One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain (Marley)

(Ahhhh Chooooooo)   had to blow the dust of this place since I abandoned her a while back :)

Why am I back?...every now and then I get the urge to write...I haven't been indulging that urge, so I am back now and wanted to share some thoughts.

I work in the music space at a pretty cool company called Bandsintown (these ramblings are my own thoughts and in no way a reflection of my employer) ;)

Over the course of the past 4 months that I have been working here, it has allowed me to seriously dive into one of my long standing passions, music.

I read a lot about the scene (this bands played here, that band did this..etc.),  who is new, trends in marketing, but what has been occupying my mind is more on the psychological level, why is music so powerful?

I read this piece - What happens to your brain under the influence of music   - which dissects how music is not a left brain/right brain thing...but a WHOLE brain thing.  That certainly explains a lot.

From the perspective of neuroscience, listening to music is one of the most complex things you can do. Many parts of your brain have to work together to comprehend even the simplest tune. So what is music really doing to our minds?

Today I started reading this piece about the therapeutic value of a  Grateful Dead show (which can be applied to any fan base or live music experience IMHO)

Speaking about the lead up the actual show:

From the time that you hop in the car to drive to the concert, you and your show-buddies are already feeling better, singing tunes on the way up, and feeling fantastic with each other. When you get into the venue, you're dancing all the way in even before you reach stage and that’s before the euphoria of finally seeing the band themselves. Feeling at peace with your fellow concert-goers and munching a veggie burrito is a generally wonderful experience and all of a sudden you’ve forgotten the day’s aggravations, your systemic stress levels decrease, and your spiritual battery gets the chance to recharge from the frustrations of daily living.This experience of wellness—the inner peace, the positive sense-of-self, and the ability to shrug off stress—lasts in a person’s body even after the show is over.Perhaps this is what makes a Grateful Dead shows a form of medicine

Music is so primal, so deeply rooted in our DNA, that it has the ability to do so much more then make us tap our feet or hum a tune.




Remember that first time you heard or saw an amazing song/band...remember the exact moment? I can for several songs/bands..and I am instantly transported in time to that moment.  I can think of very few other activities with that kind of power.

Please share any other things you have read (or comments) on the psychological power of music...