Music Makes Moods

I found an interesting article this morning about music's effect on our brains. Which is great because I kind of wanted to make a post with some of my favorite songs!

Here's an excerpt from the article...

The brain scans showed a direct relationship between how strong a response someone had in their nucleus accumbens to a song and how much they were willing to pay for it. This part of the brain was not acting alone, however. Salimpoor also found that it was taking in information from the superior temporal gyrus.

"This part of the brain is the part that has stored all the templates of the music we've heard in the past and will be unique for each individuals," she said. "The way that we like music is 100% unique to who we are and what we've heard in the past and the way that our superior temporal gyrus has been shaped. The brain is working a bit like a music-recommendation system."

 This is exciting for scientists, because they believe they have found the actual part of the brain that enjoys music. A previous study from 2011 confirmed what we music lovers already knew: Music makes you happy. It can actually cause a release of dopamine, or the feel good drug into your system.  They are both short, but interesting articles.
For the original study, people were listening to music, sans lyrics, that they liked but had no emotional attachment to. I wouldn't have been able to participate, because all of my favorite songs have emotional strings attached. With the exception of current songs that I'll like for a bit then tire of, I can remember the first place I heard most of my favorites.

This is my absolute favorite song. I first heard it in my Kindergarten chapel. We had cute little actions we used to do like hold each others' hands up. We ended up performing it for our K graduation, and had to unlearn a few added words. 

Most songs I remember best are from movies. But really, how else are you supposed to hear oldies for the first time? This is a favorite from Inner Space

I've also noticed that if I first heard the song in a movie, where people were dancing during the song, I can't sit still! If I have music playing in the background, without paying attention to what song is currently playing, I'll find myself tapping or bopping along to those songs. I think that's pretty interesting. It's like my brain relates certain music with certain movements. I like to make a playlist of these compulsory dance songs to put on while I'm cleaning. It makes everything go much faster.

I really like an assortment of genres, but I think my favorites are always oldies. I don't know if it's because it's what I listened to when I was younger, or if it's just the life of the music. But I really believe music can affect your mood. Don't believe me? Next time you're a little down, listen to sad songs, then listen to happy Disney songs. See how you feel after both genres. 

So here's a little song I'll leave you with. I need to go do some dishes.

Is it not strange that sheeps' guts should hale souls out of men's bodies?