Leah Jeffries

Multiple UHS students captured listening to music in 2024 semester 2 journalism class

The desk is hard and cold. The fluorescent lights shine down on students in the classroom. Silence fills the room and only the clicking of keyboards can be heard. Looking up and seeing a wire attached to a phone. The wire then leads to the ear of many students. One is holding back a smile. One is lip synching incoherently to themself. One looks sad, a frown upon their lips. What makes them feel this way? The strumming of guitars? The banging of drums? The whimsical feeling fills the air as many different kinds of music dance together in the ears of the students. 

Music is found to be more than just relatable lyrics and a punchy beat; it stirs up many different emotions in many people. Music started out as just instrumentals with percussion, stringed, and woodwind instruments in Ancient Greece and Rome. The songs written were mainly focused on religion, love, and events. Now, music is still used to express the emotions of people all over the world with more possibilities in every corner. 

“If I’m ever in a bad mood or are feeling upset, I try to listen to what matches the mood” senior Alyssa Tyler expressed, “I like to embrace my emotions through the music”.

When asked, “do you believe music affects your mood at the moment?” many people were quick to say yes. Some even came to say they got into a positive or negative headspace when listening to the same artist consistently. 

Sophomore, Piper Estok mentioned, “I hyper fixated on Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus for a while, and they make sadder music, so I think I was sadder at that time”.

Mrs. Blair, an english teacher at Urbana High School, mentioned that “Hozier got me through a lot” and that he has very melodic, emotional, and inspiring music crossing all barriers into all her and many others emotions.

Scientific experiments have proven that music increases blood flow to the brain and travels to brain regions that control emotions. For example, when you hear a particular moving piece of music, you may get chills. This is caused by dopamine, a chemical that triggers things in your body, like chills, out of happiness. 

“Songs that are nostalgic to your childhood make you really happy” Piper Estok mentions. 

But Piper also expressed, “Ultimately, it’s usually a three minute song so it’s not going to affect you for the whole day”.

But this is the point, music is supposed to make you feel something, it’s the main reason for music.

Have you ever noticed the different kinds of music being played at grocery stores, parties, and schools? The different kinds of music forms an atmosphere and vibe of the place. Grocery stores normally play uplifting music and it has been proven that the uplifting music influences shoppers habits when buying things.

Depending on the music you are listening to it can cause a lump in your throat, chills, tears, the urge to dance and more. So, the type of music played in different places influences your wants and needs.

Have you ever made a playlist? How about a playlist based on a specific emotion? Happy playlist, sad playlist, nostalgic, angry, or confident playlist? 

Turns out almost everyone does. Playlists are made specifically to give people an opportunity to group feelings or emotions together. 

Here are some suggestions for your playlists!

Some people even recommended artists that make them feel many different emotions in many of their songs!