The first week of February unofficially marked the first point in 2017 when the amount of newly released music has outpaced the consumption habits of music fans.

Sampha released his debut album, “Process;” lead vocalist from The Internet, Syd, broke off from her band to release “Fin;” and Detroit’s own Big Sean released his fourth studio album, “I Decided.”

All these releases beg the question: How much should this year’s music reflect today’s social issues? Syd’s “Dollar Bills” addresses sexual inequalities, and Big Sean’s “Bigger Than Me” discusses the Flint water crisis.

It’s unreasonable to expect your favorite musician to accurately tackle society’s ills. However, we can all agree that the greatest musicians and songwriters have the ability to do just that.

Artists not usually labeled “socially conscious” may rear their heads into this subgenre without much effort. These socially aware artists are often few and far between, largely because it takes a certain level of political knowledge to address, say, the lasting effects of the war on drugs.

However, recent events in America ought not be considered matters of politics, but rather human decency and morality. Even artists who don’t normally speak about social issues for fear of being too polarizing for a wide fan base might be forced to step into that arena or risk being viewed as out-of-touch.

Perhaps even Drake could take a break from his relationship-oriented raps to talk about his immigrant status in his second home, the U.S. Unfortunately, the recent fling between Drake and Jennifer Lopez is sure to make Drake’s next project, “More Life,” all too predictable.