Valley’s Thoughts on Society.
Written by: Jodi Vuong
Oh, to be a young adult in today’s society. It’s a lot. Honestly, kind of overwhelming. The pressures are everywhere and even stars like Valley aren’t exempt from this. Along with everyday societal expectations, they also have to deal with the complications that come with fame.
The band’s latest track, “SOCIETY,” starts up with some pensive guitar arpeggios before the drums kick in, building up from a head-nodding vibe to a chorus that you won’t be able to help but sing and dance to. It’s a really solid mix – grooving drums, a fun bass line, and layers of vocals that add to the full sound of this upbeat-sounding track.
Sonically, “SOCIETY” is a great song for summer – driving on the highway, beach days, you name it. The message, though, goes deeper than that. It’s kind of a call out to the pressures of the music industry, or any kind of stardom. “We need a hit by Monday if you wanna be a star … if you wanna make money, if you wanna be a star.” It’s a message that many artists have sung before.
There’s a struggle between wanting a successful career and staying true to your artistic vision. Sometimes, what you want to say through your music is not necessarily what sells. Valley questions the validity of their fame – “I think I sold out when the sales went up.” Yet, at the same time, they “wanna be a piece of everything [they] hate on TMZ.”
The price of fame is a lot. It definitely takes a toll on the subject, and Valley isn’t going to sugarcoat it.
But this song with its honest criticisms is definitely going to be a hit. Sometimes, we need a breath of fresh air from the highlight reel we see through social media. Valley brings this to us in “SOCIETY.”
Be sure to stream “SOCIETY” and keep an eye out for their joint tour with COIN later this year, as well as their appearance at the Bottlerock Festival!