Buzz
Sound is often regarded as the cornerstone of music. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, music is defined as 'the art or science of blending vocal or instrumental sounds to create beauty, harmony, and structure.' People often associate music with nostalgic childhood melodies, repetitive radio hits, or even experimental, non-melodic works.
However, what occurs when artists produce or compose music devoid of sound? How can such pieces convey meaning? To explore this, here are ten silent musical works and the reasons their silence holds artistic or historical significance.
10. John Cage, '4’33″'
John Cage's '4’33″,' composed in 1952, is arguably the most renowned silent piece. Premiered by David Tudor on August 29 of that year, the performance involved the opening and closing of a piano lid to mark the transitions between its three movements, timed with a stopwatch. Unsurprisingly, many were perplexed by the absence of sound in what was supposed to be a musical performance.
Cage, however, was deeply committed to his vision. Following his visit to Harvard’s anechoic chamber in 1950, he realized that absolute silence does not exist. This revelation inspired him to demonstrate to audiences that the ambient sounds of daily life could be perceived as music. As he famously stated, 'Music is continuous. It is only we who turn away.'
9. John Denver, 'The Ballad of Richard Nixon'
John Denver, a singer-songwriter, was a vocal advocate for nuclear disarmament. During his presidency, Richard Nixon contemplated using nuclear weapons on four occasions. Denver aimed to reduce defense spending, while Nixon sought to increase it. Their political differences were stark and well-documented.
On his 1964 album Rhymes & Reasons, Denver voiced his criticisms of Nixon’s administration twice. He included a jab at Nixon’s vice president with 'The Ballad of Spiro Agnew,' a song whose lyrics simply repeated: I’ll sing you a song of Spiro Agnew and all the things he’s done. Denver made no effort to praise Agnew, and his silent track dedicated to Nixon himself suggests he had even less to say about the President. One can only imagine his reaction when the Watergate scandal unfolded.
8. Soulfly, '9-11-01'
Shifting to a more somber topic, the American metal band Soulfly unveiled their album 3 on June 25, 2002, just under a year after the devastating September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. In their first release following the tragedy, Soulfly included a minute of silence to honor those impacted by the events.
Traditionally, the United States has observed the September 11 attacks with six moments of silence, each corresponding to the exact times the four planes crashed and the World Trade Center towers fell. This silent composition serves as a way to mourn during these moments and has encouraged individuals to observe the silence in their own personal ways.
7. Vulfpeck, 'Z'
While ten Vulfpeck tracks could qualify for this list, 'Z' stands out as the opening piece from their album Sleepify, which consists of ten 30-second segments of pure silence. The band’s strategy was straightforward—encourage fans to stream the album, generate revenue to fund a tour, and offer free admission to all attendees. Simple, yet ingenious.
Surprisingly, it worked! Spotify removed the album after a month, even humorously labeling it as “derivative of John Cage.” Despite this, the band earned $20,000 from streams, successfully financing the Sleepify Tour. Not bad for what they dubbed 'the quietest album ever made.'
6. Taylor Swift, 'Track 3'
Taylor Swift, a global icon, consistently shatters records with every release. Her album Folklore, announced just a day before its debut, sold over 1.3 million physical copies and set streaming records on platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music. Given her immense popularity, it’s no surprise that even a technical glitch in her work would spark widespread discussion.
In October 2014, shortly before the launch of her synth-pop album 1989, iTunes mistakenly released a track labeled 'Track 3.' Fans eagerly purchased it, only to find it contained eight seconds of silence. Despite this, the track soared to No. 1 on iTunes in Canada before being removed. This incident highlights the enthusiasm of Swift’s fanbase, who are eager to consume anything she releases.
5. Brett Black, 'Silence–5 Seconds'
This track serves as the opener for Brett Black’s entirely silent album, Silent Tracks of Various Useful Lengths, which is noted as the first commercially available silent album. Black was inspired to create it after waking up one morning with a 'catchy' silent melody looping in his mind.
He drew inspiration from John Cage and French mime Marcel Marceau, expressing a desire to 'elevate silence to new heights' with his album. He even hopes that Coldplay might one day perform these silent compositions.
4. John Lennon, 'Nutopian International Anthem'
Facing deportation from the U.S. following a marijuana charge, John Lennon and his wife Yoko Ono held a press conference on April 1, 1973, to declare the creation of a conceptual nation called Nutopia. This nation had no borders or laws, only its people.
As Nutopia’s ambassadors, they sought diplomatic immunity and UN recognition, listing 1 White Street in Tribeca as their address. On his 1973 album Mind Games, Lennon included a five-second silent track named the 'Nutopian International Anthem,' symbolizing his vision of a society centered solely on people. Does this mean no music, too?
3. Stiff Records, The Wit and Wisdom of Ronald Reagan
Wrapping up our list of silent musical works is another politically motivated piece. Much like John Denver’s critique of Richard Nixon, this release took aim at President Ronald Reagan. The Wit and Wisdom of Ronald Reagan wasn’t a song but an entirely silent album put out by Stiff Records.
The album featured grooves for playback but contained no actual music. As the BBC noted, it was designed as 'an ironic alternative to conventional protest songs.' Despite its silence, the album sold over 30,000 copies, proving that people are willing to buy almost anything.
2. Raymond Scott, 'Silent Music'
In 1941, Time Magazine covered a 13-piece orchestra performing a peculiar piece. The brass and woodwind players mimed their instruments, and the pianist barely touched the keys, producing almost no sound. Bandleader Raymond Scott called this 'silent music.'
The reason behind Scott’s silent performance remains unclear. Music philosopher Julian Dodd suggests it might have been a satirical take on effort and failure or simply meant to be humorous. Regardless, the audience was baffled, with some laughing at the absurdity. As Time noted, 'it was just provocative enough to make listeners wonder if other bands’ silence might sound better than Scott’s. Ouch.
1. Yves Klein, 'Monotone-Silence Symphony'
This entry bends the rules slightly, as Yves Klein’s symphonic work isn’t entirely silent. It begins with a sustained D major chord played for 20 minutes, followed by an equal duration of silence.
Klein conceived this piece in the 1940s, viewing it as a reflection of his ideal life. The only performance during his lifetime occurred in 1960, featuring ten musicians. Decades later, in 2013, a New York performance involved 70 musicians and vocalists, bringing Klein’s vision to life on a grand scale. One can only imagine how he would feel witnessing his creation today.
