Regarding Adam Young Scores in 2016
Today is the first day of 2016. Today is the day of Adam Young’s announcement of his new project. Possibly in the future, I will refer to today as the day that Owl City ‘died’.
I’m sure many people that read this post will immediately turn away after reading that last sentence. I must assure you that I am NOT against Adam Young and his new project (ayoungscores.com). In fact, I am excited and pleased to see Adam pursuing this dream of his. I have already subscribed to the project and will be giving it a listen in February. But his announcement posts across social media seemed to leave an ominous question for some fans.
He constantly states that this scoring project is separate from Owl City but that makes me ask: Is Owl City going on hiatus in 2016? Is Adam retiring the name and project for good? The letter states that his monthly scores will continue for as long as he “feels moved to do so”. Ambiguity is the key word here.
The letter has a paragraph that mentions how he has learned that “the mainstream pop music industry can be frustrating for everyone”, saying that “it has a way of coaching one to adopt a creative process that may or may not come naturally, depending on the individual”. I’d say that the music he makes under the Owl City moniker has sunk deeper and deeper into the mainstream genre since 2012. From 2012 to the present, two albums and three EPs have been released and one of them was a remix EP. Adam probably had to make some sacrifices of his own when he signed with Universal. He also wants to “ignore any rules the industry embodies” and has a “desire to make music for the sake of creating nothing but pure, bold, trailblazing art” with “no speed limits, no safety nets, no rules”. I don’t know if Adam has anymore obligations to Universal and Republic Records but this sounds like he’s left now that his contract has ended or he’s been dropped from their lineup. The tone of those last two quotes sound quite bitter in my opinion.
I know that my analysis on his letter is only speculation and there is nothing to back me up. But the idea of Adam closing the doors on Owl City is a big deal for me.
I wasn’t an avid fan of music when I was younger. As a Christian, I wanted and still want to respect my parents and God with the music I listen to. However, my music choices were limited. The spectrum of popular music was and is filled with a lot of negatives themes: drugs, sex, profanity. I was able to find songs that were appropriate but I didn’t find an artist that I could enjoy full albums by. That changed in 2013. I already had the song “Fireflies” on my iPod for almost a year (friend used it for a school presentation, gave me the artist name and title). But I never explored the full catalog of Owl City until then. I remember buying “The Bird and The Worm” then “The Tip of the Iceberg” then “Ocean Eyes” in the span of a few minutes (Ocean Eyes was the first full album I’d ever bought). I bought ATBAB and TMS later. I bought Ultraviolet and Mobile Orchestra the day they came out. And while I’m not the biggest fan of Owl City’s earliest days, I do appreciate and own some tracks such as “Early Birdie”, “Dear Vienna”, and “Rainbow Veins”. I also have some Sky Sailing on my device as well. I even have a Spotify playlist dedicated to instrumental acts including Port Blue and Color Therapy. I became an even bigger fan when I found out he was a Christian himself. He has an unbelievable faith in Jesus Christ that I have an ultimate respect and admiration for. I promised myself in 2014 to make Owl City my first concert if he came back to Vancouver.
So it saddens me that the prospect of Owl City ending is looking more and more like a reality. And while that may not even be the case, it most likely is on an indefinite hiatus for Adam’s new project.
But as an old chapter ends, a new chapter begins.
I wish Adam a wonderful year. I am intrigued and curious about what his scores might sound like (I think all fans have asked that since the DreamWorks/Me and My Shadow soundtrack rumor popped up). I know that he’s happy and doing what he wants to. And that’s the important thing.
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