The Power of Music 🎵
Connecting emotions, memories & people…
It’s that time of the year again. Reflecting and reviewing the road you took, the people you met and the events you experienced in 2018. In the Netherlands we also review the year through something called Music. We create the Top 2000 songs of 2018. This list of songs is selected by many: Songs of the past, songs of today, songs that bring back memories and songs that brought people closer.
What is your favourite song? Just a simple question you would think. Easy to answer. For me though, out of all questions you could ask me, this will probably always be one of my least favourite. Why? Simply because I cannot give you one single answer. Let me try to explain…
During my visit in Japan, I went to the 21_21 Design museum and I got inspired by the artist Dominique Chen, stating: “Music is a type of architecture elaborately designed from various elements as a tone, pitch and rhythm. At the same time a piece of music has full potential to be interpreted in myriad ways, depending on the individual sensibilities of those who hear it”.
It’s all about the interpretation of those listening to it: Within music, every song and every sound will have an intimate link to each and anyone of us.
“Music was my first love
And it will be my last
Music equals emotion. In fact, it makes us experience an huge range of emotions or feelings. It is basically a broad world of different expressions, of things you might not be able to put in words.
Emotions that occur could have a strong impact on our mood. Music is able to enhance a mood or counteract a mood: It could make you happy or it could make you sad. It could calm you down or it could cheer you up. It could make you dance or it could make you fall asleep.
Music equals memory. It sounds probably familiar to you, that many songs we listen to immediately bring back different memories. Memories of an holiday, a trip or an event. A certain movie or a festival. Or it reminds you of certain people you’ve met in life.
It’s fascinating how each song or melody is strongly connected in our brain to a specific memory. For me, some songs take me back to travel adventures, remembering exactly in which country I was. This is called autobiographic memory. However while listening, it also reminds me of the ultimate feeling of freedom and happiness I experienced during those adventures. Ha! Here is where music, emotion & memory get together: Music is able to make memories, with a strong feeling of certain emotions. Better said, emotional memory.
Music of the future
And music of the past
It sounds like common sense, right? But from a biological and scientific perspective, it’s actually quite special that we, human beings, are unconsciously making these links in our brain. According to Julian Treasure, researcher and expert in sound, this is done through a certain way of encoding in our brain. An unique feature that has never been found with other species on our planet.
Julian Treasure further explains that it is the listener who gives meaning to music. What is meant by this, is that every single human being has an unique fingerprint in listening, due to our own created values, beliefs, attitudes and experiences in life. But also what you may have heard as a child, or associated with different emotions in the past, has a significant impact on what you may like now. Therefore: One song will be interpreted in various ways by various people. We all have filters determining our own unique interpretations and feelings when listening to a song. So when I get goosebumps while listening to Toto, Einaudi or Coldplay, you might fully understand or you might not care. And when I could sometimes get extremely excited by Rihanna or Justin Timberlake you could laugh… But hey, that’s the beauty of our uniqueness ;-).
As said, music connects emotion & memory. Emotional reactions arise both with instrumental and vocal music. Sometimes people could have a strong emotion and memory to a lyric. They can identify themselves to a certain described situation within the song. But also instrumental music could give you this intense feeling.
Funny enough, due to the strong link of the elements described, it is sometimes not the music itself, but the memory that could make or break a song for you…
And last… Music connects people. While writing this article in Japan, it got even more clear to me. When cultures are so extremely different and language is the number one barrier, there is one thing that connects: music. Step into a club in Japan and suddenly you -as a foreigner not able to communicate in words- make friends with all the Japanese just by dancing and singing together. Not only will music connect cultures, it could also have a positive impact in the individual society we’re living in. Simply sharing, talking or experiencing music with others, will bring people closer again. Making new experiences, emotions and memories. Together. 🖤
To live without my music
Would be impossible to do”- John Miles
Music is like architecture. It is always around, in so many different types and different ways. Let’s not forget it has a certain impact in our lives. I’m looking forward to listening to the Top 2000 of 2018, but even more to what 2019 will bring!
