There are different ideas to what the term: "Social music" really means; for some it's the whole concept of music played and shared with other humans while traveling from one point to the next one; for others it refers to the music indulged by a determined group of individuals who share a little bit more than the taste for that particular genre and to the rest is the music that is played at specific celebrations.



Regardless of the true meaning of "Social music" there is no better way to excel at it than to treat it with the respect that all music deserve and demand in order to be successful.

If it's a performer that take on the definition of social music as the one that is played in human festivities: Weddings, birthdays, graduations and funerals, then his or her mission is to excel in the performing and writing the lyrics and music that will accord to such events. This is not an easy mission and more often than not he or she will find more than one situation that will require additional patience and some extra work. Writing for special occasions requires the composer (regardless if the composer specializes in music or lyrics) to tune to the emotion that will be transmitted through the composed piece; the same thing goes for the performer; it seems inappropriate for a funeral performer to present to the job in shiny clothes and a big smile.

If it's a person that is taking on the definition of the group of people that share more than the taste for the genre, then as a musical writer or a lyrics composer there is a evident responsibility to use their gifts to enhance moral and ethical values; there are studies published that state that young people who listen to rap have a bigger tendency to commit crimes and felonies than those who just listen to pop music or even classical music.

It does not matter if such researches are clinging to a hot nail or not. The responsibility is just the same; songs that state that is ok to kill a family, hit a dog or rape a woman are not socially responsible because they emphasize moral lacking activities. Regardless of their illegality, there is an obvious note that music can make a difference in the world and it's the responsibility of everyone to make a good impact in the world.

This responsibility expands to the social music that is played and shared with other human beings whether it is the singles charts hit oozing from the set of the headphones of the boy in the bus or as the ambient sound of a music video playing on a cafeteria TV, there is a responsibility to choose properly and to share appropriate music that will make a more friendly and stress free world.

The power of music is great and the first masters that weald this power are the musical composer and the lyricist. If they write the appropriate things, then the performers must excel themselves to keep up to the standards giving way to more cultural and responsible listeners and in the end, to a better world.