I LOVE music…I love to listen, dance and even sing! Music plays in our house all day long… I love having it in the background while working. Many of you also know that I am a HUGE Billy Joel fan…I have seen him in concert more than 20 times with 3 times being at Madison Square Garden (including his final residency concert there).
My first Billy Joel concert was during my senior year in high school and that is when it really stuck with me! I also remember as a kid that my mom would play her country music albums a lot and I had a record player that I played my 45’s on in my room. I can honestly tell you that if I get into a car with someone and they don’t have their radio playing, I get anxious!
Why is music important and probably an important part of life for a lot of people? I think the first reason is that listening to music can reduce anxiety and improve your mood. Think about having a bad day at the office (when you went to the office) and on your drive home you would listen to some music and maybe even sing along. That always changed my mood, how about you?
There is a significant amount of research that shows that music can enhance brain function. Music affects the brain in ways that promote health by helping to process information and memory. It can also decrease pain and improve sleep quality.
I think the biggest reason to have music in your life is the social connection aspect. If you have ever been to a Billy Joel concert (or Elton John or any number of other artists), doesn’t it sometimes feel like a sing-along? Scientists call this the social bonding effect and this engagement with the music can help with social connectedness in individuals. So, it’s a scientific fact that music is good for you in more ways than you can imagine. Bad mood – listen to happy music, tough day – listen to music that makes you sing. Your favorite music is your favorite for a reason, and your brain understands why.
So, let’s be like Barry Manilow and “make the whole world sing”! And next time you listen to music, think about how you feel and like Billy Joel sings, “don’t ask me why”!
PS – if you even like Billy Joel a little bit, the new documentary about his career “And So It Goes” is an amazing watch! And if you like country music – the documentary series “Country Music: A Film by Ken Burns” on Amazon is a must see.
Concert photo by Theresa Conti – 2024 Madison Square Garden
