Exercise #7 Part 2

            I am somebody who loves to listen to all kinds of music in every genre imaginable. One of my favorite things to do besides listening to my own songs is listening to new songs recommended to me by my friends. Every time I hear a new song that I love, it is like discovering a hidden treasure: I become overwhelmed with happiness and joy not only by the discovery itself, but also by the emotions the song brings to me each time I listen to it.

For this assignment, I asked my friend Rachel to recommend some songs to listen to. Rachel is a self acclaimed connoisseur of music, knowing the ins and outs of what music is good and what is bad. When I asked her what are some songs worth listening to, without hesitation she automatically said Green Day’s album, American Idiot. Every song on there, she claimed, is perfection. Back in the day when this album first came out, I actually went to the concert, believe it or not. But since then, I have not really listened to any of Green Day’s music. For this assignment, I gave the album a shot, and began listening to the songs.  Right away I understood what Rachel was talking about. The lyrics to Green Day’s songs are extremely powerful, with clever messages and good beats. Usually this is not the type of music that I would listen to, but I’m glad that she recommended it, for the songs were truly great!

The reason Rachel loves this album so much, is because of the great lyrics and beats. She likes how the songs actually have some meaning to them besides your typical “let’s just dance” and “put your hands up” radio songs. I would have to agree with her on that. I do enjoy those catchy radio songs, but the reason I am fond of this album is because Green Day has artistically mixed clever lyrics with catchy rhythms, creating a musical masterpiece. Rachel also likes how on this album, there is a song for every mood. If she needs to be fired up and energized she puts on Holiday, if she is in a somewhat somber mood, she puts on Boulevard of Broken Dreams. Each song compliments her mood, and enhances her emotions for each situation. I totally agree with that. The album is complex and diverse, which is extremely refreshing.

After listening to the album and Rachel’s explanation as to why she is so fond of this CD, I have become more aware of the powerful influence music has on our lives. Music can take any emotion and either highlight it or change it, depending on the song you are listening to and the mood to which you are feeling. There is no other art form, in my opinion, that has this much control over our emotions. By simply listening to a great song, we are instantaneously put into a better mood. The reason why music has such an impact on our lives is because there is a song for everyone and for every emotion. Where some people may not be fond of a particular type of art form or theatrical presentation, everyone enjoys music. Because all humans let music into their lives with open arms, it is the single most powerful art form out there, in my opinion. Music has a strong influential force on people worldwide, swaying people’s emotions by its moving melodies and lyrics.

Exercise #7 Part 1

            Music, people say, is magical. It is an art that moves people to emotional places they have never before been. Music has the power to bring people from their deepest sorrows to their most brilliant ecstasies. But not all music has the same effect on everyone. For me, the music that moves me the most is ones that are fast paced and up beat. For others, however, they feel the most connected to slower songs, or sultry jazz. It truly just depends on the individual and his or her own taste.

            I am an extreme lover of all music. If you were to look at my IPod, you’d probably be confused as to who would own such an eclectic array of tunes together in one library. Since I like all kinds of music, from pop to alternative and everything in between, I have it all in there. But the songs that move me the most are the ones with an upbeat rhythm and catchy lyrics. I know it may seem shallow and dumb to like the catchy pop songs that are over played on the radio, but I do. There is something about those upbeat songs that put me in a energized, happier state of mind, even when I am stressed out about school or sad over friendship conflicts.

For this exercise I constructed a playlist on my IPod titled YOLO (you only live once) and filled it with songs that move me the most- upbeat songs.

Songs on my playlist:

-Payphone- Maroon 5

-Shake it Out- Florence and the Machine

-Shake- Jesse McCartney

-What You Know About Little Secrets- The White Panda

-Take a Walk- Passion Pit

-Somebody That I Used To Know- Gotye

-A$$ Back Home- Gym Class Heroes

-Wild Ones- Flo Rida

-Starships- Nicki Minaj

-Opposite of Adults- Chiddy Bang

-Take Me Out- Franz Ferdinand

-Cousins- Vampire Weekend

-Lights- Ellie Goulding

-Tonight is the Night- Outasight

-Waka Waka- Shakira

-We Are Young- Fun

-Glad You Came- The Wanted

-Call You Girlfriend- Robyn

Right As Rain- Adele

            I listened to this playlist, and only the playlist, for a week as of yesterday. Every time that I would turn my iPod on shuffle, I instead put this playlist on. I listened to these songs every morning when I got ready for school, when I was driving, walking with my dog, showering, or randomly throughout the day. While I was listening to these songs, I could feel myself getting into a better mood than before. It was like the music had control of my emotional spectrum, and about one minute into the first song, it already twisted the knob to full blast- happiness. I still was not sure why I was so moved by these songs- and then it hit me. I spend my days so overwhelmed with my daily stresses that I need something in which to drown out my nonstop chatter and just relax. This music is just the fix. The lyrics aren’t too deep that I find myself getting caught up in heavy underlying messages, but instead find myself getting lost in the beats, focusing on the pounding rhythms and not on my stressful days.

            Music truly does help me calm down and separate myself from my typical stresses. It also seems to put me in a happier mood than before, due to the upbeat rhythms and catchy lyrics. Just by listening to my YOLO playlist, I can feel myself becoming more at ease than ever before. I will continue trying to listen to music more often throughout my day when I feel overwhelmed, for I now know that music truly can bring me back to Earth.