Discovering Our Own Identity Through Music?

       After watching Frontline's "Merchants of Cool", one specific moment that stuck with me was when a guy interviewed fans of an uprising rock band called Insane Clown Posse in Detroit, Illinois. This genre of music is known as "rage rock", and personally, I have never heard songs from this genre before watching the video. The fans in line had their faces painted like clowns, but they used black and white paint to represent the band's colors. These teens said that the reason why they were so dedicated to this band was that it gave them a place where they felt belonged and felt free to express themselves- without being judged. This band made them felt as if they had something of their own because Insane Clown Posse's music was not mainstream or played on the radio. I, too, feel that once a song is played on the radio, it becomes overplayed, and it no longer feels special because everyone else will know it. For me, I become annoyed with the songs on the radio, which is why I do not listen to pop music as much anymore. When millions of people start to listen to the same songs and listen to the same artists, I think it takes away this connection you feel with the lyrics. I believe that when you listen to non-mainstream artists, you are broadening your perception to other artists out there. As human beings, we all naturally try to find things, whether its songs or clothes, that make us unique and "cool" from everyone else. In society, people categorize others and place labels on them, so they have something to compare their own identities to.
       Music is a very important aspect of people's lives, for it is a way in which we can express our emotions. I listen to music before school, during passing periods, and through the long nights of doing homework; it has played a large part in my life. Through music, we try to find our own style and identity. For example, my friend Stephanie and I recommend new songs to each other, every month. One day, she told me to listen to "Saved" by Khalid, and I was immediately intrigued because I have never heard of Khalid before. When she had introduced me to Khalid, he was not a mainstream artist, and his songs were only on Soundcloud. Khalid's music meant a lot to me because not a lot of people knew him at that time. However, just in the last few years, his fame had exploded; today, he has more than 35 million monthly listeners on Spotify. I was very proud because he gained the recognition he deserved for his heartfelt songs. Before discovering non-mainstream artists, I used to always listen to what was popular on the radio, but now I realize that I take pride in discovering new artists who are just as talented. t