Define music. In a dictionary maybe, google, etc. Of course, it is most likely going to have a couple of answers, maybe one, but there are many many more ways to think of music. But the strange thing is, it really depends on what type of person you are. Using me as an example, I have a very deep connection with music. For example, if i’m sad I would listen to sad music to center what i’m feeling so I can figure out why. Or if i’m happy I can really grow the feeling by listening to music that came out at a good time of my life. I know it sounds complicated but imagine you are at a concert with all your friends, you are probably smiling, laughing, dancing and you just feel amazing and sometimes that feeling will come back to you when you listen to it another time. You can feel the vibes from the concert, and being with your friends, and laughing. So sometimes when you are sad you can listen to that to cheer you up, or when you are happy and you want the feeling to become bigger that’s also something you can do.
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I know for me, I was at fright fest with my internet friends and we were at this show, one of my internet friend and I started screaming the song “Zombie” by The Cranberries when it came on at the show so now whenever I listen to it I think of her. Yes, it’s not the “happiest” song ever but it just reminds me of her and smiling so hard, and just being with her because I can’t see her that often. The weird thing is how my internet friends and I met. Over music. We are VERY big fans of an amazing band named “Why Don’t We” (I highly recommend them) and we all met through fan accounts. I’m so happy I met them because they are some of my favorite people ever. Every time I listen to their music I always feel happy, they never let me down.
What type of situations will want to make you listen to music? Well it depends on what type of person you are, and what type of music you know and like. If it reminds you of a person or reminds you of a time in your life. Some people would rather not listen to a certain song that reminds you of a certain time in your life. Other people, depending on their mood, might listen to it to put their feelings in place. If you search on google “why do people listen to music when they are sad?” this is what comes up,
“ Here’s Why Listening to Sad Music Makes You Feel Better. … A new study sheds light on what’s going on inside our brains when we match our music to our feels, and it looks like sad music can be enjoyable – rather than simply depressing – because it triggers positive memories that can help to lift our mood.”
It is also proved on the website Psychology Today, “Why Do the Songs from Your Past Evoke Such Vivid Memories?” that songs you have not listened to in years can overcome you with tons of flashbacks and emotions. It feels like you are traveling back in time. Did you know that some doctors around the world use modern or popular music to help brain-injured patients to help recall personal memories? It can be that effective.
“There’s something about a popular song that always conjures up memories and emotions when we listen to it — even when our memory fails to serve us as well as it used to.” – Pop Songs Help Brain-Injured Patients Remember: Study Shows Music Is A ‘Powerful Stimulus, Medical Daily.
I have interviewed some of my friends to see what kind of songs they have connections to,
Kaelyn:
- “Trust Fund Baby” by Why Don’t We because it is really cool and fun in her opinion.
- “High Hopes” by Panic! At the Disco for the same reason as Trust Fund Baby.
- “Let Her Go” by Passenger because she moves around a lot and when she moved to this one place she met this girl who became more like a sister so when she moved away there was only one app they really stayed in touch and the app is musical.ly so when she made a post with that song and she did a duet with her so whenever that song plays it reminds her of the girl which makes her sad.
- “Everybody Dies In Their Nightmares” by xxxtentacion because it reminds her of a different girl that ended up being more like her sister, the girl moved to Maryland before Kaelyn moved to Massachusetts (which was just recently). Kaelyn gets reminded of that girl because she really like xxtentacion and they used to joke around a lot in science class and laugh all the time and it was almost the highlight of her day everyday just being with her.
- “Marry Me” by Jason Derulo makes her think of her ex-boyfriend because one day he was trying to cheer her up so he said that when he thinks of her he thinks of that song.
- “Youth” by Troye Sivan because
RyRy:
- “Let You Down” by NF because it is a song that reminds her of a time in her life that she doesn’t like to talk about so whenever she listens to the song she gets sad even though she likes the song.
- “Hooked” by Why Don’t We because the song is about toxic relationships and it reminds her of a relationship she had that was very bad for her and all she could see was the positive side. She never saw how bad the relationship was and the damage it gave her. She said the following in her own words “I was blinded by my love for the person that I didn’t realize the damage they were causing me and no matter what anyone told me I wouldn’t listen it like I was trapped under a spell.”
Heidi:
- “Perfect” by Ed Sheeran because it is describing someone he loves which makes her happy and sad which makes her think of someone who is complicated in her life.
Think to yourself, are you a music person? Is music part of the solution to your problems? What type of music do you like? If you aren’t sure you can now try it out to see if it helps you. Whatever comes to your mind when you hear the word “music,” is your true definition of music.
Grover Middle School's Jagazine 