By Blake Kim
Intertwined with brilliant beats and ravishing rhythm, albums share a narrative through their artwork, lyrics, imperfections, and culture. Recently, however, with the multitude of streaming services, many forget the importance of listening to and appreciating albums in their entirety. As much as I love unconsciously listening to music, whether I’m on a run, doing homework, or driving my car—all tracks on an album must be listened to with intent.
Resulting from short-form entertainment, teenagers worldwide suffer from low attention spans, choosing clips and quick cuts of a song instead of appreciating the artwork as a whole.
In literature, chapters are not selected by their quality and made into an abyss of fragmented experiences. Rather, they slowly unravel and construct the foundation that is a story. Albums should be listened to in the same way, song titles changing tracks like turning pages of a book. Much like literature, appreciating the entirety of an album allows listeners to recognize minute yet imperative details that contribute to its deeper meaning.
Furthermore, listening to albums in full unearths songs that get overshadowed by more popular tracks. Discovering these songs exposes listeners to new genres and styles of music.
Please, truly treasure the complete experience of albums, savoring them in their full, beautiful complexity.
And to albums, I say,
“I will always love you” – Frank Ocean, Blonde