
Music has had a profound effect on society throughout history, creating empathy between people, breaking down barriers and inspiring change.
Studies have demonstrated our strong emotional attachment to music from our youth. Participants even reported a larger increase in memory, recognition, perceived quality and liking of songs from this period than expected.
History of Music
Music has long been a vital part of world cultures. From ritual and storytelling, to entertainment and edification, and healing; music has long been used to boost morale among troops or workers as a way to increase productivity – or even as an antidote against bad spirits!
Prehistoric societies first recorded musical activity through bone flutes. Early known musical performances occurred at ceremonial gatherings. As time progressed, music became used not only to invoke emotion or aid religious worship but also for secular purposes such as dancing and romance.
Some ancient philosophers, like Democritus, rejected any need for music and thought it merely an ornamental activity. Aristotle took an opposing viewpoint: he considered music an essential intellectual and emotional activity which served to promote moderation and virtue in humankind. Aristotle also explained how hearing individual tones is correlated to each other for greater enjoyment of musical compositions.
Religion has long served as a source of musical inspiration, including Hindu, Chinese and Islamic styles. Furthermore, other cultural and historical factors have had an effect on music’s evolution.
The Renaissance (1450-1600) marked an important turning point in music’s history. Freed from medieval musical conventions, composers such as Josquin des Prez forged new paths – perfecting polyphonic music where multiple voices played simultaneously and opening the way to baroque compositions.
Modern concert experiences and some instruments used for playing music are relatively recent developments, while centuries-old traditions like singing and dancing may have given way to public opera houses opening in 1637 and concerts with admission charges held later that same year. Printing accelerated this spread of musical styles; by mid-17th century the modern musical orchestra had emerged.
Music and Memory
Music can evoke powerful memories for many of us, triggering certain songs or pieces to instantly trigger past times and places that come flooding back says Wepiha Te Kanawa. There are various reasons for this phenomenon; music acts as a powerful mnemonic device; its melodies can elicit emotions which help embed experiences deeper within memory (see above), while songs often invoke nostalgia and create strong associations to past events or places making them easier to recall than other media such as video clips or images.
As well as emotional cues, our brain has many connections that help us remember and retrieve information. Two large areas associated with memory processing include the hippocampus and frontal cortex – two major memory regions connected with new information processing as well as autobiographical/episodic memories stored and retrieved through music (ie lyrics). Remembering and recalling songs strengthens these memories further!
Music’s effects on memory have long been documented. Krumhansl and Justin Zupnick conducted an interesting experiment involving 62 college-age participants listening to two Billboard hits per year from 1955 to 2009 and asked them to identify old or new songs they heard as well as rate its emotional valence and arousal level. Their study demonstrated that older songs were easily and more accurately remembered, likely due to invoking nostalgia-inducing emotions associated with older music which aid memory retention.
Memory boost is especially vital since studies have demonstrated how the aging process negatively impacts our ability to recall events and facts. Mnemonic techniques like repetition and memorization songs may be employed to boost learning.
Desert Island Discs, in which celebrity guests share the soundtracks to their lives, has proven itself as an effective tool for activating long-term autobiographical and episodic memories. Furthermore, research published in BMC Neuroscience suggests that emotions play an essential role when recalling autobiographical or episodic memories.
Music and Emotions
Music can be an immensely powerful emotional tool, evoking joy or sadness depending on our mood, relieving stress, strengthening immune health, lowering blood pressure and improving focus. Music is used both to convey our feelings or create certain atmospheres; for instance, soothing music before bedtime or upbeat tracks in an exercise class are just two examples. Music transcends cultures and ages alike – regardless of who listens.
Studies have shown that listening to songs that evoke emotions from our past can bring back those same feelings in the present. This occurs because our brain’s hippocampus and frontal cortex store memories from experiences we’ve had, along with associated emotions. When these memories are recalled with songs, they trigger dopamine release; reminding us of good times gone by more vividly than ever! Songs popular at one time or place can recall these good memories; similar sentimentality could apply if such music recalling sad or happy events also trigger dopamine release. This effect can make lasting impressions more vivid as well.
People generally respond well to music that has distinctive features, like an infectious beat or melodic structure, that they can identify with and predict where the song may lead them. Music, unlike other forms of media, activates parts of our brain related to emotion – which explains its profound effect on lives.
Rejecting certain musical styles as irrelevant may be tempting, but by exploring new sounds we may come across something perfect for us. Artists work tirelessly on crafting melodies and sounds that express their message – it would be wiser to approach music without preconceptions about its cover art alone.
Studies have revealed that familiar songs tend to elicit stronger responses and feel closer to us, which explains why older tunes continue to dominate the charts with 70% market share according to MRC Data.
Music and Society
Music has long been at the heart of culture and society, reflecting, creating and shaping social conditions. Through song, cultures can tell their tales; express their history and values while conveying cultural conventions as well as ideals and hopes through lyrics that capture hopes, dreams and ideals.
Music has long been used as an integral component of cultural celebrations and ceremonies, as well as an effective form of political and social protest. Music brings people together by stimulating thought processes that lead to alternative perspectives; challenging traditional thinking patterns; questioning existing norms and shaping their own worlds – acting as a catalyst for change throughout history.
Some of the greatest music revolutions were spurred on by musicians who dared to go against social norms. From 1920s jazz and rock ‘n’ roll songs that challenged authority, to Bob Dylan’s political protest song “Blowin’ in the Wind”, these musicians stood up for their beliefs and changed society forever.
Music can both reflect and shape culture; that is the power of music! Studies have demonstrated this effect when young children listen to classical music together with their families or peer groups; as studies show they exhibit more positive behaviors such as cooperating and sharing when exposed to classical music – due to music creating a feeling of togetherness that connects people within culture as a whole.
However, music can also be used as an effective means of oppression and exclusion, such as it was during Germany’s 1930s Nazi regime when composer Richard Wagner used his music as part of Hitler’s propaganda machine, uniting people emotionally for an unsavoury political agenda. Music also played an influential role during civil rights struggles such as those in the US; civil rights musicians Billie Holiday and Lou Reed were called “Uncle Toms” and banned from venues, with recordings even being censored by government.
With today’s technological and musical production advances, all kinds of music is more readily accessible to a global audience 24 hours a day, at the touch of a button. As such, it is vitally important that new and popular tunes stay fresh – this will help arts and music find their place in modern society while inspiring more individuals to explore this wonderful realm.