jess' two cents:

instrumental music can have a message (listen to the soundtrack of a beautiful mind by james horner, incredible)

yes, people can be influenced by music, but only if they let it. its not really the music, but the group who listens to it, etc. i listen to some rap, but then i'm a little white girl who wears american eagle. i like it b/c of the beat.

and who really cares? at this point, there are so many factors playing in the world today that we can't pin it on just one source (like music). it could be a mix of anything.

but then again, i grew up listening to James Talyor and REM, so what would i know