The Power of Lyrics: Encouraging Meaningful Messages in Music.
I’ve always loved listening to songs, especially Afrobeats. There’s something about the rhythm and beats that can instantly lift my mood or get me dancing. But if I’m being honest, most of the time, the lyrics in these songs don’t carry much meaning. In fact, some are absurd. It’s actually obvious that many of these artists focus more on creating catchy beats than putting effort into meaningful lyrics. What’s even more surprising is how these songs normally go viral and trend worldwide.
Personally, I believe the lyrics in music are just as important as the beats. No matter how much you try to overlook them, the words can influence you in ways you might not even notice. For instance, it’s not surprising for Nigerian artists to glamorize internet fraud, known as yahoo-yahoo. They boast about making money through fraud, and for a young person striving to succeed, it can send the wrong message. Hearing such lyrics repeatedly have lead some people to think fraud is an easy or even acceptable way to achieve wealth and success.
Music has power, and the painful truth is that some artists prioritize profit over the impact of their work. They release songs with no meaningful message simply because they know people will stream them. This trend is turning the music industry into something that feels shallow. These days, it seems anyone can walk into a studio, record a song with catchy beats, and it’ll still trend—even internationally.
But not all artists are like this. Some musicians still take the time to write meaningful lyrics based on personal experiences, and their songs connect deeply with listeners. Those are the songs that make you feel as if the artist is speaking directly to you.
So, how can we encourage artists to focus more on creating impactful lyrics? i would start by saying the issue begins with us the audiences, because without us choosing to listen to those songs that lack substance , they won't go viral or even trend and these musicians won't make money either. We are the problem,and in as much as we don't stop listening to these songs they will continue getting released for the fun of it.
I would say a solution to these could be to introduce a system where song lyrics are reviewed before the music is released. This would involve a team or board that would evaluate and review the quality and message of the lyrics to ensure they make sense and don’t promote negative behaviors. It’s like quality control for the music industry.
Another approach could be to hold streaming platforms accountable. Platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, or Boomplay could refuse to accept songs with meaningless or harmful lyrics on their platforms. If artists know that songs with bad lyrics won’t make it to these platforms, they might be more motivated to write better songs. After all, these platforms are a major source of income for them. If their songs aren’t accepted, it would affect their streams and earnings, and that could force them to step up their game and put more effcort into writing good songs.
Of course, this kind of system wouldn’t be easy to implement. Streaming platforms also profit heavily from these songs, so they might be reluctant to reject them. However, if these measures were adopted, we could start seeing a shift in the music industry. I believe artists would be encouraged to focus more on creating music that carries a meaningful and positive message. Over time, this could lead to a healthier music culture where the power of lyrics is respected, and the influence of harmful songs is minimized.
At the end of the day, music is a reflection of society, and it shapes people’s minds. I think it is time we start holding artists aaccountable for the messages they pass across. Let’s celebrate and encourage those who create meaningful music and encourage others to follow through the same path.
