Contemporary Pop Music Diverse and Inspiring

To the editors:

I am writing in response to the editorial, “Talking ‘Bout My Generation” by Joshua S. Rosaler ’05 (Comment, March 14). He yearns for a time “when the Grammies and the music they awarded didn’t suck.” I wholly disagree. I find it hard to believe that “in the past several years, popular music has taken a severe turn for the worse.” What about the smooth and sultry voice of eight-time Grammy Award winner Norah Jones effortlessly gliding from note to note, phrase to phrase, and breath to breath in her monumental “Come Away with Me?” What about the inspirational post-September 11th rock anthems of “The Rising” by three-time Grammy Award winner Bruce Springsteen? What about the soulful, emotional, and mesmerizing musical journey of the groundbreaking album, A Rush of Blood to the Head, by Grammy Award winner Coldplay?

No, music today doesn’t “suck.” In fact, it is as inspirational, motivating, cathartic, emotional, poignant, energetic, disturbing, controversial, touching, stirring, therapeutic and beautiful today as it has ever been. Yes, let us start “talking ’bout my generation.” Let us start talking about the merits of a society where Eminem, Britney Spears, Celine Dion, Foo Fighters, 3 Doors Down, Tori Amos, Linkin Park and U2 can all contribute to an amazing diversity in music. Let us start talking about my generation: one that can discern the merits of others and respect them for it.

Christopher H. Wang ’06

March 14, 2003