Music In Vogue

Music in Vogue
COVER STORY
Published in 'Nation On Campus' [The Nation]
January 4th, 2006

There has been a phenomenal growth in the electronic media industry in Pakistan and as a result this has had vast repercussions on the music industry and the society as a whole as well as on the youth in specific. Electronic media is defined as those communication mediums which are based on electronic or electromechanical means of production and most often distinguished from print media. The primary electronic media sources familiar to the general public worldwide include radio, sound recordings, television, video recording, and streaming internet content. Over the past few years, the industry in Pakistan has displayed an unprecedented boom in media outlets. This uprising has brought with it many challenges, but it has also created new opportunities for the evolving local music industry. This is a particularly ripe time to evaluate the relationship between electronic media and music promotion and their combined affect on society and the youth in particular.

Internationally, and especially in the developed countries, growth in the media industry has been going on for ages and remains one of the most vibrant sectors. What has caused the revolution in Pakistan’s media industry is the recent liberalization of media policy afforded by the government. As a result, television, radio and the internet have further seeped into our society with effects of paramount importance, whether positive or negative. Media and society now come together in a new way.

Music in Vogue
Music is in vogue in Pakistan and electronic media is its primary medium of communication. If one reviews the change that has taken place in the content of music in Pakistan, in the early days “Pop revolved around kurta-shalwar clad, flag hoisting singers with songs of love and patriotism”. This was perhaps a result of the socio-political turmoil that Pakistan was experiencing at the time. Next came the “Western” influence which translated in to some original and some copied tunes and beats. Today, however “we either sing about national lies or 'ishq'”. The time has come to take a good hard look at the “quality” of music being produced and move to more important “subjects” which are relevant for our youth today. Music videos and lyrics should be used to educate the youth on matters such as “drugs”, “depression”, “survival” rather than just “love”.

Music has always been a culturally strong influence in the sub-continent. Pakistan has moved from an inherently traditional form of music to a diversification of sounds, tunes, beats and melodies which has lead to an amalgamation of “new” music. This “new” music is now looking for fresh and innovative avenues through which it can reach the Pakistani Youth – its intended target market. The growth in the number of music TV and radio channels combined with the relaxation of government censorship rules is trying to do exactly this.

It’s Impact
TV is found to be the better medium for communication and promotion of music both in Pakistan and globally. The reason identified for this is the simultaneous audio and visual stimulation provided by TV to the youth. TV is a medium which people of all ages can watch; there is no way of preventing a certain group from watching. Thus, children, adolescents, and adults are equally exposed to the positive and negative aspects of this medium. Some of the benefits which are available to the youth today are:

• An opportunity to identify with a specific genre of music
• An opportunity to follow the music careers of one’s favorite musicians/ singers
• Availability of a large amount of information pertaining to the local and global music scenes
• An opportunity to have an impact on music in Pakistan by requesting/ voting for a particular number
• An urge to take up music as a career

Stereotypes & Violence
Everything good usually also has a negative side to it. In this case, TV (music videos and lyrics) can represent an exaggerated version of an idea, concept or emotion (primarily love) which can play havoc with many young impressionable minds. Throughout the history of music in Pakistan, one can see how music has influenced the youth in terms of their dressing and behavior patterns. Music videos also have a tendency of supporting and representing conventional gender roles which can be emulated by the youth to their detriment. This is a form of “stereotyping” through music. Another cause of concern is the “violence” which is associated with the “hard rock” genre of music. Both the lyrics and beats of certain music videos/ songs can induce trance like states where one can become delusional and perhaps behave in a manner other than usual. “Head banging” is a phenomena which has begun at concerts in Pakistan and which sometimes gets out of hand and leads to the crowd becoming rowdy.

Portrayal of Gender Inequality
The misrepresentation of the male and female and their respective roles in society, shown in music videos and portrayed through lyrics is something almost everyone has noticed. Isn’t it uncanny how almost each and every music video shows the girl having certain, very so called “feminine” physical and emotional attributes? Why is the guy always chasing the girl? Or for that matter why does every music video have to tell a story of ‘Love’? Is this what media is trying to teach us? Is it trying to sensationalize the concept of love and portray it as the only kind of relationship possible between the two genders? The trend even today has been to show women as the weaker sex and an object of desire and beauty in music videos. Through out time it is the love songs that have been the most popular and it is about this one human emotion in particular that every artist has chosen to sing at one time or another. However inequality of the sexes always manages to seep through in the final message being sent to the viewer or listener.

What the youth thinks
The youth is very gung ho about the whole electronic media revolution which is taking place in Pakistan. They feel that all mediums have opened up new avenues for them to listen to and identify with various genres of music in Pakistan. They like the “interactive” aspect of modern day electronic media portrayal of music. Youth in Pakistan is becoming more confident of their likes and dislikes and they are glad that they have the forums for voicing their opinions. They feel as if they are making a difference.

However, it is essential for the media to be responsible in its dissemination of images and messages through music and to ensure that the youth is not confused about their identities as a result. Misrepresentations, stereotypes and other such negative portrayals should be avoided. The young minds that media targets are fragile and susceptible.


By Fariha Rashed.