As a human being, it’s natural for me to like music. And like many other human beings, I have a set of genres that I like and dislike. But what makes music so interesting and likeable? The use of it just as leisure, as a studying method, it can make us feel emotions that you didn’t think you could have from a song, it’s a conversation piece, and its’ art is what makes it so valuable to us.
Music is everywhere. We sometimes notice and sometimes it’s so common that it’s strange to not hear music. When you hear certain music, your brain produces dopamine, which is the happy chemical in your body as it’s the hormone that has the most drastic effect on your emotions and pleasures.
Researchers did an experiment where they had participants listen to music in which they had goosebumps and chills. Then, they “injected them with a radioactive tracer that binds to the receptors of dopamine” and with that, they saw that the participants listened to their favorite song and “their brains flooded with dopamine” (Hughes). So music does indeed invoke some sort of emotions when played. It’s not a tangible thing and only can be heard with our ears so it’s fascinating.
Music is also the perfect way to express yourself since it’s very creative. You can say whatever you want, in whichever way you want, with any type of background music. It might not sound good but its probably a good representation of yourself as an individual.
I’ve never met someone that doesn’t like music. Usually people who say such things just don’t want to talk or don’t listen to it on a regular basic. But surely, they have a specific song in mind or at least the tune of it in the back of their head. As said, it’s everywhere, whether we understand it or not.
Music may also help decrease depression and anxiety. Since this generation is dealing with those currently, it may important to note. A study was done for this and created Analytical Music Therapy which helps patients reconnect with their environment and “since music has an ability to transport our consciousness to other experiences, it helps us get out of our own heads and become less bogged down by our feelings” (Katter).
For me, music isn’t just blasting it in the car and singing your lungs out. It’s in the background everywhere I go. In fact, I’m listening to music as I type this because it eases my mind and it helps my creativity flow. This is the case with studying since it can get lonely and boring. Play some lofi jazz and it becomes a studying ‘session’ and helps with the stressors of exams.
What’s music for you? It’s so important for our daily lives that we don’t even realize how influential it really is. We only notice it when it’s not there, then things just get awkward. Next time you are out and about, listen.
Hughes, Virginia. “Why Does Music Feel So Good?” National Geographic, 11 Apr. 2013, www.nationalgeographic.com/science/phenomena/2013/04/11/why-does-music-feel-so-good/.
Red, James, et al. “The Importance of Music in Our Daily Lives.” Truth Inside Of You, Truth Inside Of You, 9 June 2017, www.truthinsideofyou.org/importance-of-music-daily-lives/.
Katter, Lucy. “An Open Letter To All Older Brothers And Sisters On The Eve Of Raksha Bandhan.” The Odyssey Online, 26 Aug. 2018, www.theodysseyonline.com/open-letter-older-brothers-sisters-eve-raksha-bandhan.
