OPINION: The advantages of listening to different styles of music
One of the most important things anyone can do for themselves is to be open to new ideas and topics, and one way to do this is to listen to different styles of music.
I have listened to an array of music personally, from rock to classical. It has allowed me to connect with others, and learn more about myself and how I view the world. Different musical styles express the uniqueness music has to offer. They cater to emotion in order to create a personal connection with the listener.
All musical genres roughly follow the same pattern of helping the listener, in some way, as studies show. For instance, a study from Incadence Teletherapy has shown that pop music usually creates bursts of energy for listeners with its upbeat rhythms and ecstatic sound, allowing dopamine to fill them with excitement and happiness.
Incadence has also elaborated on how rap and hip-hop music opens up a person’s creativity and how the functions within the prefrontal cortex are amplified as it tries to comprehend the quick tempo and melodies.
Symphony Central Coast explains classical music has helped reduce stress and increase relaxation.
Psych Central elucidates on how metal music can increase cognition and help ease depression and other mental health issues. Even though these are the results to come out of certain cases, it always depends on preference to help alleviate depression or spike creativity.
The problem with this, though, is a listener can become stuck listening to the same genres, which can lead to growing tired of the genre. Since people should adapt to new ideas and concepts, delving into different music genres is a path for people to learn more about themselves and enjoy other genres to develop a range of musical taste.
It is also a way to understand and connect with others. Music genres are one thing which connects people of different political and cultural ideologies.
Tyler Guthrie was a columnist with The Sunflower. Guthrie uses he/him pronouns.
Wren Johnson is an illustrator for The Sunflower. Johnson is a third-year communications major that loves chickens. In her free time she likes to read,...