The Power of Music

Today I was reflecting on a very important of my life: Music.

The early years

I started playing music at church at 6 years old. I was a drummer. At 12 I started learning the guitar, and later, I learned some keyboard. From that moment on, music was always something very important in my life. Lots of rehearsals as a kid, playing in church with other people and I was listening to all kinds of music. Later I was playing in some local bands, hardcore, emo, pop, r&b, blues: You name it. I always was part of the musician's crowd. In school, I would hang out with headbangers, grunge, and pop-punk people, but on the side, I was also listening to Pop, Brazilian and international country music, and even Samba.

I would say that, from my late childhood to my late 20s, I was always involved with music somehow. Being playing in bands, at church, or at home.

The dark side of music

Music has a strange effect on some people's lives. People that get more involved with music tend to be a little anxious, a little compulsive, and even depressed.

We don't need to look too much so we can start seeing examples. Musicians that start abusing anxiety medicines, attempting suicide, or simply using drugs. I don't know for sure if music is the culprit here. All I know is that music has a HUGE strength.

I was always involved in church services and I could see for sure people messing up the emotion provided by chords, lyrics, and musical progressions with some kind of divinity presence. Not that I don't believe it exists, but I think, most times, people were just being carried away by the power of music.

If you go to a secular concert, let's say Metallica. You'll see some similar religious movements in the way people surrender themselves to music. The frontman says: "Jump!". People jump. They say scream: They scream.

Recently I was at a concert, and between two bands, the Dj of the house started playing 'In The End' from Linkin Park. I swear to God, it felt like people were experiencing some true spiritual moment right there. People were singing as Chester himself was singing on that stage. They sang from start to finish, loud and emotionally.

Linkin Park - In The End

People often underestimate the influence music can have on them.

Music x Mood

One thing I discovered a few years ago, which seems pretty obvious, but anyways, it's good to write it down:

Music can highly influence your mood.

A few years ago, a Brazilian singer, the late Marilia Mendonça, released "Infiel", or "Unfaithful" in English. It's a song that has the very classic plot of someone finding out they were cheated on by their partner.

Marilia Mendonça - Infiel

Marilia Mendonça - Infiel

I remember listening to this song dozens, hundreds of times, the first time not even knowing who that singer was. But I definitely feel the sadness, the sorrow, in those lyrics. The chord progression doesn't help either. It's a minor progression and as some of you may know, it can bring that suffering and sadness mood. One thing that song brings to me, every time, is a bad mood. I don't feel happy after listening to that.

Another example, which is very obvious, is Gangnam Style by Psy. Listening to that and not feeling a sudden urge to move is hard.

Psy - Gangnam Style

There are lots and lots of happy song examples: Van Halen's "Jump", Pharrel's "Happy", and Coldplay's "Viva La Vida". For sad ones: Metallica's "The Unforgiven", Celine Dion's "All By Myself", Johnny Cash's "Hurt", Joy's Division's "Love Will Tears Us Apart". There are even songs that bring us some sexy vibes, such as - my own favorite - Careless Whisper by George Michael, Sexy Back by Justin Timberlake, and Sexual Healing by Marvin Gaye.

Van Halen - Jump

Pharrell William - Happy

Coldplay - Viva La Vida

George Michael - Careless Whisper

Justin Timberlake - Sexy Back

Marvin Gaye - Sexual Healing

The list goes on, and I think I've proved my point.

Music can get you in the mood. Which mood, that is up to you.

Using music as therapy

Well, I think we've all probably heard the term "Musictherapy".

I have an idea, or at least a suspicion of what it's about. The fact is that I've used music as a form of rescuing myself from a bad mood, lots of times.

Back in 2019, I was in very bad shape when it comes to mental health. Back then, I was realizing that music played a huge part in how my day was going to be. I used to drive 30 to 40 minutes to work. Most of those days were soundtracked by some really moody and sad songs. I was listening to a lot of country music and their emotional ballads didn't do me any good. I was arriving at work very contemplative and not in the right mood. Then I started analyzing simpler people and how they're usually listening to music that brings them joy - let's not focus on the quality of the music though. People don't want to face an 8, 9, or 12 more hour-long day of work by listening to sad songs.

Then I started to change a little bit the music I was listening to.

I got into a whole rabbit hole of 80's hard rock music. Van Halen, Mötley Crüe, Ratt, Warrant, Dokken, Journey, and so on. And some modern revivals of that type of music, such as H.E.A.T, Reckless Love, and the great - but good to avoid - Steel Panther.

I was getting in the right mood. I was arriving very happy and excited to work. It was like having a cold shower in the morning.

And that's when I stopped, or at least start avoiding listening to sad songs.

I don't have any science to back me up on this, but it seems that people tend to dig deeper and deeper into their sadness. So it's really hard to go back when you start feeding your sadness.

Conclusion

Well, I don't want to make this post longer than it needs to be, but my suggestion for you, especially if you're dealing with depression, anxiety, or just a bad moment in your life, is:

Listen to happy songs! This will help you be in a better and more positive mood.

See you in the next post! 👋🏽