Insights | December 21, 2023
Creating An Identity Through Music
There are a few things in this world that say a lot about who we are. For some, it’s a sense of fashion. For others, the type of car you drive is a strong indication of personality and character. And then there’s music. We’re able to take it with us wherever we go—during our daily commutes, while we’re shopping, or just lounging on the couch.
There’s no denying the power of music. It brings people together and moves us in ways unlike any other medium. It’s also fascinating how music contributes to our identity and is often a reflection of our personality. Collectively, music provides groups a unifying identity, like you often experience at sporting events. Watch a Buffalo Bills game and see what happens after they score a touchdown. You hear their fight song in unison, with everyone singing “The Bills make me wanna shout!” Similarly, every country has a national anthem that provides a foundation for its national identity. When the Olympics take place this summer, you’ll see the pride on athletes’ faces as they listen to their national anthems from the podium.
On a more individual level, one only needs to open their annual Spotify Wrapped to see who they truly are. It’s like taking a long look in the mirror and reliving the past year’s sonic journey to the center of your soul. Forget 23andMe, your listening habits and music collection provides all the insight into your DNA that you need. That is, unless your kids blow up your Spotify algorithm by playing “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” 800 times. For those who are able to keep kids out of their account, Spotify Wrapped has evolved to pinpoint each user into one of several listening personalities that act as audio archetypes and are accompanied by a brief story. People love to share music, so sharing your listening profile only comes natural. In fact, there were 450,000,000 tweets about Spotify Wrapped in the first three days after it launched last year.
Music even contributes to the identity of movies through needle drop moments. Who could forget the pivotal scene from Reservoir Dogs when Mr. Blonde plays Stealers Wheel’s “Stuck In The Middle With You,” or when John Cusack’s character in Say Anything plays Peter Gabriel’s “In Your Eyes.” And of course, we can’t forget “Let It Go” from Frozen, which will impact your Spotify Wrapped if you let your kids play it on repeat.
These movie scenes became more impactful, even iconic, by using music. The songs not only contributed to the identity of the movie but also cemented that moment in your memory. Music can be utilized in the same way for events. And according to Statista, music related live events were the most highly anticipated types of live entertainment, with 85 percent of interviewees citing concerts and 81 percent citing music festivals as something they wanted more of in 2023.
So give the people what they want. By booking a live music act, you’re building up anticipation to an iconic experience that will forever be associated with your event. Plus, integrating messaging or a theme through a live performance is more impactful for an audience. Music can be the “trojan horse” to your audience’s hearts, minds, and decisions. At G7, we provide a 360 approach to match the right talent with the right audience to ensure your event says what it wants to say while your audience gets to feel the way they want to feel.
The type of music we listen to says a lot about who we are and who we want to be. The same can be said for an event. Whether you’re looking for The Killers to close out the night rocking “Mr. Brightside” or prefer a more intimate approach like a songwriters’ round, utilizing the power of music is a memorable way to create unforgettable moments while also contributing to the identity of your next event.