Music is the fastest growing form of entertainment in the world today mostly because of its vast audience. It has a great impact on the way we live our lives since it has been embedded in life since time immemorial. For the last few years, music has doubled its popularity especially among the youth thanks to the new technology and innovations that has permitted easy access and its acquisition. Music is easily accessible from CD players, MP3 players, Walkman, phones, iPods, radio, TV and many more and this makes it simpler for people to listen to any type of music simultaneously, conveniently and privately. Music is known to have different positive effects to its listeners. It has health benefits to recovering patients. It is at times referred to as universal medicine that touches the soul unlike anything else. Music is being used for therapy whereby when patients listen to relaxing music, it accelerates their recovery process. It helps alleviate anxiety and pain in patients and promotes their relaxation (Aldridge 102). Music is a therapy it impacts positive changes in human behavior and their mood. Music is so much more than it is made out to be and it is a core feature of life itself. Moreover, music has surprising effects like helping one sleep better. Listening to cool music before sleeping relaxes the mind thus giving one a good sleep.
There are many styles and types of music with the most influential type being Hip- Hop followed by Rock and Roll. Music is an altering device that makes a listener feel a sense of belonging, happiness and it even being loved. Music can be used to overcome powerful emotions and to generate the right mood for doing something. In addition, music affects a person’s work performance for it is known to change moods and activate the listener. When one is on duty, music can help stimulate concentration and give the listener the right mood to work and it is a great way of finding some extra energy to work. It improves physical performance as it increases psychological arousal levels.
Music can also influence our lives negatively. As the number of types of music grows, many teens who listen to these types of music become violent. One of the reported renowned music influencing incident is the is the Columbine High School killing that happened in Littleton, a town in Jefferson County, Colorado, on 20th April 1999, where 12 students as well as a teacher were seriously injured, in addition to 24 others who were injured. According to Furek (56), the shooters Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, were heavy metal and Goth music fans and were negatively influenced by this type of music. According to Small, music and society are intimately related and it reflects and creates social conditions in the society and can either impede or facilitate change in the society (Small 98).
In conclusion, our everyday’s lives are affected by music as everybody listens to music be it at home, in the car, in the shops, in the movies and practically anywhere else possible. Music is more than just a sound as many people perceive it. It is a way of life whereby one can express their feelings, thoughts and emotions for example love, anger, sorrow and happiness. Music is a hugely powerful medium that reaches out to a large number of people. It can either impact them positively or either negatively depending on how individuals perceive and appreciate it.
Works Cited
Furek, Maxim W. The Death Proclamation of Generation X: A Self-Fulfilling Prophesy of Goth, Grunge and Heroin. Bloomington, Indiana: i-Universe, 2008, Print.
Small, Christopher. Music of the Common Tongue: Survival and Celebration in African American. Connecticut: Wesleyan University Press, Mar 1, 2011, Print.
Aldridge, David. Music Therapy Research and Practice in Medicine: From Out of the Silence. Philadelphia, PA: Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 1996. Print.
