There have been countless studies showcasing the positive effects of music on peoples’ mental health, but are there any other positive benefits of listening to music? I spoke to a few local residents to find out their opinions on the effects of music.

 

It is perhaps well-known that there are strong correlations between music and mood; just as Beethoven’s 5th Symphony is unlikely to create a particularly happy atmosphere, you are unlikely to hear lo-fi music in a club. One London resident, Sofia Rahman said, “I like to listen to lots of different kinds of music, but I think a lot of songs that I like to listen to are R&B on my playlist. It’s quite calming, I can walk around my room, and if I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed I can just listen to it.” Especially in an age where everything seems incredibly fast-paced, music such as this can be beneficial in slowing down and calming stressful circumstances.

However, music can have more than just psychological impacts; it can, in fact, provide connections to culture, as Sofia went on to say, “I also listen to a lot of Indian and Pakistani songs because that links to my culture and it makes it easier to stay in touch with my roots.” Music can, therefore, create strong links between people and help them connect from across the world as they listen to the same thing. Memories associated with certain songs are also a strong benefit. For example, many people connect with songs they listened to frequently in their childhood; while the nostalgia may be bitter-sweet, it is a common tool employed to reflect back on the past.

Sophia de Reyes Mezbur, a student, said, “I mostly listen to bossa nova, jazz, Lana Del Rey, and opera. The benefit for me from opera is cultural insight. There are lots of ties to mythology and philosophy, and it helps with learning languages”, evidently showcasing the academic benefits of music too. Even as music is classically stereotyped as a non-academic subject, it can relate to many other fields, such as Physics (looking at frequency and wavelength of sound waves) and Maths (counting the number of beats and figuring out rhythm).

Music is useful in many ways: psychological, social, and academic. As masses of new music is produced every day, it is easy to find music for everyone.