Music = art?

[Sennz0r]

So I have no idea whether or not this has been done before, but I'm curious so let's go:

Do you consider any type of music or any band for that matter, to be/make art? If so, which genre(s)/band(s)?

I consider Nine Inch Nails to write very artistic music from time to time. Lyricwise and tunewise, a lot of their songs just sound like a piece of art to me.

IMPORTANT: The definition of art here is the same as a painting or sculpture, something that just sounds beautiful, makes you think, sends a message whatever. If you have a different idea of what you consider art you can elaborate on that

 

[xitel]

Absolutely. All music is art. There is some art that is art because of the discord it possesses. Music is art, definitely.

 

[sirdanrhodes]

Congrats, this hasn't been done before, and I agree with Nine Inch Nails being art.

This, THIS is art - http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=LKY5vvDC7Bc

All music is art, other than rap, reggae, and electro.

 

[PedroSteckecilo]

I dunno, I find NIN to be too auditorally abrasive to really count as "pretty" but the instrumental layering and passion of Trent Reznor really come across well, and as a means of creative expression his music is very artistic.

 

[mokes310]

Totally, 100%, even the music that I hate! I'm not sure how anyone could say that music isn't art?

 

[kapzer]

Music is art and artists carry the freedom of speech in their music. If you don't believe that, let a lawyer tell you.

 

[Neosage]

I disagree some of the more modern music, you know the stuff using loads of computer editing......oh wait that isn't music, silly me.

 

[Sennz0r]

Well I have to disagree with some people who say all music is art. I have seen the concept of music as an artform being raped by several DJ's and rappers. Even some music I like I cannot consider art. It sounds catchy, yes, but I wouldn't call it art.

I dunno, I find NIN to be too auditorally abrasive to really count as "pretty" but the instrumental layering and passion of Trent Reznor really come across well, and as a means of creative expression his music is very artistic.

I suggest you listen to Ghosts I-IV a bit. If that doesn't sweep you away on a daydream of awesome I don't know what would.

Also the album with the best message would be Year Zero. Fantastic wording.

 

[joystickjunki3]

Music is art.

 

[runtheplacered]

IMPORTANT: The definition of art here is the same as a painting or sculpture, something that just sounds beautiful, makes you think, sends a message whatever. If you have a different idea of what you consider art you can elaborate on that

Well there's Art and then there's "The Arts". Generally music falls under the latter category. However if you claim that any musician is artistic, it's my opinion that you then have to say that music in general is art. Otherwise you're just splitting hairs for the purposes of your own amusement.

But, on the other hand, I think there's certain bands (Perhaps NiN is one of them) that believe their own music is artistic and other bands that just play music for the sake of doing it, for money, for fame, or some other reason.

You can certainly do a whole lot worse then NiN when claiming that music is art, but I'm more into music that hasn't been done in a professional studio, backed by large sums of money. I just can't hear the soul in music when that's the case. I'm not going to sit here and name off bands, because there's just way too many.

However, I'll just sum it up and say that some of the most beautiful, inspiring, interesting, creative, and artistic music to my own personal eardrums would have to be Jazz and certain forms of Electronic music. But, that's just me, not reality.

 

[Anarchemitis]

Even many sound effects [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdbYsoEasio] constitute art.

 

[Sennz0r]

IMPORTANT: The definition of art here is the same as a painting or sculpture, something that just sounds beautiful, makes you think, sends a message whatever. If you have a different idea of what you consider art you can elaborate on that

Well there's Art and then there's "The Arts". Generally music falls under the latter category. However if you claim that any musician is artistic, it's my opinion that you then have to say that music in general is art. Otherwise you're just splitting hairs for the purposes of your own amusement.

But, on the other hand, I think there's certain bands (Perhaps NiN is one of them) that believe their own music is artistic and other bands that just play music for the sake of doing it, for money, for fame, or some other reason.

You can certainly do a whole lot worse then NiN when claiming that music is art, but I'm more into music that hasn't been done in a professional studio, backed by large sums of money. I just can't hear the soul in music when that's the case. I'm not going to sit here and name off bands, because there's just way too many.

However, I'll just sum it up and say that some of the most beautiful, inspiring, interesting, creative, and artistic music to my own personal eardrums would have to be Jazz and certain forms of Electronic music. But, that's just me, not reality.

Isn't electronic music usually also done in studios and whatnot? Not that I disagree with you but it just seems weird when you mention you find live performed music containing more artistic feel and soul and then you give electronic music as an example.

For the record I do agree that some electro bands create art

Also, for an example of non-artistic music, there's always chacaronne and Soulja Boy. Although I'm not even sure if that can be classified as music.

 

[PedroSteckecilo]

Well I have to disagree with some people who say all music is art. I have seen the concept of music as an artform being raped by several DJ's and rappers. Even some music I like I cannot consider art. It sounds catchy, yes, but I wouldn't call it art.

I dunno, I find NIN to be too auditorally abrasive to really count as "pretty" but the instrumental layering and passion of Trent Reznor really come across well, and as a means of creative expression his music is very artistic.

I suggest you listen to Ghosts I-IV a bit. If that doesn't sweep you away on a daydream of awesome I don't know what would.

Also the album with the best message would be Year Zero. Fantastic wording.

Hmm, I just bought that for my sister as her X-mas gift. Maybe I should borrow it.

Anyway... not all rap is shit, here's one of the rare examples of rap that I could call "art" or at least good.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FznFcFHJvQ

 

[runtheplacered]

Music is art, and just like art. You know what makes it art? The fact that anyone can do it, and everyone who sucks at it has an immense ego.
I like to compare music to other artists. The good music are the classical artists, the bad music is modern artists.
The classical artists respect other people's views. The modern artists, or in this case the bad musicians, think everything else is shitty, theirs is the best, and that anyone who doesn't like it is a philistine.

Wow, lots of generalizations and stereotyping there. Are you serious or being sarcastic? Most of the time I find it to be the exact opposite. Take Jazz for instance. Most pre-70's Jazz fans find any jazz made in the modern age to be watered down, corporate, and just plain ugly. However modern day jazz fans (using your verbiage to keep it simple) are always into the classic pieces, and of course the modern pieces.

I don't know. Sure, there's some people I'm sure that might fit your description, but I really don't think it's as bad as you said it is. I believe that to just be a stereotype.

 

[Mungini]

I consider art and music to be similar in that it can only truly be art if every bit of the performer/artist blood, sweat and tears have gone into it. Its like modern art. There is rarely any effort in it just people being incredibly stupid and calling it art like Tracy Emin. That why I love RATM. because you can tell the amount of effort that went into almost every album. Just the raw passion and love for music.

 

[runtheplacered]

IMPORTANT: The definition of art here is the same as a painting or sculpture, something that just sounds beautiful, makes you think, sends a message whatever. If you have a different idea of what you consider art you can elaborate on that

Well there's Art and then there's "The Arts". Generally music falls under the latter category. However if you claim that any musician is artistic, it's my opinion that you then have to say that music in general is art. Otherwise you're just splitting hairs for the purposes of your own amusement.

But, on the other hand, I think there's certain bands (Perhaps NiN is one of them) that believe their own music is artistic and other bands that just play music for the sake of doing it, for money, for fame, or some other reason.

You can certainly do a whole lot worse then NiN when claiming that music is art, but I'm more into music that hasn't been done in a professional studio, backed by large sums of money. I just can't hear the soul in music when that's the case. I'm not going to sit here and name off bands, because there's just way too many.

However, I'll just sum it up and say that some of the most beautiful, inspiring, interesting, creative, and artistic music to my own personal eardrums would have to be Jazz and certain forms of Electronic music. But, that's just me, not reality.

Isn't electronic music usually also done in studios and whatnot? Not that I disagree with you but it just seems weird when you mention you find live performed music containing more artistic feel and soul and then you give electronic music as an example.

For the record I do agree that some electro bands create art

Also, for an example of non-artistic music, there's always chacaronne and Soulja Boy. Although I'm not even sure if that can be classified as music.

The term "electronic music" is such a broad catagory which ranges anywhere from Venetian Snares to Mum to the Chemical Brothers, and none of those muscians sound anything alike. Then there's the club/rave scene which unfortunately gets lumped into electronic music, such as Trance, techno, drum and bass, and stuff like that.

However the low cost of computers have really made it so that the majority of electronic music is made right in peoples living rooms/bedrooms. It takes very little money to create the music itself, however the more you have, the more diverse you can be. But, I would say that most of the electronic music that I personally listen to has no record deals, or if they do it's with a no-name producer, and was made right in their own bedrooms.

"Electronic music"I've never been a big fan of those words.

Boards of Canada, Mum, Chris Clark, Animal Collective, Arovane, Amon Tobin, B. Fleischmann, Casino Vs. Japan, Bogdan Raczynski, Frog Pocket, Nautilis, Takeshi Muto. What do you call the genre that these muscians belong to? There just isn't really a good name for it, yet. Maybe that's one of the many things that draws me to music like that.

 

[hamster mk 4]

Trying to define art is a scholarly debate that has been raging for years. Unlike science ,which is clearly defined as being provable and repeatable, art means different things to different people. So I am going to define art as anything that is not science ie not provable or repeatable. You can't rigorously prove music is good, as all you need it one person with different taste to say "no it is not" to prove false/inconclusive. If some one else were to repeat the exact same steps to make a song as the original creator, it almost certainly would not be a success. Hence music is art because it is defiantly not science.

 

[runtheplacered]

Trying to define art is a scholarly debate that has been raging for years. Unlike science ,which is clearly defined as being provable and repeatable, art means different things to different people. So I am going to define art as anything that is not science ie not provable or repeatable. You can't rigorously prove music is good, as all you need it one person with different taste to say "no it is not" to prove false/inconclusive. If some one else were to repeat the exact same steps to make a song as the original creator, it almost certainly would not be a success. Hence music is art because it is defiantly not science.

Art's already been defined by scholars though.

Not really. There is no group of people who are certified to know "all things", that never debate each other and always agree. Even if there was, I still wouldn't stop thinking for myself.

 

[Nurb]

In the broad sense, any form of expression that does not relate to survival is art. So yes, music is art.

 

[Neosage]

I disagree some of the more modern music, you know the stuff using loads of computer editing......oh wait that isn't music, silly me.

Bullshit.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=LpocrqvP2Yg this is music?