Ok, so I’m finally submerging myself into the digital abyss of music known as iTunes. I was timid at first, fearing financial poverty, cramped hard drive space, and a library full of “not as good as when I first heard it” music. But I have set those fears aside and begun to explore what iTunes has to offer me. Keep in mind, though, that I still plan on maintaining my current level of musical snobbishness and strict particularity. This means that you won’t find me carelessly downloading any Maroon 5, Kelly Clarkson, or Black Eyed Peas singles just because they are catchy tunes (and believe me, Kelly’s “Since U Been Gone” IS catchy). I will still require a certain quality of musical genius and/or thoughtful songwriting. I have been tempted by the sirens of pop music before: Yes, I have owned Justin Timberlake’s cd before. Yes, I have borrowed a friend’s N*SYNC cd for a few weeks. Yes, I have stopped on VH1 or MTV to watch an Usher or J.Lo video. I’m guilty of it all. But I still choose not to give in to these intoxicating sounds of technical post-production magic tricks, but to strive to find true lyrical poetry, simple musical creativity, and beautiful melody. Is that too much to ask? Sure, I’ve got some classic christian rap in my library, but shouldn’t everybody?
Soon, the downloading will commence (at a small, rational rate) and the music will begin to flow. What a gift, don’t you think? Rich Mullins once pointed out how peculiar music is. He says that it’s one of the biggest things in the world that is completely unnecessary, yet life would be pretty boring without it. Come to think of it, I would really be lost in life if I didn’t have music. I’d be out of a job, too.