Do you consider music to be a form of entertainment or work of art?

Emily! is an Astronaut asked:


I was just wondering why music is classified with entertainment more then it is with art (as seen on this site as well as others). I’ve been researching the difference between entertainment and art because it seems like there is a small distinction between the two. So, what is music to you? A piece of art or form of entertainment? Or is it both?
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23 Comments so far

  1. minimooglove hugging your mums on August 25th, 2008

    I’ve personally always have seen all entertainment as art and all art as entertainment.

  2. Dark on August 27th, 2008

    Music is art from self-expression of emotions in the form of words and sound. It is a unique form of art because the words are interpreted differently from person to person. It is the only form of entertainment where you need to use your imagination to create the scenery and music can fit everything in your imagination if you have an active imagination. Both.

  3. Jake is: All Day on August 28th, 2008

    I think it’s both, but I also think you can make an argument for either.

  4. LittleMeg :) on August 30th, 2008

    Depends on the artist/band.
    The White Stripes make Pure Art that entertains.
    J LO makes entertainment.

  5. Floydian Trooper- Is Towelie on August 31st, 2008

    Depends how it is marketed and how much control one gives up to the management.

  6. Steve R on September 1st, 2008

    I consider alot of music as art, but it seems like lately it is just entertainment, style over substance

  7. Chip on September 2nd, 2008

    Absolutely both, although most of the time I’m not paying enough attention to appreciate it for it’s worth as art and just taking advantage of it’s entertainment value.

    - Chip

  8. Rock N' Roll Gypsy on September 6th, 2008

    Both.

    KISS = Entertainment

    Bob Dylan = Art

  9. Rikitikitavi on September 8th, 2008

    My opinion- Anything that provides entertainment,provokes thought and pleases the senses to an individual is entertainment art

  10. Michael C on September 10th, 2008

    I think now days, music is more entertainment because it’s just fast beat and the lyrics aren’t as good as they were before in the 60s and 70s. Also now it’s all about the money, and it doesn’t seem like some artists put much time into it. Plus there’s music videos, so more entertainment with the video.
    Past-art
    Present-entertainment

  11. Killed for a plate of soup on September 12th, 2008

    Whether music is entertainment or art depends solely on the intent. If when the Knacks had been writing My Sharona they had been thinking, How can we express ourselves with a beautiful melody and moving lyrics to represent our core believes? (or something along those lines) then they’d have made art. Really bad art. Similarly, if Ludwig Van Beethoven had thought I wonder if a bunch of people would like it if I set Friedrich Schiller’s poem to music then he’d have made entertainment. Really good entertainment.

  12. Nicholas on September 13th, 2008

    It is both.

    It’s entertainment because it entertains us and it’s an art form because of the creativity involved in making it.

    Good musical groups (a.k.a. bands) are those that try to be creative in their work but also try to entertain.

  13. Sailing Outdoors on September 16th, 2008

    It’s both. I think the most arty music comes from originality. The entertainment part comes from people who dance and stuff while singing, I guess?

  14. ♥ As Snow Falls On Desert Sky ♥ on September 16th, 2008

    i believe that music is art but it is my main source of entertainment.

    xx brit

  15. Halloween Jack on September 19th, 2008

    Well, it definitely depends on the song and artist.

    The bands I normally listen to (Pink Floyd, David Bowie, the Velvet underground, the White Stripes…) have great, poetic, philosophical lyrics.

    But of course, music is also my entertainment, my distraction from this stupid world. It is a great entertainment, by the way.

  16. David V on September 22nd, 2008

    Music can to both and most times is.

  17. ~ Ostrich ~ on September 22nd, 2008

    The Core of Music is Always an Art or Craft.

    Whatever is dumped on top of it, in its Presentation - would be still possibly an Art or could be just Entertainment :)
    EDIT –

    I respectively Disagree with most of these Opinions :)
    Music, Alone — is ART.

    How it is PRESENTED, may be Both.

    Again - You Question was —

    Do you consider MUSIC to be a form of entertainment or work of art? :) .
    .

  18. LoLa CoCaLa on September 26th, 2008

    work of art! it’s definitely entertaining but it’s still important to whoever wrote it,they put their heart into it……they deserve recognition.

  19. Sulli (Vato Loco) on September 26th, 2008

    I would think both… in fact, I would go so far as to say that most art is a form of entertainment. However, we would have to further divide it into commercial art for business gain, and private art.

    Both can and should be appreciated, but some are designed as a giant money rake, and some are designed to be just music.

  20. Rourke on September 28th, 2008

    It depends on the artist or who pretend to be an artist, some deserve the art tittle but some other not

  21. SUMMER•♥•LOVE! on September 30th, 2008

    Those who consider art to be entertainment and entertainment to be art are the people who view music as their passion.
    wow reminds me of the doctor seuss phrases: those who those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter don’t mind.
    they get the true meaning of music and what it is as a whole.
    nice question, e!

  22. NUTTYTART on October 3rd, 2008

    music is my life, i love music

  23. Yertle, the Turtle. on October 6th, 2008

    Well, it depends on the artist/band. All the music I listen to I would say is art, but most of the talentless garbage out there is definitely entertainment. But I guess music is an intertaining art. :)

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