Music is an art form that is always in a changing state. You wouldn’t expect music from the 19th century to sound even remotely similar to music from the 21st century. Even in a matter of five years, music is reshaped in subtle ways that are hardly perceptible, but when examined closely, you’re able to see how music has changed.
For example, in one of my recent columns, I talked about the evolution of indie rock music. Guitars were a prominent part of indie music in the early 2000s, with bands such as Interpol and The Strokes receiving plenty of recognition. However, as time progressed, electronic components became the focal point, with artists such as CHVRCHES and Robert DeLong rising in popularity. Even in that short amount of time, music can shift among different mediums and textures.
While most people would agree that musical evolution is important, not everyone is happy with the actual result. For example, M83’s _Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming_ was both a critical and commercial success, garnering plenty of praise (and deservingly so). Five years later, when M83’s eccentric, unconventional album _Junk_ was released, many fans were disappointed. _Junk_ sounded nothing like _Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming_, and many fans’ expectations were shattered.
While I’ll agree that _Junk_ was nowhere near as good as _Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming_, I didn’t want Anthony Gonzalez, the brain behind M83, to make the same album twice. I wanted to hear something new and refreshing, rather than something I’ve already heard. In that sense, Gonzalez succeeded. If Gonzalez had made a record that sounded very similar to his last record, then his music wouldn’t be evolving. It would have stayed stagnant instead of changing with the times.
An example of musical evolution that fans responded more positively to is Bon Iver’s latest album, _22, A Million_. Bon Iver’s debut LP, _For Emma, Forever Ago_ was a small collection of indie-folk tunes. Two albums later, when he released _22, A Million_, people were surprised, but pleasantly so. The general consensus was that the new album was a far cry from their previous two albums, but it embraced the experimental and unconventional in a remarkably artistic way. The symbolic representations and the glitchy electronic aspects were unprecedented in indie music. This is a great example of musical evolution.
Some people embrace pure musical evolution (as with Bon Iver), yet some people prefer that the artist creates something similar to their other works. Some artists may not change their sound in such an overt way like Bon Iver or M83, but subtly reinvent themselves over time. Vampire Weekend did this in the time between their self-titled debut and _Modern Vampires of the City_. Two Door Cinema Club did this as well, shifting from their energetic, upbeat debut album _Tourist History_ to their funk-infused, more mature album, _Gameshow_.
With that being said, musical evolution comes in different forms, just like music itself. Some forms are more subtle, while some are more explicit. However, all forms of musical evolution are equally important. Each variation of it aids in the progression and the innovation of music.
Not only does musical evolution impact consumers, but it also impacts artists. Musicians know that they have to change and grow as artists. Thus, they are forced to think outside of the box and come up with something new. Musical evolution puts artists in a perpetual state of self-evaluation and innovation. It is the basis of their careers, because if they don’t change and flourish, then fans will lose interest in them, because fans don’t want to hear something they’ve already heard.
One question I always ask myself is: “What’s music going to sound like in 50 years?” Only time will tell, and in a sense, only musical evolution will tell. It’s important for artists to reinvent themselves in different ways, so that we, as music listeners, always have something new and refreshing to listen to.
If we don’t have something new to listen to, it’s easy for music to bore us. Without musical evolution, we would eventually lose interest in music. It’s important that we constantly have something new to listen to so that we reinforce the art. By demonstrating that we want something new and unprecedented, that helps music change as an art form.
It’s important that music constantly changes because without change and innovation, there is no sense of creativity. Creativity is the very foundation of music and art itself, so it’s imperative that we, as music listeners, support the foundation of creativity and music by showing an interest in its evolution.
