Final Project - Music in Society

 Introduction

Throughout the centuries, different societies have used music for many purposes. In some eras music was used ritualistically to celebrate religious observances, in others it became a source of secularized entertainment, but in every instance, each note and word provides a deliberate meaning. In general, a song has only a few brief minutes to entice and inspire its listeners, so there is a profound allocation of intentionality behind every beat. These intentions are often related to something the composer feels responsible to address with their audience based on their experiences and moral convictions. The remarkable variety of music allows listeners to find ideas and circumstances that reflect their own journeys, thus mass audiences engage with explorations of the human condition. The works that focus on widely relatable topics tend to provide people with a sense of connection, however, the compositions that address the indecorous realities of existence galvanize revolution. Hence, music incites social change by exposing neglected systemic injustices through transgressive sounds and messages that provoke indifferent audiences to enact reform on behalf of the marginalized.

Example #1: “Man in Black” by Johnny Cash

Johnny Cash has long been regarded for his bold style, and from the beginning of his career he performed songs that included promiscuous subject matter, which were especially controversial for their time. He sang about debauchery and crime as much as he sang about his emotions and genuine experiences at the beginning of his career, and he was especially criticized for his decision to perform at prisons (Foley). As Cash rose to icon status, he began to use his platform differently, instead focusing on broader messages that expressed the oppression and mistreatment he had witnessed and experienced. The Guardian asserts that his song “Man in Black” exemplifies this change by emphasizing that it was “long on feeling and empathy, and short on ideology and partisanship,” as Cash listed the many grievances present in America at the time following the Vietnam War and the Civil Rights movement, despite the fact that country music at the time typically expressed devout patriotism (Foley). 

“Man in Black”

Johnny Cash

1971

Nashville, TN

Cash’s vocals in this song are especially distinct from his other works, as he embraces a rougher, wearier timbre than his usual smooth, rich sound, conveying that his conviction goes beyond showmanship. This sincere foundation makes Cash’s lyrical decisions all the more impactful, as this timbre conveys the grief and repugnance towards the conditions he describes in “I wear the black for the poor and the beaten down / Living on the hopeless side of town” and “I wear it for the prisoner who has long paid for his crime / But is there because he’s a victim of the times”. With the economy in good standing for most and the media’s emphasis on having an outward display of cordial perfection, poverty and incarceration were considered taboo. Cash broke the social standard by addressing such impolite topics, and these descriptive triggering words were calculated to stun and engage the audience. Then, Cash breaks the traditional form of country music, as he omits a chorus and instead moves from verse to verse listing the grievances he had watched society overlook in this time of prosperity. This consistency allows for Cash to better  control the audience's attention through dynamics, as he uses only a subtle guitar line to accentuate his loud, assertive vocals and he stresses the issues he most wants the audience to remember with an even bolder volume. With the listeners at his disposal, Cash made an uninterrupted declaration to all of his audiences: just because the world was hospitable for most individuals, there was still suffering among the disadvantaged members of society that he rebelled against daily through his black clothing. As he toured across the nation through college campuses and historic concert halls (Foley), he presented this call to action to his audiences to raise awareness on an unprecedented level.

As times have changed, so have the societal standards of polite conversation. During Cash’s time it was the socioeconomic disparity that created a source of tension among public groups, but, with the help of advocates such as Cash, this has turned around in recent decades and there is now a strong public presence that seeks to aid the individuals that are suffering financially. However, personal violations, such as sexual harassment and assault, have become the most contentious topics, so it is as important as ever that we continue to have accomplished individuals set examples and raise awareness for the upcoming generations to carry on the improvement of society.

Example #2: “Praying” by Kesha

  In the early 2000’s, Kesha was one of the typical pop music icons whose public persona was centered on rebellious partying. However, she revealed in late 2014 that during that time she had been repeatedly sexually assaulted by her producer, Lukasz Gottwald (Speltz). Her lawsuit had been a shock for the media due to how sensitive the topic was considered to be, and it incited a drastic drawback in her career. She spoke out about the perpetual harassment she faced in the music industry during the 2000s and liberties that trusted members of her inner circle had taken with her. She lost the case, however, she was not silenced by this setback. She released the song “Praying” to revise her image to reflect the vulnerability and grit that she had kept undisclosed during her early career. The song became a staple for the #MeToo movement that many victims of sexual assault used to raise awareness for the underreported prevalence of the offense (Speltz). In publicly addressing the suffering caused by such an ineffable crime and resulting in the temporary loss of the public’s respect, Kesha demonstrated the stigmatization against sexual assault victims. However, when she released “Praying” as a demonstration of her personal growth, she gradually returned to prominence, demonstrating how the movement, assisted by her music, had directly altered the public perception of sexual assault victims.

“Praying”

Kesha Sebert

2017

Los Angeles, CA

Similar to “Man in Black” this song begins with an intro that stands in sharp contrast to the artist's typical vocal style. Contrary to the boisterous, party-centric pop music that had made her so popular, this song begins soft and quiet, symbolic to how her oppressors' manipulation had silenced her. The melody is stagnant and mild, conveying the desolation that she lived in as a victim of sexual assault. Kesha describes her experience and the perennial fear and pain that she carried in stating, “Cause you brought the flames and you put me through Hell / I had to learn how to fight for myself “, delivering the lines in  a breathless, shallow timbre, to emphasize the unending torment she felt as her mental health and sense of self declined while her trauma accrued.

 As the song's focus shifts from her aggressor's transgressions to her new-found power and peace, the dynamics change and the overall volume steps up gradually with each declaration, leading up to the bridge. Both her volume and vocal clarity increase, as the melody gets more intricate when she begins to build in powerful high notes and vocal runs as she recounts her healing journey. She demonstrates just how much she has grown as she calls back on the lyric from verse one, “Told me that I was nothing without you”, by asserting, “Cause I can make it on my own / And I don’t need you, I’ve found a strength I’ve never known”. She highlights her strength, she sings louder and more focused as she delivers a piercing high note that supersedes any expectations for her vocal capabilities based on her prior works. This dramatic musical and emotional growth is what inspired members of the #MeToo movement to confront what had happened to them because they found hope in what Kesha had made of herself after what she had endured. 

Conclusion

 

Each of these elements makes music a powerful contributor to social reform because it engages listeners with a multitude of complex overlapping soundscapes that no speech or writing could ever capture. The Psychological Science Observer explains that, “Because music transcends traditional boundaries, it can communicate social and political messages more effectively than other forms of public discourse” (Byrd and Levy). These brief songs travel farther and faster than any other medium is capable of, inciting social change at an unparalleled rate and uniting the hearts and minds of all who seek a revolution for justice. This is seen across decades as Johnny Cash and Kesha both reshape the social expectations of their time by addressing the neglected social disparities, from poverty to sexual abuse. As society progresses, it is the responsibility of each member to break down these uncomfortable topics so that the collective can uproot these injustices at their source, ensuring that the future generations may relish a firmer sense of domestic tranquility.

Works Cited:

Byrd, Daniel C., and Denise L. Levy. “Exploring Social Justice through Music.” APS Observer, vol. 26, no. 4, 1 Apr. 2013, https://www.psychologicalscience.org/observer/exploring-social-justice-through-music. Accessed 1 Dec. 2025.

Foley, Michael Stewart. “Man in Black at 50: Johnny Cash’s Empathy Is Needed More than Ever.” The Guardian, 31 May 2021, https://www.theguardian.com/music/2021/may/31/man-in-black-at-50-johnny-cashs-empathy-is-needed-more-than-ever. Accessed 1 Dec. 2025.

JohnnyCashVEVO. “Johnny Cash - Man in Black (the Best of the Johnny Cash TV Show).” YouTube, 11 Dec. 2019, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDd32K-mOVw. Accessed 30 Nov. 2025.

kesha. “Kesha - Praying (Official Video).” YouTube, 6 July 2017, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-Dur3uXXCQ. Accessed 30 Nov. 2025.

Speltz, Josie. “Timeline: The History behind Kesha’s “Praying.”” Iowa State Daily, 29 Jan. 2018, 

https://iowastatedaily.com/43676/limelight/timeline-the-history-behind-keshas-praying/. Accessed 1 Dec. 2025.

My Personal Journey

The most important thing that I learned from this course is what I am capable of when I commit to something. My first semester of college has been full of challenges from more fronts than I ever would have imagined, yet I still managed to grow. At the beginning,  I was unsure of my abilities, and I doubted whether or not I was ready to move forward, but I kept pushing through each assignment with everything I had. I used every assignment and every point of feedback to improve, and I looked deeper into the music that I listen to everyday than I have ever thought to before. Now, I have realized just how much potential I have. Over the course of this semester I have seen my writing get stronger, my understanding of musical elements go deeper, and I no longer doubt my ability to accomplish my goals.