As music becomes more mobile (iPod, CD players, cell phones), the radio may seem obsolete. When some of you are in your car, you have the luxury of listening to your favorite songs on a CD or your iPod.
But when that gets boring, what else is there to turn to?
Well, after all those times you might’ve taken your radio for granted, here’s a chance to start paying attention to it. Next time you’re in your car or near an alarm clock with a radio dial, consider this: Tune in to Power 106.9 [12]. This station is for the old and new school R&B music junkies. And, even if you’re not completely into it, this station will help pique your interest.
Throughout the day, Power 106.9 plays songs by artists from Al Green, Anita Baker, Marvin Gaye to today’s superstars like Usher. Now, some of you might be asking yourself, “Who is Anita Baker?” Well, not only is she a legendary R&B soul singer, but her music has been sampled by artists such as Drake, who will be performing at SU in a few weeks.
Now, a lot of this music might seem like “old people music,” granted that many of the songs were released in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s (before many of us were born). However, these are songs by artists that paved the way for a majority of hip-hop and R&B artists today.
And, not to mention, there are many incentives to listening to this music. For guys, whenever you need some advice on how to talk to a girl, listening to a song like “Close the Door” by the late Teddy Pendergrass, and the smooth lyrics that say “I’ve got so much love to give, and I want to give it all to you.” For girls that don’t want to listen to the misogynistic messages in most of today’s music, you can be refreshed with music that’s about love and unity.
Here's a clip of Teddy Pendergrass from a concert in 1979.
Being open minded about music is one way to learn about different genres. Power 106.9 is just the first step to finding out about what some people consider to be “a lost genre,” such as R&B.
So, do yourself a favor. Next time you’re near a radio, tune into Power 106.9 and enjoy some soulful music. Not everything is about Drake, at least not until the Block Party.
Al Green photo courtesy of theogeo/flickr [13]
