Music is one of the most influential aspects of life in society. I have yet to meet a person who doesn’t like music at all. Different people listen to different genres of music; a scenario that shows how different we are (Diserens 1939, p. 6). The types of music that people listen to varies not only from person to person, but also from age to age. The music preferred by the elderly is not the same music that young people listen to (Janero and Altshuler 1996, p. 5-7). In this music survey, we reflect on the music of my childhood and how music made me feel. In addition, we discuss youth music and its role, as well as music that I associate with comfort and happiness.
Music is one of the most influential aspects of life in society. I have yet to meet a person who doesn’t like music at all. Different people listen to different genres of music; a scenario that shows how different we are (Diserens 1939, p. 6). The types of music that people listen to varies not only from person to person, but also from age to age. The music preferred by the elderly is not the same music that young people listen to (Janero and Altshuler 1996, p. 5-7). In this music survey, we reflect on the music of my childhood and how music made me feel. In addition, we discuss youth music and its role, as well as music that I associate with comfort and happiness.
In the beginning, as a child, I was impressed by the music that the family played during important events, especially Christmas. The gifts that came with Christmas and the excitement of my childhood friends made me love life. The fact that there was a moment of happiness with this music may have contributed to my liking. I ended up singing jingle bells even after Christmas. Another genre of music I loved as a kid was the one that cartoons like Tom and Jerry would hum while doing their tricks. Amazing how this music disappeared from my memory as soon as I became a teenager.
My childhood experiences have a huge influence on these two pieces of music. As for the Christmas carols, the celebration and general excitement I saw made me associate the music with good things. It was music that was used when people were happy and singing it brings happiness. The gifts my parents gave me were closely related to the rhythm of hymns and visits from Santa Claus. How can you forget such music? In the Tom and Jerry beat, the playfulness of the two characters reflected my own behavior as a child.
Therefore liking this music came as a natural inclination.
Childhood music and experiences aside, adolescence is another important stage in terms of music. Young people love music perhaps more than any other collective. Is the music of young people different from the music of other collectives? Young people have unique behaviors that no other group has. This may account for their musical preferences. At this stage, people in this age group tend to see themselves as authorities. They feel they know what they should do in life and therefore hate any advice from their parents or guardians. They are convinced that their choices are the best, and everything other people tell them is meant to chain them to eternal imprisonment where they have no power to make their own choices. This despite the fact that someone these young people know has already acted like them and eventually regretted not wanting to listen to authority. Is there a certain type of music in our society today that fits this attitude? Rap, rap and rock are all part of the music of the young rebels. Therefore, it is not surprising that many young people listen to these styles of music. Why is that?
As already stated, young people want to send a message to the authority, especially the parental authority, that they are old enough to make their own choices. So it’s not music that aims to make them cooperate with the authorities. It does not fit the existing or conventional social order. Instead, it is intended to encourage them to resist authority and to question and sometimes reject the instructions given to them.
Far from youth music and its rebellious element, gospel music is a genre associated with comfort. The frustration and stress associated with the loss of a loved one, the destruction of personal possessions or the betrayal of a close friend or lover are best soothed by gospel music. The religious message of gospel music resonates well with the need for reassurance that in every suffering there is a higher power that cares and is ready to give not only a second, but a third or even a tenth chance. This message of unconditional love from a higher power is responsible for the healing that people experience when they hear gospel music.
Besides comfort, happiness is another emotion that is well captured in music. Blues, soul and jazz are genres that convey happiness. These three genres have a common tendency to transcend the age limits of the people who listen to them. Techno and dancehall are two genres that are also closely related to happiness, but they are popular among young people. The dance and merriment inherent in these two genres may not resonate with grown-up tastes. Why are these genres associated with happiness? The thematic composition of these genres and the way the music is presented conveys nothing but joy and celebration.
In conclusion, music is essential in life. Each developmental stage has its own preferences, as does each mood and state. Children’s musical preferences differ in many ways from the preferences of young people. Also, the music we listen to when we’re happy is different from the music we listen to when we’re looking for comfort.
