More than noise

Music is essential to the human experience

ZOE MARIE ZAPANTA / ASST. OPINION EDITOR / THE USD VISTA

I can’t remember the last time I did anything without music. You will rarely catch me without my headphones. Music is everywhere. Whether you are driving down the street blasting it from your car speakers or tuning out the world as you go about your day with your headphones on — music is always there. 

Our souls intertwine with music every day. We use it to wind down, articulate things we can’t find the words for, come to terms with our emotions,and generally improve our well-being. It has evolved into a tool for healing and self-expression, often influencing how we, as individuals, take steps to impact society. That is why I believe that music is an essential part of human life. 

Music elicits both strong emotional and physical responses. According to a study by the University of Nevada, Reno,  music around 60 beats per minute can cause the brain to synchronize with the beat. So, a slower tempo can quiet your mind and relax your muscles, making you feel soothed. This helps release the stress of the day, and it demonstrates that music is effective for relaxation and stress management.

In a similar  vein,  faster  music   helps  people feel more alert and concentrated. Upbeat music encourages more optimistic and positive feelings about life. 

I have different playlists for different moods, and each of those playlists is unique to me and my personal worldview. In the book, “Classical Music: Expected the Unexpected,” author and conductor Kent Nagano spoke with neuroscientist Daniel J. Levitin   on  how music connects with the brain. Levitin explained that some sociological effects of music include the improvement of people’s well-being. This is due to chemical reactions in the brain, such as an increase in oxytocin. Oxytocin, or the “love hormone,” makes us more inclined to engage in social interactions or build trust between individuals. 

In my case, I listen to a lot of love songs and a majority of those songs are upbeat and express the type of love that I may want in a way that I can’t put in my own words. Listening to that type of music can lead me to romanticize interactions or avoid situations that may hurt me. 

For example, Taylor Swift is one of my favorite artists. In her music, Swift digs into the heart of the human experience in a poetic way that almost romanticizes growing up, falling in love and breaking up. She does so in a way that fans of all ages, including myself, can relate to. Her music allows her to be vulnerable, and it prompts me to reflect on my own experiences so I can understand myself better. 

Additionally, live music events allow you to connect with people around you, and connection is an essential part of life. According to The Conversation, a not-for-profit website for publishing news and research studies, when we’re in physical proximity with other people, our mutual tuning-in, which is the sociological precondition for any form of communication, toward one another actually generates bodily rhythms that make us feel good and gives us a greater sense of belonging. 

Also, when you have the same interest in music as someone else, it’s much easier to talk with that person. Not only that, but if you have similar taste in music as someone else, chances are you’ll be able to find common ground pretty quickly. Hearing music live creates the space for that, and it is a unique experience that you may never get again. I saw Harry Styles in concert recently, and being in a room of people that have all been touched by his music in some way was surreal, and I never felt so understood in that way before. 

Other people may experience music differently though, and their reliance on music can lead to changes in their behavior. According to a study from Journal of Personality and Social Psychology that was explored by the American Psychological Association, violent song lyrics can increase negative emotions and can cause people to act more aggressively. Researchers from Iowa State University conducted an experiment to find a relationship between the two, and the students that participated reported feelings of hostility after hearing songs with aggressive words. 

Popular songs depict violence in just as much striking detail. As we already know, music affects our worldview, but in the case of vigorous themes in music, those messages can discourage the growth of empathy as well as decrease positive emotions. Music like this can be found throughout many genres, one being rap a vast majority of young people enjoy. The audience might expect rappers to do what they say in their lyrics, and the artists can be pressured to commit those violent acts to prove their credibility to others. Certain lyrics may glamorize violent crime, but listening to them and singing about it does not certify causality. Music doesn’t necessarily cause people to commit these actions, but it can add significantly to the pressure to react.  

Popular music reflects today’s culture, and that can be a catalyst for social changes. In the lyrics and sound of each era, we can discern the imprints of a particular generation and see history in the making. Culture is changing faster than ever before, and it mirrors musical forms that are evolving and emerging at the same rate. 

We can see music’s impact on human rights movements and its role as a spark for change in our history books. One example is the impact of the “freedom songs” of the Civil Rights Movement, such as “We Shall Overcome” and “Strange Fruit.” These songs broke down barriers, educated people, built empathy and had a hand in ending segregation.  In a study from Stanford University entitled “Songs and the Civil Rights Movement,” these songs “give  the   people   new   courage and    a    sense    of   unity,”  and “they   keep alive a faith, a radiant hope, in the future, particularly in our most trying hours.” A modern example of this is Lizzo’s “Truth Hurts.” With lyrics like “I’m 100% that b**ch” and “Why men great til they gotta be great?” This feminist anthem is Lizzo expressing for herself and for women everywhere that she knows exactly who she is without a man and that she is amazing.

Everyone experiences music differently. Music is a part of us as much as how artists are the   music   they  create. It serves as a sounding board for how we move through life. It allows reflection of ourselves, spurs change, and ultimately brings us closer as   a  society. Music is  a   window  to    the   soul,   and   as complex    as   humans are,  music is essential to understanding how we move through the ever-changing world we live in.