Around 40,000 years ago, flutes made of bones and ivory were the first form of music ever created, and ever since, it has been a massive part of human society. Throughout the years, music has been used as a source of entertainment, a way to comfort ourselves, and a way to express ourselves. There is no doubt that music plays a massive role in people’s lives, and studies have shown that music has lots of benefits. Studies have also demonstrated that the kind of music someone listens to says a lot about who you are as a person.
Present day music is the most accessible it has ever been. Unlike just a few decades ago when you needed a CD, or 200 years ago when you could only hear music live, absolutely any song you want is available within seconds on streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music. According to a study by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), the average person listens to around 20.7 hours of music per week. With so much music available, people are able to listen where they want when they want. Whether that is a sing-along song on a road trip or a laid-back playlist while studying, you’ll always have the right song for the right time.
Studies have also shown that music has lots of mental benefits. According to psychiatry.org, “Emerging evidence indicates that music has the potential to enhance prosocial behavior, promote social connectedness, and develop emotional competence.” Music even has physical benefits. When music is being played, blood flows more easily through the body. Music can even lower heart rate and blood pressure.
With how accessible music is today, people are able to use their music taste to express themselves. A study by Spotify has shown that the music we listen to says many things about who you are as a person. Spotify tracked what many users listened to over a 3-month period. Alongside this, they also took a 44-question personality survey measuring the big 5 personality traits (openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and emotional stability). They then trained a machine to attempt to predict someone’s personality based on musical preferences. Their results showed that personality traits are, in fact, able to be predicted based on someone’s music taste, and music taste connects most with someone’s stability and conscientiousness. The study shows that people who are open to new experiences typically listen to afro-pop or classical music. Listening to blues often indicates that someone is assessing their emotional stability, meaning that they are trying to stay in a balanced emotional state. People who listen to heavy metal are less agreeable, meaning less patient, kind, and empathetic, while country and jazz listeners are more agreeable.
Freshman Wyatt Weber is a big-time country fan. “Country music being very soft and warm really speaks to me,” he says. “Country really makes you think about life, because country artists really talk from the heart, which I really appreciate.”
He continues, “I listen to music every day, especially during the school day because it helps me lock in.” Although Weber’s favorite genre is country music, he enjoys other genres for certain parts of his day. “When I’m doing my homework, I feel like classical music really helps me focus on my work, and when I’m running, rap music tends to be my go-to,” Weber explains. Weber listens to many different country artists, but one has always stuck out for him. “My favorite artist is definitely Zach Bryan because he knows how to relate to his listeners and he always speaks from the heart.”
Freshman Lincoln Smith is extremely passionate about Hip-Hop/Rap Music. “Rap is a very unique genre of music and has faced lots of adversity and controversy in the past, but rappers always find a way to overcome it,” Smith says. Smith shares that his favorite rapper is J. Cole because “his lyrics really speak to [him], and he tells a great story. Smith says, “I listen to music all day, every day, and it is a huge part of my daily routine.”
Music is a huge part of many of our lives, and no matter what genre we are into it is important to cherish how accessible music is and how it helps us.
