In the last 15 years, technology has developed rapidly and gifted Millennials, Gen X and generations to follow the ability to access music the easiest way society has ever seen. Currently, it takes all but 15 seconds to unlock a smartphone, open a streaming app and play whatever song comes to mind.
The new generations of teens and young adults are very fortunate in the way this has created a bond between them and bridges an age gap together with popular musicians and songs.
What is less apparent is how this bond becomes torn when an artist or song is laid to rest.
On Friday, Sept. 7, millions of fans said goodbye to Mac Miller, a rapper who had been bringing young people together for more than eight years. Miller seemed to have overdosed and passed after struggling with drug abuse for years.
Immediately after the devastating news broke out, people shared their testimonies on social media of how they were personally touched by Miller’s music.
On the Tuesday to follow, a vigil was held at Pittsburgh’s Blue Slide Park where his debut studio album gained its name. The slide earned a new, vibrant coat of blue paint before thousands of fans arrived to celebrate Miller’s life and the music that left an impression on everyone in attendance. Fans left heartfelt letters and flowers to memorialize him and his talent.
Days after, the world famous pop-punk band Paramore announced that they were retiring their beloved song “Misery Business” from their live shows. A problematic line in the song did not age well, and front-woman Hayley Williams, along with the rest of the band, did not want to perpetuate it any longer.
This, too, caused a similar, albeit less catastrophic, riff in a musical tie that bonded so many together. Fans broke into argument and confusion over the news. Some argued that the song itself held importance over the non-feminist values that the single line exploited, but the band stood by their noble decision.
Music like Miller’s and Paramore’s shaped the minds and hearts of young people. When it is unexpectedly stripped away, it causes damage that is much deeper than what was ever thought possible before. Growing up with certain artists and songs and then losing them can be a loss similar to losing a loved one, and that became evident in the last few weeks.
As a group of people bonded together and so easily affected by wonderful musicians, it is only natural to want to keep the memories of them and their nostalgic lyrics alive. Thankfully with music, that is not a hard thing to do.