by Harper Smith
Music has existed in human culture since very nearly the dawn of time. The earliest known instrument was a 60,000 year old bone flute, made from a bear femur and discovered in the caves of Slovenia in 1995. Percussion (music produced by striking something to create sound, better defined by modern instruments like drums and the tambourine) has been around for almost as long, and by the time civilizations like Greece and Egypt had emerged, the use of music for storytelling and cultural connection was hardly a new idea. Music became a craft, an art, and because of this, there was more thought devoted to the why and how of it all. Theory (the study of the principles and elements of song) was created and developed, and things like melody, harmony, rhythm and structure were conceptualized and studied. Musical notation (the way in which instrumental music is read, or “sheet music”–have you ever seen those little pointy blob things? This means those) was developed as well, and evolved over time. Through the inventions of records, radio, CDs, and eventually streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music, music is now a part of most of our daily lives. It is used for relaxation, education, worship, or just to dance and have a good time!
But because the influence of it all has spread so far, it means most of us have now experienced the same thing. The feeling of listening to a song–maybe your favorite song, or maybe just something on the radio–and letting it wash over you, filling you up with emotion, with thoughts and pictures in your head, until…are you crying? Okay, for a lot of you out there it’s probably not that extreme, but there’s a near-universal experience of having a song affect you in some way. Whether it’s in the form of sadness, joy or even anger, that’s the power music can have on us. And given how long it all dates back, it’s safe to assume that this power has existed since ancient times. But why? Why does this happen, and why can almost everyone relate? Why can one person think a song is the saddest thing they’ve ever heard, and another say it’s their go-to for a dance routine?
There are a lot of theories, and their basis varies. Some use psychology, some use music theory, some use a combination of both, and still others go off emotional analysis or just, in formal terms, “straight-up vibes.” I’ll go through two of these now, and you can decide for yourself which best represents how you think of the phenomena. Note, however, that each and every one has a scientific basis behind them, and a framework supporting evidence and studies. I will link sources below for further reading–they’re very interesting, and provide deeper information than my brief overviews.
Theory 1: Music composition and psychology.
Here I’ve combined the content of several articles regarding the more scientific side of things related to music. Namely, the brain. Your brain (hopefully, at least) has several distinct areas, each for different purposes. When these areas are triggered, certain hormones are released, or certain reactions are triggered, that make us feel things like pleasure, fear, and fatigue. Scientists have found that nearly all of these systems light up when we perceive musical sound. The amygdala, the hippocampus, the limbic system and more all have expressed intense reactions to harmonic sound–and they are all centers of the brain associated with pleasure and reward. Music makes us happy on a psychology and physiological level. Being able to predict or anticipate the tempo, rhythm, and changes sends a positive charge to our brains when our expectations are met or surprisingly exceeded, and releases dopamine. Additionally, songs or sounds associated with certain memories (or even just songs we recognize) in our brains light up the reward system as well.
(Sources: one, two, three, four.)
Theory 2: Empathy and connection.
Another idea is less quantitative in the realms of physical biology, but has very real basis in history, psychology and human experience. In fact, that is the theory: that human experience is what leads us to connect and relate to music. I’m sure we all have songs, or even whole playlists of songs, that remind us of ourselves (I’m sure I do–looking at you, indie artist Searows and your songs that make me ugly cry.) But why can we still feel things at songs that have nothing to do with us? Some say that it really is that simple: empathy. The concept and practice of being able to share emotions with other people is one of the most important skills for us to have in life, and one that most everyone is able to cultivate over their lifetime. This skill is exactly what may cause us to experience emotional sensations when we hear certain songs. In fact, scientific studies have shown that more sensitive people show higher levels of connection when listening to “sad” instrumentals, and even find music more pleasurable in general than someone with lower levels. There are even studies that show that listening to music helps us grow our own empathy in general. Emoting at instrumental changes and lyrics can develop an individual’s sensitivity and enhance their ability to relate to others. This is because music is a highly personal art form that conveys a very intimate look at the artist’s feelings. As a songwriter and composer myself, I can say for certain that the process of writing songs is definitely one of the most soul-bearing activities I’ve engaged in. Artists communicate their pain, anger, frustration, love or joy in their songs, with the intention of their listeners coming to understand what they’ve experienced by the end of the track. And despite what you may think if you’re only familiar with lyrical songs (as most people usually are), the same is true for classical or instrumental pieces. The act of creating music and using instruments and composition to reflect a theme or feeling is incredibly personal and unique, and sometimes can have even more depth to them than lyrical pieces. Either way, when someone’s heart is presented proudly in their art, we can see it. And in terms of music, we can feel it ourselves, too.
(Sources: one, two, three, four.)
Now that you’ve read through both of these different ideas, which one do you think is true? Which one is the real reason behind this universal phenomena? Well, the answer is both! Both theories have accurate scientific groundwork in the scientific community, and are widely accepted as true. And there are even more reasons you may feel things at certain songs: your culture, background, past experiences, or even your music taste, all affect the ways you view the things you listen to! Every human on this earth is unique and has lived a unique life compared to every other, and we are all bound to see things differently. Maybe Shape of You is your favorite song because you think it’s romantic. Or you like the music. Or it reminds you of your traumatic childhood. Or maybe you hate it! (I wouldn’t blame you.) For each scenario there is someone here that can relate, and for each and every song, it is someone’s favorite and least favorite. Humans are so diverse and no two of us are the same, but the power of song has united us throughout the ages and continues to have an almost mystical effect in our daily lives. And for a species that can hardly ever see eye-to-eye–I think that’s pretty beautiful. Don’t you?
Recommendations from the Lighthouse Staff and Friends!
Olive Pea recommends the song ‘Wild’ by Woodkid! It makes her feel determined and motivated, like she can accomplish anything. The drums are like a military march, and the strings feel like looking at the clouds.
Lydia Martinov suggests ‘7 Years’ by Luke Graham and ‘Time in a Bottle’ by Jim Croce. They make her think about the passage of time, and its effect on us all.
Lucas David puts his stamp of approval on ‘We’ll See You, Opal (Reprise)’ from the Jack Stauber musical short film “Opal.” It’s a claymation indie film that’s very cool and free on YouTube, go check it out!
Aleena Hamior enjoys the songs ‘Hellbent’ and ‘Royal We’ by Janani K. Jha.
Kieran Smith said the song ‘Rule #4’ by Fish in a Birdcage is epic, and then said he thought epic wasn’t a fancy enough word. I told him it was, but we’ve agreed to disagree. Maybe he meant extraordinary? Inspiring? Monumental? Either way, this song makes him feel it.
Fincher Smith, age six, tells us that ‘Bodies’ by Drowning Pool makes him feel “dance.” Who could argue with that?
Harper Smith (that’s me!) recommends the song ‘Never Love An Anchor’ by the Crane Wives for its lyrics and guitar style, and vibes that perfectly encapsulate fall. This song is one of their all-time favorites and always makes them cry, and they would love to have you suffer with them.
The Lighthouse 