Finding personal interactions can become pretty fruitless in most cases. The ability to say we are connected to others because of our phones is redundant and seems to be a substitute for connection. To me, there is still the easiest of personal interactions at our fingertips. Sharing music with someone is the interaction, and if done correctly, the experience can be revealing, or beneficial, for most individuals.
A song that someone else shows you will always be tied to the introducer, for a few reasons. The introducer has done something quite momentous; they have revealed a part of themselves to you. Showing someone your music is revealing. If it’s not, then you’re doing it wrong. I do not mean that you are showing the music wrong, but you are just cheating music of its full potential.
When I choose to show someone music that has influenced me, my whole body is riddled with anxiety. I talk rapidly; my voice quivers; maybe my body shakes, depending on the song. For someone to dislike the song is like disliking a tiny sliver of what makes me whole. It’s a tiny sliver, infinitesimal really, but a sliver nonetheless. Showing someone music is intimate. Normally, I contemplate at length the decision to reveal this part of myself and if exposing myself will be worth the risk. Normally, I’m bold and throw it out into the mix and see if it floats, but I still keep certain songs for myself. These songs tend to be larger than a sliver.
On the other side of this exchange is the receiver of the song. Being the receiver is a gift in itself because it signifies a bond that can be furthered through the understanding of someone through their music. I believe that the music genres and sounds we prefer can be considered reflections of our personalities, histories, or interests. The songs that we may think “define” us most likely reflect these individual aspects.
I’d say there’s a fair chance that someone introduced you to one of the songs that you’ve been listening to on a daily basis. It may have been your parents, or an old friend, or a more recent friend, but it’s thanks to them that this song makes the list. That list of songs that you currently listen to is a reflection of your mood or experiences at this moment. Personally, I’m attached to loud music right now, with clashing sounds. It’s a reflection of the thrashing feelings I feel about senior year. It’s the conflict between being involved so that I may get a job and being present for my friends, myself, and Tuscaloosa. It’s how you choose to define yourself through sonically appealing art. That may seem far-fetched and like a convoluted thought process, but that’s how much it means to me.
