1 . Music is a powerful thing. It awakens feelings and has the power to bring people together. But today, artists are not known for their music, but for how flashy their clothing is and how many times their wealthy relatives can get them out of jail(监狱). And thus, their music is lost.
Pop and rap music has developed into a shallow, image-addicted industry that lines up with what the public wants to hear and see, removing the focus on the actual music. Mainstream music is no longer composed of emotion, but instead, themes of money and fame. Photos and rumors fly while the music is ignored.
Not all musical groups or individual artists begin like this. Many of these artists are original and talented, but turn to the money side. Often their songs are written by experts who know what is appealing to a certain age group, and the musicians’ faces can be seen on countless magazine covers. Soon their supposedly new and improved songs can be heard blasting out of car windows. But these songs are totally empty, lacking creativity and the original thirst of the artist to make an impact or convey(传递) a message.
MTV is not helping. It plays only what the public wants to hear. And unfortunately, the majority seems interested in either sickly sweet, generic pop or stereotypical(刻板的), bleeped-out rap. Kids and teens everywhere are swimming in these songs, which are often degrading to women and minorities, and inappropriate.
Almost all the girls in my dorm are addicted to the same songs. This was the case the previous year, and the year before that. Whenever I try to play music I enjoy, or introduce them to some decent songs, they say that everyone except me likes their music.
Why do most teenagers only listen to pop and rap music when so many other types exist? Maybe it’s because everywhere we look, we are bombarded with the same music: on the radio, on TV, on the computer. At school, pop and rap are discussed all the time. Perhaps they have never listened to anything else. Or maybe peer pressure is part of it.
There is no solution to the “pop problem”. It’s called popular for a reason—many people enjoy it. There’s no easy way to change their views. My suggestion is not to buy music like this when you can explore something new. Expand your horizons. Dig up your parents’ old records and CDs. You never know what you might find.
1. The author probably prefers ______.| A．new pop songs meant for girls | B．original songs with deep meaning |
| C．catchy songs produced by popular singers | D．never-heard-before songs just recently discovered |
| A．Many artists trade creativity for wealth and fame. |
| B．The public is responsible for the existence of music. |
| C．MTV promotes the songs favored by women and minorities. |
| D．Musicians singing about money is an ineffective way to attract fans. |
| A．Try to respect your peers’ music tastes. |
| B．Deal with the “pop problem” patiently. |
| C．Expose yourself to various music styles. |
| D．Treasure the music from previous generations. |
