Money (and Shopping) On My Mind

Do you ever notice the music playing ever-so loudly sometimes when you shop? This is particularly true in the mall and stores geared towards teens/twenty-somethings. And really it is interesting how sometimes we tune out the obvious blaring, and other times, it stops us in our tracks. The latter is what happened yesterday when I was shopping with my lovely sis-in-law. We took a trip to Kohls, and while perusing the racks, I heard two songs that just made me want to dance. I'm sure they pump these feel good tunes through the speakers for a reason-- a psychological reason. Think about it: songs about love, happiness, and blithe attitudes remind you to carpe that diem and buy, buy, buy!

The first song, "Money On My Mind" is reminding us that money is no object. While Sam Smith surely meant that he is in the music business for the sheer love of his art rather than the love of money, while shopping it gives the consumer a total different message: a boost to go ahead, buy that top/dress/pair of shoes/etc., you don't have "money on [your] mind!"

Sam Smith: "Money On My Mind"

The next song, while not about money, is simply a feel-good song. A song about love that just makes you want to buy that cute dress to impress your lover. Go, girl, you've earned it! Aaand the marketing gods have won...and really, in our consumerist society isn't it a sad commentary that even our artists have become brands and mere puppets in the consumer machine? Maybe one day we can divorce this marriage between art and money, and art can become art for its own sake. Now, I'm not saying artists should work for free-- far from it. I just can't get behind how we sell an image, an idea of an artist or use their work to sell items...perhaps I'm looking waaay to into things (as I tend to do), and just need to enjoy my shopping with a little music on the side.

Shakira: "Empire"