Brain Development In Young Adolescents By Peter Lorain: An Analysis

We’ve all heard music before. We listen to it every day. We sing it out for all the world to hear, whether we actually know how to sing in tune or not. Music is a large part of American society, American culture, and the American people. It’s in every aspect of our lives but somehow, it slips under the radar of importance. After all, how important can pop music with bad messages and even worse grammar be to an entire nation? In all honesty, it’s actually pretty important. Music in America is formulated, manufactured, and sold to the impressionable youths of our country. I know, it sounds like one of those huge conspiracy theories. And no matter how much I wish I could laugh and say it is just a huge made-up conspiracy to get TV ratings,
Significant intellectual processes are emerging.” This is the opening sentence in an article entitled “Brain Development in Young Adolescents,” by Peter Lorain. We transition from those thoughts of “whatever my parents say must be true” to “what if my parents aren’t exactly correct? What if I don’t agree with my parents?” It is within “this period of brain growth” that we mark “the beginning of a person's ability to do problem solving, think critically, plan, and control impulses.” Impulses, like, for example, what a teenager or young adult may or may not purchase. What they may or may not agree with when a new idea is first heard. What they may or may not like in clothing, style, or music. “This brain development cycle also impacts short-term memory. A middle school student can generally retain from 5 to 7 bits of information at one time,” sadly. One of the best ways to use that disadvantage, however, is through
Why? To get a message across. All three artists were valiantly in favor of the progression of the gay rights movement. All three wanted to garner support for the movement. All three are very much so popular artists whose names aren’t new to anyone.
So why not write a song about gay rights? Why not push out a message that is easy to understand, catchy, and is in favor of their own personal beliefs?
So that’s what happened, and still happens today. Music is still continually used to convey messages in that short span that aids in better message comprehension. For gay rights, it was Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Lady Gaga, and Christina Aguilera, as well as countless other artists all having songs written for them to sing and make money off of, because what better way to make money than play on our desire to express ourselves? With the even more recent #BlackLivesMatter movement, our singing frontrunners are Beyonce (“Formation”), Janelle Monae (“Hell You Talmbout”), and Kanye West (“Life of Pablo”).
These artists, though great and catchy, are making money off of our need to have purpose and be a part of society as teenagers. I’m not saying it’s wrong or right, I’m saying it is what it is. When a new hot topic comes out, famous artists come swooping in to save the day with some inspiration