The inspirational effects of music and creativity

As a booming creative industry reaching multiple outlets, the music industry has followed a linear pattern of complexity. Good design is what it’s all about, and due to the rapid increase of  vinyl, music is becoming as intricate as ever. 

Artists who put the time into concept designs of albums are the ones you should keep around in your bumping playlists. 

Keeping this in mind, it is by no means a required or written rule artists must abide to. However, with their influential powers it is inspiring when they use their music to speak towards a larger cause. With a full physical fold out vinyl allowing for ample space for graphic designs, it is the first way to help an audience understand what the artist stands for. 

Further, we are living in an age where art is as influential as ever. This has been proven to me personally through the power of music. 

Musicians are everyday people who see a problem and act upon it by presenting their thoughts in a creative form which they thrive in. Even if music is not an art form of interest, by any means, it can still be inspiring through the hardwork and dedication of musicians.

A recent example follows on J. Cole’s new album in which he criticizes pharmaceutical companies. In the album, the musician suggests that companies think they can fix children by feeding them drugs. 

After the popularized issue of the Xanax movement and many epidemic crises all over the world, I believe that this is an album the world critically needed. We are forced to condone the actions of those struggling with addiction instead of identifying the root problem; which, ultimately, is the pharmaceutical companies. 

On Cole’s album cover and promotional items, he is presented as a guardian who is protecting children suffering the effects of pharmaceutical companies.

An even more recent example is the live stream performed by A$AP Rocky for his upcoming album Testing on the night of May 20. Many months prior to this stream, when Rocky was devoting much of his time to A$AP Mob Too Cozy Vol 2 album, his social media underwent a few notable changes. All photos were deleted from his meticulous theme and his display picture was changed to a yellow and black testing area illustration. 

During this stream it was announced that the album was completed. His attempt to abide by his album theme of ‘testing’ was effortlessly presented. Placing him within an enclosed glass case he was forced to perform a series of tasks by two individuals dressed in lab coats. 

 The main argument of his presentation was the fact that throughout his ups and downs in his life a musician, he is always regularly monitored by society to continuously produce new material. He was transformed into a visual science experiment, hence the album name Testing.

I am in no way condoning that the music is better on conceptually forward albums. I am just allotting to the fact that many musicians’ artistic abilities are much higher and they have a much more advanced way of creatively thinking. 

The game is changing for all musical artists. It is simply not enough to just produce music. With this in mind, I believe that moving forward, artists are going to be held to a much higher standard. 

Of course, I have songs and albums I listen to where I do not pay attention to the concept, but it is important to give it a quick thought because every album has a purpose. Each one of those artists you listen to wakes up in the morning and is motivated to make something great. Tuning into my love of music over the past year, I have found that the most moving concept albums have motivated me to be creatively forward with what I love.