Our favourite songs often provide the soundtrack for daily tasks around the house and entertain us when we may need a break from computer screens, but it can be so much more than just background noise. Music serves several purposes in life and could unlock many more benefits than you realise.
It can spark creativity
Notes and rhythms can dance around your head all day, playing repetitively. But it may start taking a slightly different tune. Songs that stay with us can provide the inspiration that leads us onto our own creations.
Sampling isn’t anything new, and it’s something that even the greats do. Madonna borrowing ABBA’s ‘Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)’ for her hit dance track proved a huge success, showing her spin on the band’s classic. They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and that certainly shows when a song can lend a hand to a new musical triumph. You don’t have to be a chart-topping hitmaker to create your own twist, and you may be surprised with what creative juices start flowing when you incorporate a sample of your own.
Thanks for the memories
When you visit past events, it’s more than likely that there was a musical attachment. Whether it’s the ‘Wedding March’ on your special day, or ‘Singing in the Rain’ from the first time you watched a special film with a grandparent, songs can spark special memories to reignite in your mind and remind you of a happier time.
Of course, not all memories are happy. We can be reminded of sombre times through emotional tunes, but maybe they hold a special place in your heart. There’s a place and time for when you want to be reminded of these times, and those teary moments aren’t always welcome. But say it reminds you of a person you no longer see, sometimes it can help you feel connected to that person and bring back happier memories you had with them. Hearing ‘Hushabye Mountain’ from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang saddens me when I think about why it reminds me of my uncle, but it also reminds me of the joyful memories and gives me a chance to reflect on happier times, which is one of music’s most special powers, I think.
Providing motivation
Whether you need to power through that run or finally finish that assignment that you’ve been procrastinating with, music can be the best motivational accompaniment.
I’m sure that ‘Eye of the Tiger’ sees many of us through those dreaded gruelling workouts, as the power-packed song tends to sum up adrenaline for us, pushing us forward to work up a sweat. Maybe it’s the connotations of it being played whilst Rocky is training for his bag match, or maybe it’s the punch-like beats that puncture the song throughout that encourages us to gather more energy.
It’s not all about high-adrenaline, blood-pumping anthems though, some relaxing Mozart or Beethoven may help you unwind and motivate your mind to help you concentrate on the tasks at hand you have- I know I need a relaxing melody or two when trying to settle my brain.
Having your favourite songs on has also been found to help put you in a better mood and push positivity higher, which can prove beneficial when you need to turn that frown upside down after a perhaps unsuccessful day.
Music as medicine
It’s been found that music can actually help patients with certain conditions. Those with Alzheimer’s for one are said to benefit from music therapy, as it can help to associate songs with a particular moment in their past. Alzheimer’s causes patients to suffer from substantial memory loss, so anyway of re-connecting their mind with events from their life is seen as a huge success and help.
Dementia is another condition that music has been found to help. Songs can help patients express themselves through gestures and expressions, which is often hard for those suffering from it, as their cognitive abilities are significantly impacted, so an improvement in their motor movements can mark a breakthrough moment.
Bringing us together
No matter how far apart we may be from loved ones, there’s always something that can unite us, and music does that perfectly. Sharing Spotify playlists with one another and sending songs that we think others may like can encourage greater communication between people which helps to reduce loneliness and depressive moods, especially after the amount of time we’ve all had to spend apart this last year.
It can also help us teach one another. Learning how to use a musical instrument not only helps brain development but allows us to learn from others and make new connections. These are not only connections with those passing on their expertise, but the further contacts they may have that can allow you to meet new friends or discover great opportunities. Who knows, your future guitar teacher may have a friend in the industry which could lead to you headlining stadiums one day…
Music is so much more than just entertainment. It doesn’t only entertain us and provide great backing tracks for nights out and other soirees, but it helps our brains, our relationships and our emotions to be released. We can uncover parts of ourselves we may have forgotten, or learn new things we didn’t know we could, and connect with people we may never normally do. There really is more to music than meets the ear.