February 10, 2021

The Power of Music

By Emily Wynegarden

We live in a world lavish with rhythm. Beats waltz through our daily lives like an artful ghost, sometimes flowing past us unnoticed. Like the ticking of a clock, our rhythm becomes ingrained into the natural whirr of our busy days. Although, of course, not everyone has the same musical experiences. Your rhythm may come from the familiar taste of morning coffee, the natural chatter of the subway train, or the tune of your favorite song. Nonetheless, our lives vary greatly and so does our music’s influence. Music and rhythm play key roles in our lives and can be used to improve our environment and selves, whether you consider yourself an avid listener or not.

 Firstly, music provides a social connectedness between people with common experiences and interests. Anthems, hymns, and lullabies are great examples of universally recognized music. National anthems like “The Star Spangled Banner” bring a sense of pride and belonging to an extensive population of citizens, who are vastly different otherwise. Historically, even in times of struggle and turmoil, anthems and hymns have remained a unifying asset and source of motivation for those affected. 

 Other than these widely recognized songs, however, genres relating to similar moods or hardships also bring people together. Artists like Mac Miller, Kendrick Lamar, and Frank Ocean have built massive platforms with lyrics relating to substance abuse, mental health, failing relationships, love, and death. These artists share their experiences with these universal hardships through their music, consequently creating a community and following of like-minded individuals. This gives listeners a sense of belonging and understanding, syncing their rhythms for just a few short minutes, giving momentary peace to an otherwise chaotic day. Even without engagement in the “fanbase” community, people still bond over common interests such as favorite artists or genres. These not only serve as great conversation starters, but are also simple commonalities between strangers that can lead to the development of great relationships.

 Listening to music also stimulates our brain functioning and benefits us in a more objective way than social influence. According to one study conducted by CellPress, music is used to regulate our emotions and arousal in daily life, as well as boost physical and mental health in clinical settings [like music therapy]. It’s been found that listening to music triggers the release of several neurochemicals including dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin, which provide us special benefits. These chemicals have been dubbed as “happy-hormones” that help to promote a number of brain functions such as mood improvement, learning ability, sleep regulation, digestion, and motor function. Oxytocin specifically is often called the “love-hormone” because of its association with trust, empathy, and bonding in relationships. Music is fuel for your body, and medicine for your mind and soul.

 Rhythm and song provide so much: emerging therapy, stress-relief, self-reflection, creative expression, and a source of common interest. If rhythm is inevitable in daily life, we should all feel encouraged to explore all corners of the music world, and discover what we love. Music taste is also fluid, your chosen genre can reflect your mood that day or motivate you and it grows with you as you age. Although it may take time to develop your musical likes and dislikes, a passion for music is a gift we can all enjoy both with ourselves and with those we love.