Music and Society

When I was younger I heard the phrase “you are what you listen to.” So naturally

I listened to angsty teenager music because I was a teenager full of angst. Turns out

this is more than just a phrase. There have been studies done on the influence of music

on our personalities, moods and behavior.

Music has been a primary factor in my life as long as I can remember. My

parents used to take me to blues festivals and rock shows before I could even walk.

Once I was old enough to choose how to spend my time, it was always music. Whether

it was dancing, a performance for family, or simply having it playing in the background,

it was there. Once I was old enough to understand lyrics it became how I connected to

the world. One of my favorite bands Imagine Dragons’ lead singer Dan Reynolds said “I

love music because it’s the only thing I know that transfers human emotions in a way

that people who live completely different lives can connect.” One study shows that the

average person listens to five hours of music per day. That’s five hours of hearing lyrics

with a certain message, a melody meant to convey a certain emotion and yet it all ends

with the listener’s interpretation of all of it combined.

Why is music important? Music is most commonly used to achieve self-

awareness, social relatedness, and mood regulation. In other words, it helps people

understand themselves, it gives them something to relate to, and it can affect their

mood. In a society of growing depression, social anxiety, and personal disconnect,

music could be a key to mending some of these ailments.

My personal philosophy on music and society is to create music that inspires,

encourages, impassions, uplifts, comforts, and unites the people who listen to it. There

is enough music that talks about drugs, alcohol, and money. We need to bring back

songs that make the listener think and feel something. We need music that talks about

love, adventure, important issues, and dreams. Music is such a great platform that can

be used to deliver positive or negative messages and deserves to be used properly.

Even messages through music that is heard in the background have an impact on that

person.

I hope that someday music that I’ve helped create will help a listener the way that

the music I listen to helps me and reminds them that whatever they’re feeling or going

through someone else has been there and they understand.