music and stuart hall

“The great social collectivities which used to stabilize our identities-the great stable collectivities of class, race, gender and nation- have been, in our times, deeply undermined by social and political developments”. This quote by Stuart Hall summaries the transgression of the personal identity for the past several centuries, describing how identities of class, race, gender and nationality have been challenged by social movements, politics, and popular culture. As a major piece of culture and social movements, music has served a role in shaping and dissolving these identities- some more than others. As a result, how we each see ourselves as individuals is drastically different than how we may see ourselves in the absence of music.
Music has a great ability to shape society. It’s played roles in religious ceremonies, lavish parties for aristocrats, and, recently, shaping the public’s perspective. Once, music was largely a form of entertainment: composers being paid to write symphonies for kings and so forth. The listener, other than a good time, takes nothing away from the experience. No light is shed and thus there is no enlightenment. Now, skip forward a few centuries, music is largely lyrical, and with those lyrics the artist imposes his thoughts, feelings, and perceptions onto his or her listeners. A statement can be made against political leaders or for a social movement. Music is the greatest social development yet to challenge predetermined perceptions on class, race, gender or nationality. Music gives individuals an opportunity to reexamine an aspect of their lives. Then, they begin to rethink whether or not they truly identify with this aspect of their identity. As a result, music alters their identity through self-examination, brought on by realizations resulting from listening to the lyrics in the music.
Music is a social movement that has undermined the great social collectivities, as defined by Stuart Hall. It has an ability to make an individual reexamine and reconsider their ties to certain identities, ranging from social class to gender. The lyrics are where the bulk of an artist’s message can be found, and as such, they are what cause a person to alter his or her identity. As a result, a person’s identity formation and evolution is catalyzed by listening to music.