The Impact of Recording Artists and Music on Legal and Social Change

Abstract

Whether you are in your car, on a run, or in a store, music surrounds us. Music is a part of everyday life. We form opinions, talk about, and connect with music on personal levels. Furthermore, music can influence not only personal decisions but also broader social goals and ideas. This manuscript focuses on how recording artists use their music and their celebrity status to influence social and humanitarian goals, including those leading to legal regulations and changes in the business world. Nearly everyone can name a current or past artist associated with a social movement.

We explore this topic by first discussing the influence of music on society. From a psychological perspective, music seems to have significant social effects due to its ability to shape emotions. We also discuss the ways artists express political ideas and how these ideas tie in with particular artists’ careers along with the role musicians have played in inspiring social movements and legal change.

We ultimately conclude that artists are in an excellent position to effectuate social change and inspire others to take meaningful steps toward solving complex humanitarian issues.

Keywords: music, social change, humanitarian efforts

JEL Classification: M14, Z18