In your opinion, what makes the biggest impact on music?

[YoungCapone]

To be clear, YES I know this is a very broad question and YES I know there are a million different answers. I’m just very curious what everyone thinks about this and would love to hear as many perspectives as possible. In your opinion, what makes people enjoy listening to music/ what makes music compelling/ what makes you want to listen to it again, There are no wrong answers...GO!

 

[Fade]

For me it's an escape and it makes me feel good.

 

[OGBama]

For me it's mixing techniques that brings voices and/or instruments front and center although I'm lyrics inclined.

 

[2GooD Productions]

Emotion, real feelings and story telling make a great song. Something that people can relate to.
Musically for me, I like great bass and good drums. All my favorite tracks are because of the basslines. From "Sally's Got A One Track Mind", to "Stray Bullet", to "Soul On Ice" Diamond D remix, to "New York State of Mind", its always about that bass for me.

Music for me from a producer point of view is about releasing emotions, music has been there for me when nothing else has been, its gotten me through some really tough times. Its good to be able to take your mind off the real world problems when you can get in the zone and occupy your mind and time with therapeutic music and release that stress before it causes trouble. Its also about having my "art" appreciated by others, although thats not my main goal, it is what keeps me going. We all seek validation from others, in some form or another whether we admit it or not, its nice to feel appreciated from time to time, or to be "accepted" by the peer group.

Aristotle famously wrote, “The more you know, the more you realise you don't know.”
That is so true in the world of music production, the deeper you go, the ever deeper it gets.

 

[Memento Beats]

People listen to music due to various reasons. In my opinion the most important one is the fact that it helps them enter certain states of mind. I mean some music motivates them, some people helps them think/concentrate, some helps them relax etc.

Personally, I have a tendency to attach certain songs to events from my life. Basically, if I hear them I have in mind the situations in which I used to listen to them a lot or just heard them then.

As a person who makes music my way of perceiving it was changing throughout the years. I looked at different aspects of it and they depended on what I was seeking for at that time. When I was strongly into heavy music and I only played the guitar I was looking for things that would help me improve my guitar playing. Most of the time I seek for something that allows me learn something new when it comes to making music. Of course it depends because I don't always listen to music and analyse it. Sometimes I just hear something that stays in my brain and this is the reason why I dig it later.

So concluding, in my case there are three reasons why I listen to music:

- I seek for something that will help me improve my skills.
- I listen to songs that I associate with various events in my life.
- I listen to songs that catch my ear and I just enjoy them.

 

[camoflaugejeep]

to me the most impactful music is that which breaks new ground and shifts the trends of what people rock with. for example, Pop Smoke (RIP) was one of the most impactful artists of 2019 in my eyes because of how he brought the UK Drill sound to the US and introduced a lot of new listeners to the genre. One might argue that his rapping skills weren't up to the highest level, but it goes without a saying that he started a whole new wave for Brooklyn rappers and all of rap in general. Ever since Pop Smoke came out numerous big names have been using AXL or 808Melo beats. just my opinion and one example this isn't to say pop smoke is the best out or that other people aren't impactful in comparison

 

[2GooD Productions]

Definitely large kick drums have the most impact.
But getting hit by a piano must hurt

 

[Fury Beats]

Definitely it's about the technological advances and shifts that have occurred over the years. For example, you don't have to have a huge studio with $1000s in equipment to make records. Then also with advent of the Internet, the distribution and consumption model for music has drastically shifted. I am still wondering how beats and music will be produced in 10 or 15 years from now. Maybe some type of machine learning or A.I. algorithm will be able to do it instead, but then again, maybe not because to make descent music, you still need to have some type of soul/rhythm.

 

[YannFer]

I agree with @2GooD Productions. Some call it the feeling, the groove, the bounce... Whatever. It has to do with the drum and the bassline interacting.
Also yes, some great songs do not have these elements. But it works the same with piano transients and lower notes.
I noticed that great piano+vocal only songs always have lots of chords inversion to allow for a good bassline. Because by being ascending or descending or whatever else, that's what sets the mood of the song and transmits emotions.