By: Copper Gregg /Copy Editer

 The music industry is an ever changing landscape, fueled by constant technological advancements and means of production. Despite this continuous change, one particular method of releasing music has remained the standard: albums. 

     Years ago, the album model of releasing music just made sense. With music being exclusively physical, albums allowed listeners to purchase one vinyl, compact disc or cassette, giving them access to a good number of songs by their artist of choice.

     It also allowed artists to release a number of songs at once. Releasing one song at a time would likely not go well as people would have to buy a physical copy of each individual song. 

     Now living in a world where music is easily accessible at any time online, it is no longer “necessary” for artists to put out full albums. Musicians in the past have released singles; however, releasing an individual song has never been easier with streaming services.

     This begs the question; why are albums still so important today? 

     Albums allow an artist to go far beyond the creativity of simply releasing individual songs. There’s so much more that goes into an album than a single which lets an artist truly make a large and meaningful work of art.

     The physical aspect of albums is also up for question as many artists to this day still release physical copies of their records. This once again allows for an immense amount of creativity from an artist.

     With modern production methods, the possibilities for unique vinyl records in particular feel nearly endless. Many artists have, and continue to do unique things to the actual disks, like different colors, printed images and patterns, zoetrope effects or different shaped vinyl altogether. The band Glass Animals, for example, released a decagon shaped pressing of  their album “ILYSFM.”

     The other reason why the physical aspect of albums is so special is the simple process of actually listening to it. By using physical media, you add an additional tactile element to the listening experience. With vinyl, there’s something almost ritualistic about putting the record on the turntable, cleaning it and placing the needle in the grooves that makes the listening experience so much more enjoyable.

     Album covers are also a massively important aspect of what makes them so special. The album cover itself can tell a story, and iconic album covers, such as Pink Floyd’s “The Dark Side of the Moon,” or Fleetwood Mac’s “Rumors,” often transcend the album itself and become culturally significant independently of the actual songs.

     One specific type of album is the pinnacle of why albums are so important and relevant to this day: concept albums.

    A concept album is when the album as a whole tells a greater story or shared theme, which allows for artists to tell a much larger and more complex story than is possible in one song. 

     Glass Animals’ “How to Be a Human Being,” on its own is a great album that has many catchy and well-made tracks. What makes this record so special is the theming that connects all of the songs. Every song is a story that the band was told while on tour, and each song corresponds to a character displayed on the cover of the album. 

     The album would function completely fine without this added layer of story, but its addition is what makes this album have the emotion and nuance that it has. 

     Other concept albums tell one continuous story that typically follows one or multiple characters. 

     An example of this is My Chemical Romance’s “The Black Parade,” which tells the story of a man dying of cancer, reflecting on his life. 

     There is no one size fits all formula for concept albums, and it’s partially because of this fact that concept albums remain so unique and important. Each one tells its own unique story that is different from all the others. 

     The artistry and creativity facilitated by the idea of albums is justification enough for keeping them around. For musicians who care about their craft and want to express themselves and their artistic strength as much as possible, the album still reigns supreme as the way to do so. 

By: Finley Messella, Copy Editor

 In recent years there has been social media trends revolving around the color beige; more specifically the lack of vibrant colors and how they impact a child’s development.

     Babies take in their surroundings as soon as they are born. They absorb things like sound and sights to help them learn about the world around them.

     While a neutral color scheme does not necessarily harm a child, it can affect the child’s overall brain simulation and engagement. 

     According to Children’s Wisconsin Medical Clinic, “A lack of stimuli can affect a child’s mood or behavior. In the long term impact their creativity and imagination, which is because of slow cognitive growth.”

     Color plays an important role in childhood development because it helps stimulate the brain and support learning from an early age.

     According to Psychology Today, “Bright colors like red, yellow and blue often grab children’s attention,” making it easier for them to stay focused on toys, books and classroom materials.

     Colors can influence emotions too–warm colors may create excitement and energy, while cool colors like blue and green can promote calmness and concentration. 

     According to the National Institute of Health, “Anger entails reddening of the face, so anger is metaphorically described as ‘seeing red,’ and positive emotions and experiences are often depicted in terms of lightness, so lightness is metaphorically linked to good rather than bad.”

     Even just seeing certain colors can impact a child’s development. Specific colors can support creative and cognitive processes as kids engage in activities like art or exploration

     According to Psychology Today, “Seeing green has been linked to enhanced creative thinking.”

     Using color in learning environments can improve memory, since kids often associate information with specific visual cues. As children grow, exploring color through art allows them to express feelings and build creativity.

     According to the National Institute of Health, “By six months, infants go from very limited detection of color as newborns to a more sophisticated perception of color that enables them to make sense of objects and the world around them.”

     Color awareness is a part of how young children begin to organize their visual information. 

     According to the National Institute of Health, “Infants can perceive the dimensions of color and categorize it.”

     Exposure to different colors also helps children develop visual skills and learn to recognize patterns and differences.

     According to Children’s Wisconsin Medical Clinic, “Introducing children to a vibrant world of color can stimulate visual development because bright colors and patterns can grab a baby’s attention and help them learn to track and recognize objects,” which supports early visual skills and sensory growth.”

     Even young children use color as part of how they learn about and respond to their environment—not just adults. 

     According to Psychology Today, “Color is everywhere–infants and children relate to the world through color.”

     Overall, color is not just decorative; it actively supports cognitive, emotional and sensory development during childhood.