Influence of Music vs. Books Essay

Music and books are active ingredients in our lives. They possess so much influential power which we use those influences everyday of our lives without even realizing it. We all have a favorite book that we read in elementary school or high school that taught us a lesson or that we related to. With that comes this influence that stays with us throughout our lives, we are able to take that influence and turn it into the reason we are the way we are or why we tend to make the decisions that we make. Most of us also have a favorite song or artist that sings a song that can take us to a certain place in our lives that was a happy time or even a sad time. We relate words and melody in a song to those influences we let take hold of us and frame our mind set in similar situations that make us so fond of the song or a particular type of music. Whether it be books or music, we are influenced by these two things, but which is the most beneficial? Books will challenge us and force an influence that is more positive than what music can bring to the table. Not all is bad in the music and books world. Let’s face it, we can learn tons from both of these forms of art. When it comes to music, just like books, there is a wide variety to choose from. The scope of books The different styles of books and music vary from person to person and not one style is better that the other. Music has many genres; rap, hip hop, r&b, country, sould, classical, jazz, blue grass, alternative and more. Books has many genres as well; mystery, western, teen, childrens and more. They both possess the power to bring out many emotions. Books have been developing over the years and the stories have gotten more intense and diverse. Music has also come a long way throughout time and so much has developed with the music scene. Certain types of music, as well as books, can reach people of all different ages and bring something out in them that nothing else can. Music today, that is most popular, has all sorts of curse words and disgusting messages in the song lyrics. Books can only convey so much. A book that a child would read in high school would have less of an influence for the simple fact that I don’t think many kinds like to read anyways. There is so much going on with the popular music scene, as far as it shaping the way that our kids dress nowadays to the decisions that they choose to  make. A child can tell you what the latest gossip is about their favorite musical artist is, rather than the title of the last book they read. If they were given an assignment to read in school, most would probably tell you that they have never really read a book completely that they were assigned to read in school. Most of the time it is the work of SparkNotes, a website most kids trust to tell them the summary of chapters of a particular book, that does the reading for them. So the influence of music has such a greater effect than a book would on a child. In conclusion books force an influence that is more positive that what music can bring to the table, but how does any of it mean anything if we have no control over those influences? Music can be a lovely thing for us to learn from but where does it end and where does it begin? Books contain so many lessons to be had and adventures to be made, but how can we take hold of them and all of the influence there? It is up to the reader and the love of music to decide what will influence them today, and the difference it will make tomorrow.