The ability to express yourself fluently through music seems to correlate with a

rather miserable existence. All of the musical greats seem to have some sort o
f suffering which they use as a sort of inspiration for their musical greatness.
Whether it be depression and substance abuse, or tragic loss, or mental illnes
s, or more often a combination of the above, it always seems that great music co
mes from a place of darkness. In contrast, pop artists don't even write their o
wn music; they are essentially puppets. Because of the fact that they don't eve
n write their music, any personal affiliation with the music they play is neglec
ted.