Is music art or is it business? Can it be both?

music is even silence to some people...music can be hitting a stick on the ground at 4/4 beat...what my point really is, i don't think this question can be easily answered. to some people, music is a business...i guess it depends on ones view on what music IS.

Yes, this is a really difficult question, but I'm glad you posted it drkatz. Music, to me...is an emotional expression. It is about being creative and outing it....It's so hard to explain it in words.
But music can be used for lot's of things...to enjoy yourself, to make fun, to express something you wanna tell to people, event to be in the spotlights...it has so many dirfferent meanings to people.

I see it as both but I pretty much only like the music which is art. The music which is business is all that commercial crap you get playing in clubs for young people.

I agree totaly with what France said, anything can be music and if you aren't in it for the money then I consider it art. It's a busines for the record lables but they don't produce it anyway.

Consider this though...If I write the most insightful and moving lyrics, the most revolutionary music, and revolutionize the way music is made and thought of, but then nobody comes to hear me play and no label will make my album/promote my album, then does it matter? There has to be a commercial aspect to making music.

Just because you're music doen't get heard by the public doesn't mean it's any different accept for the fact that it's unknown. It's still music no matter who views it, it's just not being played to an audience. I guess the same could said about anything that nobody else experiences. Jamming in the bedroom is making music but you don't get it published...it doesn't really matter.

it may be music, but it's irrelevant music. It's like the proverbial tree falling in the forest.

the definition of music can actually take more than a page to discuss.... and i agree with qwerty that music is art ( this is wat music is meant 2 be, though it might not be always the case nowadays)
and... talking about music, i'm reminded of healing music. is there anyone who have heard of it? good music can calm ppl down, it can even be used in meditation for healing.And
an album concerning healing music has recently been realised in japan. its very sucessful and popular. ( i forget the name of the album, but i will check it out soon)
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healing music: http://www.holisticshop.co.uk/catego...sic_index.html

for me....no music means no life...when i'm sad i listen to it and when i'm happy i'll also listen to it..i'll feel uneasy whenever i can't get t o listen to music for a day

Yeah I know of healing music. I never listen to it though...I don't like it.

As for unheard music being compared to the tree falling in the forrest, it's a little different because you are actually playing it to yourself but I get what you mean...I was just pointing out that it's still music.