Mixed Messages The music industry is one of the largest stages where individuals convey messages. Some artists sell millions of records every year and manage to make their audience understand through their music. Unfortunately, the artists who sell the most records are often the ones who don't use music to send messages, but solely as a source of income. On the other hand, there are a handful of talented artists out there who use music as a platform to do good, using their lyrics to send positive messages. Many musicians use the music industry simply as a place to make money, but there are always musicians who use their lyrics to tell stories, send messages, and improve the music industry as a whole. Most mainstream music seems to be made up of songs that sell a lot of albums but have little lyrical meaning. Their lyrics are full of empty sayings and rhymes that are catchy to the ear but mean nothing more than their superficial value. For example, the artist One Direction, a popular boy band that has been in the public eye in recent years, released a song called "Best Song Ever." This song has lyrics like: And we danced all night to the best song ever. We knew every line. Now I can't remember. Whatever, but I know I won't forget her. Because we dance all night to the best song ever (One Direction). This song is literally just a catchy tune about the best song ever. There is no purpose, meaning, or anything important to the lyrics that would make them even slightly important. Somehow this nonsensical song was number two on the Billboard Hot 100 as of July 31, 2013. That means “Best Song Ever,” a song with lyrics no more complex than its title, was the number two most popular so… . middle of paper...city lyrics are used to those people who love a song without a deeper meaning or story behind it. Herd, Denise. “Changes in the Prevalence of Drug Use in Rap Music Songs, 1979–1997.” Addiction Research and Theory 16.2 (2008): 167-180. Elite academic research. Network. October 18, 2013. This source discusses the prevalence of drug use in modern music and all the topics in which it appears. A quote from this essay is used in my article to list a number of sources where drugs appear in modern music. Highlights how drugs are becoming common in the Salaam, Mtume ya sector. "The aesthetics of rap." African American Review 29.2 (1995): 303. Elite academic research. Network. November 12, 2013.Krohn, Franklin B. and Frances L. Suazo. “CONTEMPORARY URBAN MUSIC: Controversial Messages in Hip-Hop and Rap Lyrics.” ETC: A Review Of General Semantics 52.2 (1995): 139-154. Elite academic research. Network. November 14. 2013.