. Special thanks to Sam Dolnick, Paula Szuchman, Lisa Tobin, Larissa Anderson, Julia Simon, Sofia Milan, Mahima Chablani, Elizabeth Davis-Moorer, Jeffrey Miranda, Renan Borelli, Maddy Masiello, Isabella Anderson and Nina Lassam.

Carl Zimmer covers news about science for The Times and writes the Origins column . More about Carl Zimmer

COMMENTS

My Favourite Band
When I first heard their music, I knew that they were always going to be one of my favorites band. They song made me want to get up, dance, and sing . Their music is catchy ,fun to listen to and over all great. One Direction are a British-Irish boy band consisting of members Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Liam Payne, Harry Styles and Louis Tomlinson .
Cue Card 586
More Ideas to help you prepare your own answer: Cue Card Topic: Describe your favourite music band. 1. I love to listen to rock music and Broadcast is my favourite music band. It was formed in 1995 in the UK with the participation of original members including James Cargill, Steve Perkins, Trish Keenan, Roj Stevens, Tim Felton and others.
Describe your favourite music band
1. I love to listen to rock music, and Broadcast is my favourite music band. It was formed in 1995 in the UK with the participation of original members, including James Cargill, Steve Perkins, Trish Keenan, Roj Stevens, Tim Felton and others. I have been listening to their songs for the past couple of years.
My Favourite Band, Sample of Essays
1 page, 395 words. I have always loved music since I was young . My favorite band is One Direction . I love One Direction because they are the most amazing band in the world . When I first heard their music, I knew that they were always going to be one of my favorites band. They song made me want to get up, dance, and sing .
My Favourite Band Essay
1768 Words. 8 Pages. Open Document. Essay Sample Check Writing Quality. Show More. I chose to write about one of my personal favorite bands. I will tell you about their music genre, give a personal biography of the band as a whole, and last but no least tell why I have a passion for them. The Red Hot Chili Peppers are a rock bad that emerged in ...
My Favorite Music Essay
My Favorite Music Essay Teenage years are the times for new experiences and music was no different as the experience ... become one sound and jam to all sorts of music selections. One day our band teacher presented us. with an opportunity to join a latin/salsa band. Practices would be held after school and he would not.
How to Write a Music Essay: Topics and Examples
Below you will find a list of music essay topics that will help you express your love for music. I love how certain songs and artists evoke Memories and Emotions. I love the diversity of music genres and how different styles enrich my love for music. I love how music connects me with people of different backgrounds.
IELTS Cue Card Sample 61
This should be an easy cue card topic as it allows you to talk about any music band that you like from your country or from internationally renowned music bands. First name the music band and say what type of music band it is (Genre, music style, lyrics style and member (s) of this music band). Now talk about the reasons you like this music band.
My Favorite Music Essay Example
My Favorite Music Essay Example. In response to Klosterman's question, I would say that I am open-minded. As a child, I grew up on R&B and Hip Hop. However, once I became older was able to expose myself to new musical worlds. Specifically, the categories of music I like are Hip Hop/Rap, Pop, R&B/Soul, and Indie.
Essay on My Favourite Music
Music is a magical thing that can make us feel all sorts of emotions. It can make us happy, sad, excited, or even calm. Everyone has their own type of music that they like best. For me, my favourite music is pop. Pop music is short for "popular music," and it has catchy tunes and easy-to-remember lyrics that often make me want to sing along.
100, 300, 400 & 1500 Word Essay on My Favorite Music
My Favorite Music Essay 400 Words. Out of all the various types of music we have studied, I would have to say my favorite type of music is from the mid to late 60s, 70s, and 80s eras. My favorite music style is rock & roll. To be specific I am talking about some of the music we studied in units 12, 13, and 18 of our textbook.
Writing Essay About Music ― Everything You Need to Know ️
Essays about Music: Importance and Impact. Music is a profound expression of human creativity, emotion, and culture that transcends cultural boundaries. It serves as a companion, providing solace and amplifying the human experience. Its influence extends beyond individuals, shaping the collective identity of communities and contributing to ...
267 Music Essay Topics + Writing Guide [2024 Update]
Writing an essay about "music in my life" is a great way to demonstrate your passion and creativity. Choose one of these topics related to music for your college essay: The role of music in your life. Describe what music means to you, how often you listen to it, and how it helps you in life.
How to Write a Great College Essay About Music (with examples)
Key Takeaway. When writing a college essay about music, it's important to avoid cliches and approach the topic in a deeply personal and meaningful way. Whether you focus on music as an academic interest or a significant extracurricular, you should show off your intellectual spark or personal strengths. Ask any admissions officer if they've ...
My Favorite Music Essay
Satisfactory Essays. 1018 Words. 5 Pages. Open Document. If asked the question, "What is your favorite song," you would be able to answer that question in just a couple of seconds. In today's society, music plays an important role in everything from promoting businesses with slogans and jingles to live performances for enjoyment and relaxation.
My Favorite Music Essay
My Favorite Music Essay. Decent Essays. 1631 Words. 7 Pages. Open Document. Teenage years are the times for new experiences and music was no different as the experience marked with great memories of music that is very nostalgic and can be attached to moments good or bad that make us reminisce when we hear the music of our child hood. I am ...
Describe your favourite singer or musician.
Sample Response 1: My favorite singer is the legendary Freddie Mercury, the lead vocalist of the iconic rock band Queen. Freddie Mercury was known for his incredible vocal range and flamboyant stage presence. His music with Queen spanned various genres, including rock, pop, opera, and more. Some of their most famous songs include "Bohemian ...
Essay on My Favourite Musician
Music is an essential part of human culture, providing a medium for expression, communication, and emotional connection. Among the countless musicians who have graced the world with their talent, my favourite is Ludwig van Beethoven, a German composer and pianist. His profound influence on the transition from the Classical to the Romantic era ...
write about your favorite band
My favorite band is, without a doubt, Twenty-One Pilots. A lot of popular music these days attract people because of a peppy beat, despite boring or even terrible lyrics. However, Twenty One Pilots makes sure you understand the message of the song, with the music as backup, not the biggest feature.
MY Favorite Band. (A persuasive essay on why metallica is ...
Metallica is a long haired, head banging, cussing, rock band. They have dominated the. world of music selling millions of albums and influencing people all over the world. Back in the 80's Metallica was a heavy metal rock band. Most. people thought they were a disgrace to musicianship, vulgar and obscene. In truth.
Describe your favourite song or piece of music IELTS Cue card
Model Answer: Introduction: Well I'm a music-loving person, and I enjoy almost all different type of music, no matter Rap, Jazz, Pop, Classic or whatever it is, But here I would surely talk about my all-time favourite song, and the name of this song is "Don't give up" sung by famous singer "Peter Gabriel.". Don't give up is a song ...
My Favorite Music Band Essay
My Favorite Music Band Essay, 2007 Data Hiding Thesis, Short Case Study On Motivation With Questions, How Many Paragraphs In A Standard Essay, Coursework Info Reviews, Data Analyst Job Description Resume, Soros Fellowship Sample Essay
Fear you'll never hear your favorite band live? These Maine tribute
A Strange Day 8:30 p.m. Thursday. Portland House of Music, 25 Temple St., Portland, $12 in advance, $15 day of show, 21-plus. portlandhouseofmusic.com
Scene Makers Q+A: Pamela McNeill will sing at the Dakota in Minneapolis
Jon Bream has been a music critic at the Star Tribune since 1975, making him the longest tenured pop critic at a U.S. daily newspaper. He has attended more than 8,000 concerts and written four ...
Whales Have an Alphabet
Ever since the discovery of whale songs almost 60 years ago, scientists have been trying to decipher the lyrics. But sperm whales don't produce the eerie melodies sung by humpback whales, sounds ...

Describe your favourite music band

Describe your favourite music band.

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