We all have a subconscious list of New Year’s Resolutions that we plan to keep , whether we want to admit it or not. Some of us want to lose weight. Many of us vow to stop smoking, and the rare majority even aspire to give up red meat , alcohol and other vices that keep us up at night. Regardless of this annual routine, I choose to enter 2012 with a renewed perspective. Instead of hoarding thoughts of whether or not I’ll reach my personal goals, I plan to make predictions for this year to come, so I can sit back, experience my journey throughout the year and see if any of them come to pass. One I hope for sure shows itself again and again is the music. A New Year means a fresh sound.
Music has shifted within the past decade. What used to be a very raw, mindspraying sound quickly became a blend of techno inspired joints filled with quirky relevance. I’ve always been drawn to music that finds the perfect way to combine thought provoking lyrics while tucking themselves into a beat you feel in your soul. If the two can truly marry, great music is made. Adele seemed to own 2011, tugging at the nation’s heart with her sould wrenching ballads that explained what probably all love sick Americans can relate to. In 2012 I see Adele continuting a smooth transition into solidified stardom. I hope for a slow release of track after track, where she shows her unique niche.
Great artists draw from the most intimate and authentic of experiences. The good, the bad and the ugly provide a platform for therapy, renewal and amazing final products in the studio. Alicia Keys, having just become a new bride and mother, is sure to be brewing Grammy worthy lyrics and melodies. I’d love to see her make a major comeback. I’m a fan of artists taking a break to record; giving their fans something to anticipate.
There hasn’t been an innovative collaboration that truly stands out in some time. Don’t get me wrong. There are the undeniable innovators of our time. Kanye, Jay Z , Nas, Lil’ Wayne…but there is something refreshingly odd about Pusha T. and Tyler the Creator’s “Trouble on My Mind”. The video partakes a nonstop day of discombobulated fun coasting through the neighborhood on a bike built for apparently, two. I’d like to see what happens for the sound produced by these individuals. The ” I have a lot of money and I am going to spend it on champagne” days are hopefully coming to a close. Lyrics of substance and persuasions of knowledge can still bang in the stereos and from the rooftops, if the track is put together in the right way. Hopefully 2012 will bring a new wave of singles that inspire us to think about outside of the box.
Male artists never disappoint in making the women swoon, all while helping the men say what they can’t seem to express on their own. 2011 definitely was the year of Bruno Mars when it comes to Pop/R&B, with Miguel and Tre Songz not far behind. I’m sure all three of these artists will not take a long break from the spotlight, and are sure to show up on new collaborations and projects with a never before seen sound. I want to hear from Anthony Hamilton, Usher, and possibly Justin Timberlake on a new project.
The music 2012 is open to a world of possibilities. Wherever it may take us, we know there will be a song to cry over a broken heart, the track that gets you up and moving on the dance floor, and that one song that you go to for just about everything. Instead of focusing on the New Year’s Resolution, consider the anticipation of focusing on the moment, and having a great song to live it in.