Kevin Week 10 - The Sound of Music

Image Credit: https://www.veronicasvinyl.com/lp-lounge/rumour-has-it 


 It was almost 5 years ago (wow, time flies) at the start of COVID when I made my first Spotify playlist: a hot mess of nostalgic 2010s songs and NCS tracks, like the kind people would make Fortnite edits with. Now looking back, even though I cringe every time I think about it, that playlist was a manifestation of how I felt at the time. I was confused. I was stuck in the past. But yet at the same time I was still hopeful for the future. The most important thing I've learned throughout from then till now is that music has the power to entertain, connect, heal, and inspire in ways that words alone can't.

Recently, whenever I feel burnt out from school or a long day, I’ve gotten back into the habit of  practicing piano to unwind. According to this study, music stimulates our brain’s hypothalamus causing it to release dopamine (the happy chemical), which is why people instinctively turn to music to get into a better mood. In short, music has the power to make us feel emotions on a deeper, enhanced level like nothing else.

Furthermore, music also has the power to comfort and heal. Research has found that music therapy can help people with Alzheimer’s, or those that suffer from mental health disorders and even disabled people. 



Besides being beneficial to individuals, music can serve as an instrument for societal transformations too. A case in point could be the track "We Are the World" which you may have heard in your elementary school class. It was an instant success as a collaborative work of the USA for Africa charity that was done by the most popular stars such as Michael Jackson, Tina Turner, and Stevie Wonder to perform and also raise funds for the famine in Africa. 


Hence, music is, at its core, an intangible object; it has multiple powers and can influence people’s minds and hearts. 




Comments

  1. Hakim RadFebruary 2, 2025 at 2:03 AM

    Hey Kevin!! YES 100 percent. Music is phenomenal. Its both a medicine to our suffering and a perpetuator for our variety of feelings. Like you mentioned, music is this intangible power that is felt, heard, and engrained within the beats of our heart.

    I recently wrote a research paper on a famous songwriter. (By research paper I'm referring to POAS lol). I wrote about a boy named Marshall Mathers who grew up to be known as Eminem. I examined how this young man harnessed the transformative power of music and allowed it to critique his world, uplift his life-style, address societal issues, and embody a voice that transcends boundaries.

    Music is power.

    And Power is a hope, a belief, and a stream of faces that we can mask ourselves with at our discretion.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Raghav SharmaFebruary 5, 2025 at 7:25 PM

    Hey Kevin!
    What a great blog! I totally agree with you! Music is therapy for many people, including me :). Whether it's driving to school on a Monday morning, or just listening to my spotify playlist while doing work, music makes my life a little more productive. I also loved how you brought in some more statistics in it, and finally, I can prove to my friends how music actually makes your life better. I loved how you talked about your old playlist; I still have mine and still remember the good old memories of my 6th grade, making that playlist. Now, i just have a playlist for every mood, whether that's gym or even sad music, I have it all. i also play an instrument, when life can get a bit stressful. I love playing guitar, and a dream scenario for me would be, second semester senior, on the hills with a sunset, and just playing guitar and singing with all my friends. I think guitar for me is my therapist. It's truly one of my favorite activities to do, except basketball. Who are your favorite singers? We should also definitely share Spotify playlists in class. Overall, I loved reading your blog Kevin and can't wait for next week!

    ReplyDelete
  3. EmilyFebruary 5, 2025 at 8:47 PM

    Hi Kevin,
    Incredibly well spoken, music is amazing, I agree with many of your points. Music is a huge gift to us, it's therapy to many of us, including me! Whether it's the drive to school, or my nightly walks in my neighborhood, songs grants me freedom whenever I listen to them. I agree with how you mention music being a social tool as well, it can create common ground between millions of people which can be used to achieve something incredible, which is what it so amazing about music. It's a universal language spoken by people from the earliest traces of history to modern times. Your perspective on music really resonated with me, I've personally experienced how a shared love for a song or artist can lead to instant connections. Thank you for sharing, I really enjoyed reading your blog.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Ansh GalaFebruary 5, 2025 at 9:38 PM

    Hey Kevin, I absolutely could not agree more. I listen to music almost every waking moment I have. Whether it's just walking to my next class or trying to sleep at night, there is almost always music playing in my ears. Personally, I feel I would not be able to function without some sort of song. I can tell you from my own experience that the music I listen to can help dictate my mood so easily. Any time I am stressed about a situation, I can turn to some calm lyrical masterpieces. Other times where I feel I need motivation, I can put on some hype tunes. It honestly controls my every action. It heals me whenever I feel down in any way. I was wondering what genre of music you primarily listen to. I like Bollywood, rap, pop, and r&b. I don't play an instrument, but I was thinking about trying out the piano. How long have you been playing for?

    ReplyDelete

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