Blog Post #3 – Inquiry Research Round #1 – How Does Different Genres of Music Affect Different Living Beings?

“How Does Different Genres of Music Affect Different Living Beings?”

Pop, Rap, Country and Reggae

Listening to pop music has some great benefits. It can get your blood pumping and can generate great feelings of excitement (1). It can also make you feel happier and can lift your mood easily. There are some negatives though, too. The strong, fun, rhythmic beat of the song can cause people to feel like they want to dance and sing with the music (1). The bad thing about this is if you are using pop, rap, country, or reggae music to study is that it can easily create distractions (1). It might not be the best idea to use these kinds of music for study music. Pop music has gotten worse over the last 50 years (2). Modern pop music has been used to brainwash listeners into catching on to their repetitive, bouncy tunes (2). If you listen to pop music a lot, you better tune it down a little, because pop music lovers have a significant lack of creativity (2) when being compared with different music-genre listeners.

Metal and Rock

Metal and Rock, surprisingly, can actually aid more than harm your brain. Usually we think that metal and rock can harm our brain and give us more negative thoughts, but the opposite of that is often true. Listening to heavy metal can calm people (1), especially people who are agitated easily. In other words, they can make you feel happier (3), and can help you exude joy. This is especially helpful for people with mental disabilities because it can lessen your suicide risk (3).

Classical

Based on the Mozart Effect, classical music can make a child smarter (1). This music type can also calm you. It releases stress hormones and can cause a dopamine rush (1). This happens because of the large waves of calmness and pleasure people feel when listening to classical music (1). It can even aid in visual attention of stroke patients (4) can can lower blood pressure (4). But, the most unique fact about it all is that people who listened to classical music were more willing to share personal information about themselves in writing (4) than other people who don’t listen to classical music. This genre of music can make your more emotional (4) and can help produce emphatic responses in people (4). Listening to classical music daily can also improve your memory (4). It can make you more receptive to information, which makes storing and recalling information easier (4) and faster. This can especially help in class because it can enhance your learning skills and understanding (4).

No Music

When you are listening to music when studying, it might not be the best idea if the music has lyrics. If the song has lyrics, then it could be distracting (5), and in that case, studying in silence would be better (4). Even though it might not be the best idea, it might be the best idea for others. It depends mainly on the person (4) because everyone has different styles and different tastes in music. It would be a better way to unwind, though (6). After a whole lot of work, you might want some music to help you relieve some stress.

Playing an Instrument

Playing an instrument does wonders to your brain. When you listen to music, only certain areas of your brain are being used (7). But when you play an instrument, you give your brain a full-body workout (7). Playing an instrument will engage all areas of the brain at once (7). Musicians tend to solve problems more effectively and creatively (7). Learning how to play an instrument can give you higher levels of planning (7), strategizing (7), and it makes you more susceptible of paying attention to details (7). People who have learned music before have enhancements in multiple brain areas (7), and are better at multi-tasking when being compared to others (7). So, what are you waiting for? Go pick up your instrument and start playing!

References:

1. .http://glows, itssara. “How Music Genres Affect the Brain.” Itssaraglows, 19 May 2016, itssaraglows.wordpress.com/2016/05/16/how-music-genres-affect-the-brain/.
2. Sloan, Jordan Taylor. “Scientists Prove That Pop Music Is Literally Ruining Our Brains.” Mic, Mic, 10 Sept. 2014, www.mic.com/articles/98310/scientists-prove-that-pop-music-is-literally-ruining-our-brains.
3. Rigby, Sara. “Is Heavy Metal Bad for Your Mental Health?” BBC Science Focus Magazine, 18 Mar. 2019, www.sciencefocus.com/science/is-heavy-metal-bad-for-your-mental-health/.
4. Nelson, Brooke, and Dawn Yanek. “10 Wondrous Things That Happen to Your Body When You Listen to Classical Music.” Edited by Renata Chalfin, The Healthy, The Healthy, 18 Oct. 2019, www.thehealthy.com/mental-health/classical-music-effects/.
5. Hernberg, Emily M, et al. “SiOWfa15: Science in Our World: Certainty and Controversy.” SiOWfa15 Science in Our World Certainty and Controversy, 4 Dec. 2015, sites.psu.edu/siowfa15/2015/12/04/listening-to-classical-music-vs-music-with-lyrics-vs-complete-silence-while-studying/.
6. Jones, Justine. Study in Silence or Listen to Music?, 2020, blog.kingscollege.qld.edu.au/study-in-silence-or-listen-to-music.
7. Collins, Anita. “Transcript of ‘How Playing an Instrument Benefits Your Brain.’” TED, 2020, www.ted.com/talks/anita_collins_how_playing_an_instrument_benefits_your_brain/transcript.