“I think music in itself is healing. It’s an explosive expression of humanity. It’s something we are all touched by. No matter what culture we’re from, everyone loves music.” These are just some wise words from one of the greatest musicians, Billy Joel. Music has a way of bringing people together who normally wouldn’t cross paths. In my personal experience, I have gained lifelong friends at concerts, simply from the connection of the music.
One of the greatest things about music, is the fact there is a song for every mood. There’s even music that you can listen to depending on the weather or songs that take you back to a memory, however emotional they may be. Listening to a song that has lyrics, or even a melody that we find meaningful connection in can actually change a person’s life. Countless people go through life thinking that they are the only person feeling how they feel in that moment. However, the simple action of turning on the radio could get rid of the feeling of lom.
“That’s one of the great things about music. You can sing a song to 85,000 people and they’ll sing it back for 85,000 different reasons.” I can’t write about music and not bring up Dave Grohl. He is one of the most heartfelt and inspiring musicians from the past three decades. The understanding that he has that the art and creation that he takes part in has a way of saving people’s lives on a day to day basis. From being the drummer of Nirvana, then forming the Foo Fighters, two of the most legendary rock bands of multiple generations; Dave Grohl is a great example of how a musician or any individual should aspire to be. He makes it known that music is a great form of therapy just by listening to the Foo Fighters first album, which is about mourning the loss of a marriage, as well as the loss of a good friend and band member, Kurt Cobain. The trials and tribulations this man has been through has made it so he has a phenomenal connection with not only his music, but more importantly, his fan base.
When musicians have the ability to connect with their fans, it makes the music even more reliable as a form of therapy because it results in people knowing that they aren’t the only person who has ever felt that way. They’re never alone. Music has the ability to take your feelings and amplify them so you end up dealing with them. Music has a way of taking your worst fears about your life, and making everything seem doable. It proves that the show must go on. Everything in life gets hard, but with the best form of therapy, music, everything gets a little bit easier because we gain the ability to cope. The band Paradise Fears said it best in their song “Sanctuary,” “So bring me all the worst of your broken bruised insane ‘cause that’s the thing with music, when it hits, you feel no pain.”
