The podcast for today’s post really interested me because I have always loved music, but never knew how far back its history actually went. As Dr. Bezio explained, music has influenced every human generation, and as such, it is perhaps the deeply engrained form of communication we have. The rhyming and melodic nature of music makes it incredibly easy to recall and regurgitate, which historically allowed traditions and histories to be passed down in a memorable way and withstand the challenge of time. In more modern contexts, music can be used to empower people and spread unifying messages across groups in an entertaining way, communicating messages more effectively than speeches or articles. By weaving messages of political change into pop culture and specifically widely heard songs, artists allow for overt and subconscious changes in political opinion or at least a starting point for discussions.

An extremely successful example of this is Beyonce’s “Formation,” which topped charts worldwide and spread the message of black female empowerment through the audio itself as well as its accompanying music video. The general theme behind the video is a vision of black power after centuries of oppression and slavery, forming a narrative of hope and resilience for black Americans. This was largely achieved by role reversals, such as black women in plantation clothing, and symbols of political change. For me, the sinking police car was the most noticeable of these symbols because as the video progressed, it sunk further and further into the water. I personally interpreted this as a representation of how protests will eventually enact change and limit the powers of the police, eventually rendering them useless like the sunken car. I remember watching the entire visual album for the first time and being deeply moved by the music and the cinematography behind it. But after six years of not seeing the video, I forgot about the message that it carried. I listen to the song often, but because of the music itself rather than the political message. Perhaps it’s because I was not the targeted audience, but I often forget the deeper political message because the lyrics alone are not as overtly political as songs like “This is America,” by Childish Gambino. I don’t believe that this is an issue because first and foremost music is designed to be enjoyed, but from now on I want to make a conscious effort to understand the deeper meanings behind the songs that I listen to.