Publications
Partners
Cape Town - Music is a universal language that invites everyone to move and have some fun, but what is it with the person who has their music cranked up all the time?
According to video platform Stringr there are five main reasons. We took a look at them and we have to say, they sound very convincing.
So, turn down those tunes and focus on these cool reasons why some people love music!
1. LOUD MUSIC RELIEVES STRESS:
Found in the inner ear is the sacculus (pronounced as sack-you-less) and according to, The Otolith Organs: The Utricle and Sacculus it has direct connections to pleasure centres in the brain.
According to an article published in New Scientist magazine on 19 February 2000 it releases endorphins when stimulated by loud music, so listening to loud music is essentially self-medicating. The sacculus particularly likes low frequencies (bass, basically) above 90 decibels, according to the research of Dr. Neil Todd. Funnily enough, at one point in time it was believed that the sacculus had no real purpose. Little did they know that it’s responsible for the joy we find in music!
2. A SONG SOUNDS BETTER WHEN IT IS PLAYED LOUD:
There’s so much music and so many songs out there. A lot of these reach a level of complexity that just cannot be appreciated at low volumes. Simply put, when playing loud music, the details become easier to pick up.
According to a music and sound publication titled Mix, usually, being able to hear more details and picking up different sounds means the music sounds better. After all, that is how the artist created it – all little details included.
This is part of the reason many audio engineers and people mastering songs have tinnitus. After years of wearing high-end headphones and blasting songs at an increased volume to make sure the mix is just right, they have permanent hearing damage.
3. MUSIC EVOKES EMOTION:
Getting chills when listening to music is called frisson (pronounced like free-son) and it happens when dopamine floods the body. People who react to music have strong connections between the part of the brain that interprets sound and the part that creates emotion.
Valorie Salimpoor, a neuroscientist at McGill University, has conducted research where the subject was hooked up to a fMRI machine while listening to music. It was shown that our brains release dopamine on peak moments in the song. And that’s not all. She also discovered that, when listening to songs we already know, the anticipation of peak moments triggered dopamine release as well.
Combine these two factors, and you know why you feel so emotional (be it euphoria or sadness) when listening to music you love.
4. LOUD MUSIC BLOCKS OUT THE WORLD:
You know those moments when you’re driving, and as soon as you are close to your destination or looking for a parking spot, you turn the music down? Exactly. It’s like you cannot focus on other things when listening to loud music. This is (partially) true! Loud music takes over the brain: it overwhelms the other senses in a way that is similar to alcohol or drugs. It becomes all-consuming. Sometimes, blocking out the world and just enjoying the emotions of the music is a much-needed experience.
5. LOUD MUSIC IS A STIMULANT:
You can compare it to other stimulants like caffeine, cocaine, alcohol, and exercise. It increases the heart rate and body temperature. Loud music has even been proven to speed up a runner on a treadmill! Walk into a gym and take a look around. There’s probably a lot of people working out while listening to music – because it actually helps.
Compiled by Alex Isaacs (Sources: The Otolith Organs: The Utricle and Sacculus, New Scientist magazine, Mix)
