The Power Of Music Is Undeniable
Throughout every stage of my life, music has held a significant position.
People, places, and phases are listed in a cabinet file with a song, smell or image assigned to them.
When I imagine a “coming of age” point in my life, I think of Space Song by Beach House.
When I reflect on a devastating but necessary heartbreak, I think of Black Mountain by wave to earth.
When I reminisce on my online activity during quarantine with friends, I think of Escape (The Pina Colada Song) by Rupert Holmes.
There are different volumes of music appreciation. On an individual scale, people are likely to cherish music by memory. On a larger scale, societies and cultures digest their music in a slightly different manner.
Take Live Aid, for example. Known for its iconic lineup of popular 80’s artists, the benefit concert fundraiser raised more than $140 million for famine relief in Ethiopia.
With 150,000 people in attendance and nearly two billion people watching worldwide, it strengthened global music culture and the idea that people will financially contribute their love of music.
There’s also the commercial side of music. As soon as Halloween ends, Christmas ads and Mariah Carey’s All I Want For Christmas Is You take hold of every television and radio station.
Seasonal cues like jingle bells train listeners to associate melodies or instruments with specific times of year.
It’s Pavlov’s technique, but music does not always follow the guidelines it is set by.
Producers may claim that certain chords evoke a specific feeling or sensation, but personal experiences truly shape how we interpret music.
A K-pop song, with a fast tempo and catchy chorus, could make someone emotional. While a dark song with heavy lyrics and guitar chords may relax the listener.
For me, Seigfried by Frank Ocean is bittersweet. The symphonic arrangement toward the end of the song brings me to tears each time I hear it, especially accompanied by Ocean’s lyrics, “This is not my life, It’s just a fond farewell to a friend.”
I clutch my chest in pain each time, but also feel bliss. The instrumental is so incredible that it ignites something in me I can’t fully explain.
We instinctively arrange our emotions into playlists—high-energy tracks for the gym, sentimental ballads for rainy days, and upbeat songs for dancing. The power of music is undeniable.
That’s why limited skips on streaming services can feel so frustrating, and forces us to confront emotions and sensations we may not be ready to.
A monthly charge of approximately $10 for Spotify or Apple Music premium services may seem a hassle at first, but the relief of keeping your musical comfort for the next 30-days with unlimited skips outweighs the cost.
For some, the charge pays for their pre-game session before their weekly club night. For others, spinning a CD to sing out loud to is more than enough.
I’ve spent nearly $1,000 in the past year to experience my favorite harmonies live, even traveling across state lines and staying up until the sun rises.
The efforts we make to consume music and the significance of its appreciation varies widely, but it is safe to say that music is a critical factor in every person’s life.
