A Qualitative Study on the Impact of Popular Music on the Everyday Lives of the Grade Eight Learners of Integrated School of Lawa

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

My research explored the impact popular music has on the everyday lives of the grade eight learners of the Integrated School of Lawa with regards to consumption, identity, and behavioral formation. In an age of technological advances (such as YouTube and iPod devices), popular music consumption had become widely accessible on a variety of platforms. Consequently, my research questions focused on whether young people were shaped by the music they listened to considering the inappropriateness of the lyrics of popular music in their reference to drugs, sex, violence, alcohol, and death. In the evolving decentralized society in which we live, popular music is seen to be an influential socializing agent within young people's lives.

METHODS

The design used in this qualitative study is phenomenological and made use of correlational non-experimental to analyze the impact of popular music in the everyday lives of Grade Eight students of the Integrated School of Lawa. The study was comprised of eighty participants out of the 130 Grade Eight learners enrolled in the school year 2017-2018. All in all, twenty learners from four existing sections participated in the study. The learners were interviewed by the researcher to come up with validated results. Documents and records from the Guidance Office were also utilized.

RESULTS

The data gathered revealed that the participants favored songs reflecting their feelings. The learners might not understand the lyrics, but they recognize enough to get the gist of the song's message. Furthermore, it was also revealed that the participants who have risk-taking behaviors preferred songs or music referring to depression, death, violence, sex, and drugs. Participants with records at the Guidance Office revealed that they usually listen to the kinds of songs and music mentioned above.

DISCUSSIONS

The results demonstrated the need for intensive parental guidance; wherein, parents should be familiar with the kinds of music their children listen to. Doing so will give a hint to the parents on the emotional problems their children are going through.