The Science of Hit Songs

One of the arguments this article makes about how people are driven to read books or listen to certain music based on what their friends are listening to or reading. Matthew Salganik, sociologist at Columbia University, argued "a desire for compatibility with others could drive the choice" of music and reading "since much of the pleasure from listening to music and reading books stems from discussing them with friends." Salganik does bring up a valid point. Some people would be influenced to listen to a song or read a book because they want something in common with a friend. However, those people would definitely need to be at least somewhat predisposed to wanting to read that book or listen to that music. They have to, at the very least, have a small desire to try to read or listen. People are not going to do something they are not receptive to; therefore, people will need to have their own motivation outside of simply talking about it with friends. People will need than just the prospect of a short lived conversation to make then take up a venture like that. Plus even if they do try it and find themselves not liking what their friend is showing them, eventually they will stop listening to the suggested music or reading those suggested books. It will all come back to how much does that person really want to try those new things. Instead of how much there friends want them to try that new song they love or that brand new bestseller.

Accounting For Taste

The article aims to provide connections between certain personality types--introverts, extroverts, etc.-- and what those different personality types will enjoy in art and music. Also, the article tries to explain how these personality types will want to interact with other individuals. Although this article does have some compelling points and evidence, the article has some trends which make it seem a little unreliable. At times, the article seems to leave out important information like how scientific information was gathered. For instance, extroverts were found to actually salivate more when watching the movie Friday the 13th, indicating higher alertness. However, no mention of how this data was collected or any type of science behind the claim was ever stated. The article fails to provide a background for that information; this makes the information seem somewhat questionable. Also, there is a trend in the article to generalize the statements they make. At the end of the article, there is a table which states some glaring generalities. The table states "if you love rap, funk, or electronic/dance" music "then it might be the case that you're an energetic and social Obama Supporter" which is such a rash and frankly shocking statement. To put these three fairly different types of music in one group and making a huge claim about people's political attitudes based on this seems very inaccurate. These generalities really take away from the good point which are made in the article. The article does lots of good things and bad things, so it has value beyond just the points in it. It helps show what are some good things to do when writing a piece similar to it.

Degrading lyrics in Music

Although the article by Martino, Collings, Elliott, Strachman, Kanouse, and Berry does provide some decent evidence to support listening to degrading lyrics in music increasing sexual activity in adolescents, the fact is far too many factors go into the development of preteens and teens to say that one factor, such as music, has that much of a significant effect on adolescents. Teens are influenced by a multitude of factors including: parents, older siblings, friends, role models, TV, internet, movies, books, and education. To attempt to pinpoint which of these factors is most significant, or rank how important these factors are to an adolescents involvement in sexual activity are basically impossible without complete and total monitoring of preteens and teens. Since "big brothering" of this level would never be allowed, nor is it even remotely possible, the article can not be given too much weight. Although it is almost certain that music does contribute to young peoples choice in sexual engagement,  it seems a factor like older siblings or internet use would have a more profound effect because of how much more direct the influence is. Music merely talks about sexual things, degrading or not. However, older siblings and the internet can directly tell or show young kids what sex is or what some sexual things are. Because of this, these factors are far more important in trying to determine why a child got involved in sex early.