About

Music has a surprising effect on humanity. Have you ever wondered why it gives you goosebumps? Pleasure. Listening to music releases dopamine into the brain which provides similar feelings to sex. No wonder why it makes us feel so good! Regardless of how it effects an individual biologically, music has ties with many different outcomes of a person’s mental health. This is a correlation, not a causation, because music influences mood just as your mood influences your taste in music. A person’s mental health can be accurately assumed by their most frequent emotions, and so if music correlates with these emotions, then it must play a role in mental health. Every genre of music has a goal or general “feel” to it, so does this mean that different types of music invoke different moods or emotions? It is all pleasurable, but some songs may be more upbeat while some can be more glum. Whether it invokes resentment, longing, aspirations, or a combination of all of the above, it is bound to give us goosebumps. The line becomes blurred with lyrics. Is it the lyrics or the instrumental sounds that give us pleasure? The answer: both. The lyrics act as a way for the artist to communicate more detailed feelings to the listener, while the music itself is able to set the tone and provide more subtle feelings. For example, a minor, more monotone set of chords will set a sad tone, while the lyrics will be able to explain why or how the sadness occurs. With a major set of chords, a happier, more upbeat tone will resonate with the listener, and the artist can go on to explain why they feel these upbeat feelings. Music is a form of art, illustrating a story as a painting or piece of poetry would. Whether the art is more simple or more detailed, it will help you interpret the art in your own way.