Singing is not helping
Our resident Kiss92 DJ/journo wants musicians to separate music from tragedies
Generally speaking, I don't like music that is politically motivated or issue oriented.
To me, that's not what music is about.
Music is at its best when it offers an escape from the nonsense of the world, not when it wallows in it.
If people expect music to push forward an agenda or bring about social justice, they're going to be sorely disappointed.
Music offers fun, catharsis and solace, which is more than enough, for goodness' sake.
It will never change the world, but it makes this insane planet bearable, and hooray for that.
PHOTOS: EPIC RECORDS, BROADWAY RECORDS, ARIANA GRANDE AND VICTORIA MONET, JUSTIN’S SCHOOL FOR GIRLS, INC
Anyway, this rant is with regard to the recent smattering of do-gooder tunes released by mainstream artists such as Jay Z, Ariana Grande, Jennifer Lopez and Christina Aguilera.
The proceeds from Lopez's recent single Love Make The World Go Round are going to the victims of the mass shooting at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando.
That same incident inspired a bunch of stars, including Gwen Stefani, Selena Gomez and Meghan Trainor, to collaborate on the charity record Hands.
Aguilera's new song Change is also for the benefit of the Orlando victims, as is What The World Needs Now, a collaboration by a bunch of Broadway stars.
Jay Z's new tune Spiritual is dedicated to the two African American men, Alton Sterling and Philandro Castile, who were killed by police a couple of weeks ago.
Grande and Victoria Monet also released a song for the slain duo, this one called Better Days.
I have no doubt that these pop stars - most of them anyway - have sincere intentions.
They're human beings trying to help in the only way they know how.
Trouble is, they're not really helping.
If they want to assist the victims and/or their families financially, dipping into their vast assets would be more expedient and fruitful.
If they want to stop mass shootings, they could lobby against assault rifles.
If they want to stop police brutality, they could engage with the political process in a more serious fashion.
Singing hippy-dippy songs in the wake of such truly horrifying events just seems silly at best, and crass at worst.
Sorry, guys. What the world needs now isn't love, it's good legislation.
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