Everyone surely has different answer of what constitute great music.

Probably,

A producer would say : “a music that is low in production cost, but generates great return”

A musician would say : “something that accommodate their idealism, whatever that is”

and so forth.

What is the parameter of great music? Is there any hierarchy of great, good, bad, music? Who can tell which song is better than another? Last week I went to a jazz cafe with some friends and the performer was a band named “-something-Dog” and what they did was just making random sounds and the vocalist just made a barking sound before a cone and a microphone, and his saliva just spitting and dropping from the cone. I was disgusted. But they are proud, and some people think it was really good.

So, from here I take the stand that there is NO single answer to the question what constitute great/good/bad music. We have to see the quality of the music in a continuum. And to me, the answer will be very much related to your practical goal. To get a record deal? To channel your feeling? To provoke the society? To campaign your causes? It depends.

*So far, this essay is not helping, i know, haha. I just wanted to provide a discourse on the philosophical basis and try to make your life harder by having to read it. Told ya, it’s an ‘essay’*

But if you ask ME what constitute great music…

I shall say it’s the lyric. I am not speaking as me, my self. But I am speaking as a general music listener who only have limited knowledge about how music is produced or even how to play a music instrument. Some might think, “who do you think you are? You know nothing about music and don’t have the capability of telling us which one is good which one is not!” That is somehow true, but the general (Indonesian-Awam) People like ME is the MOST influential force in determining whether a music is Acceptable or not. 

Of course I realize that sole lyric wont make a song, there’s gotta be a good chain of tone, note, and key that support it, good arrangement, so on so forth.

But there are several rationals why lyrics, to me, is most important:

1. Most people do not play music instruments, let alone understand about it and its musicality. But most people DO sing. In the shower, in karaoke, on the street. No matter how bad their voices are. Everyone sings. And when they want to sing, what will they look for? Yes, the lyric. When the lyric is strong (catchy, fun, deep, or whatever the character is as long as it is strong), people will remember.

2. People have different tastes about genres. If you have a good song, with good lyrics, no matter what the genre is, or no matter how people change the arrangement of your song, it will still be good. Classic example: More than words, it doesnt take complicated instruments to perform, just a guitar, yet, thousands of people sing it, and it’s been re-arranged zillions of times.

So, what is a good lyric? Most people says, “well, the catchy one.. Like Mbah Surip”. Cliche. To ME, this time it’s me, myself. For me, there are 3 levels (Supposed there are more, I cant think of any other at the moment)

1. Self Representation. To me, music should be a self representation of the LISTENERS, not mainly the musician. I sing things I cannot say as much as I write. My choice of music represents who I am. When people listen to your playlist, they can tell what you feel at that moment. I think you make a first level success when people start saying “anjing lagu ini gue banget”, when they start feeling that your song represent their feeling, they will listen to you, and most probably, spread it to other people too. Your song should say what most people feel but cannot speak out.

• “Aku sedang ingin bercinta.. karena.. ada kamu di sini.. aku ingin” —> this, to me, is an example of stupid lyric, if you wanna fuck, you dont sing, you fuck! And it’s proven, that song does not last… compare it to
•  ”Kau tuliskan padaku Kata cinta Yang manis dalam suratmu Kau katakan padaku Saat ini Kuingin hangat pelukmu Dan belai lembut kasihmu” THIS IS COMPLETELY CHEESY. But that is the reason why we need song to express this feeling, because no matter how cheesy it is, many people might feel that way. And this song represents that. There is a reason why this song is still alive and has been remade so many times by different singers. (I am not saying that good lyrics must be cheesy, not at all, this is just an example)

2. Community Representation. This is the 2nd level, and to me, it’s harder to achieve. To represent the feeling of community, to rebel, to break down social judgement, to raise awareness. Your song will be sort of ‘theme song’ for a movement. People will appreciate if they have a song written to ‘defend’ or ‘support’ them. And the feeling of, again, being represented will soon turn into the feeling of ‘adherence’.

• Whether you’re broke or evergreen
  You’re black, white, beige, chola descent
  You’re lebanese, you’re orient
  Whether life’s disabilities
  Left you outcast, bullied or teased
  Rejoice and love yourself today
  ‘Cause baby, you were born this way No matter gay, straight or bi
  lesbian, transgendered life
  I’m on the right track, baby
  I was born to survive =========> This song represents the insecures, the minorities, the bullied and ask them to be more confident about themselves. You will be surprised how much of a hit it is and how it change how people perceive themselves.
• Or Michael Jackson’s songs… “the earth song”, “they don’t really care about us”, “heal the world” (I used to cry whenever I listen to heal the world) etc. Or classic Indonesian example: Gombloh, “Kebyar-kebyar”.
• There is an important message, there is a cause, there are people to represent… your song will mean a lot for many people.

3. “I dont give a shit if people understand what I write, I am awesome anyway” level. This is the ultimate level if you are already as crazy as Freddy Mercury. You can write about your bicycle and still become an everlasting hits. But this requires an extremely high level of awesomeness.

Well, this post is of course not an ultimate source of truth, and might not answer some big questions about making a great music (if you ask me now to make a lyric for a song, I’d rather make another 10000 words essay about Arab Spring). But at least, I kinda contribute my thought a bit in making a discourse. Haha, back to Foucault now.