Existential Music: What It Is and Isn't

While I was doing research for a paper (yes, fair readers, you will see it), I ran across a whole bunch of junk about existential music after remembering that Friedrich Nietzsche was a composer. This rather angered me, and rather then signing up for half a dozen forums to refute their claims, I'll do it here.

Before I go crushing students who are required to provide such examples of existential artwork, songs, or plays (may I suggest one of the plays in Sartre's No Exit and Three Other Plays?), I will define existentialism.

Existentialism is the ultimate atheistic philosophical school: it states that there is no meaning to life, merely what meaning an individual assigns to it. While most existentialists are atheists, the philosophy was originally founded by a Christian by the name of Kierkegaard. However, religious existentialism was proven to be illogical by the French author, playwright, and father of modern existentialism Jean-Paul Sartre, who made the deduction that if there is no external meaning to life, then there is no external power (god). Sartre was by no means the first atheist existentialist; indeed, Fredrick Nietzsche and Sigmund Freud predated Sartre by thirty years. Existentialism has several “branches,” practical applications of the philosophy within the “soft” sciences, i.e. psychology, political science, and sociology. Its relationship with the “hard” sciences is an estranged one; originally conceived to be separate of science and to replace it within one’s personal philosophy, existentialism now has found a place complementary, not contradictory of science, existing as a guidebook to life in society. There are a few instances in which science and existentialism conflict; one should be able to recognize these, and decide for themselves which side is correct. Existentialism should not be confused with moral nihilism and nihilism in general, although most existentialists are in one of these categories. Moral nihilism states that there are no morals in life, merely those forced upon one by society and religion; it can be seen as another deduction from the overall idea of ''existence precedes essence,'' Sartre's famous way of describing the lack of meaning in life. Nihilism in general is total lack of belief; pessimistic nihilism the idea that since there is no real meaning in life, one's job is to kill themselves and bring upon the inevitable. Existentialism avoids these pitfalls in its political branch.

I'm kind of cheating, as I wrote that a while ago...

And yes, you will get a Delta Machine review this week.


"American Pie" by Don McLean- Stupid Yahoo Answers. This is absolutely not an existential song, it is a piece that chronicles the "Day the Music Died."

Anything by Pink Floyd- Pink Floyd pretty much is the hallmark of angsty music, some of it "teenage wasteland," some of it existential. Floyd's music typically deals with loneliness, depression, and reasons to live The whole group were atheists, so it pretty much makes it easy to classify this one.

Linkin Park- Nope. Teenage wasteland music, yes. Deep philosophical thought, no. 

"Freewill" by Rush- This absolutely qualifies. The narrator chooses between free will and creating his or her own path versus being kept in chains by social normality. Geddy's also an atheist, so it make the case even stronger.

Friedrich Nietzsche's compositions- Yes, of course. Music written by an existentialist will qualify.

If there's anything other piece you think might be existential, comment the name of the song and artist and I will evaluate it.

If you want more of a focus on industrial music, I suggest checking out this article here.   

Stupid formatting.