The Psychology of Song

I keep bumping into musicians, industry journalists, and economists online all saying that our society doesn’t value music the way we used to. The logic there is mostly based on the supposed problem created by streaming sources. An endless supply of computer curated songs are available to us, creating the old economic principle based on supply and demand, although more in psychological clothing than any other garb. When the supply of something is virtually infinite and effectively free, value is on a downward slide and the human mind begins to take joy for granted.

And yet, our lives are as full and rich as they are in large part because of the beauty and profundity of stimulated air molecules moving around and surfing into our ears, converted into any and every kind of music we have ever desired.

Friedrich Nietzsche said it best: “Without music, life would be a mistake.”

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The Psychology of Sound

Brain on music

I’ve spent my entire life astounded by the magic of music, appreciating everything from opera and Gregorian chant to bluegrass and every kind of jazz there is. But what exactly is being touched in us and inspired when we listen to our favorite songs? What is this creation of new and complex emotion, the stimulation of sensuality, bittersweet memory, at times even, that awareness of sublime connection to the universe? How full and rich our lives are because of the beauty and profundity of sound waves organized into melody, rhythm, timber, and harmonic tones! Friedrich Nietzsche said it best: “Without music, life would be a mistake.”

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