Even strict self-isolation becomes a little more fun with your favorite music. Do you know why you love these particular tracks? We figured out how some songs become hits and found a way to get ourselves back to work through music. At the end of the article you will find a bonus from “Yandex. A plus"- a promo code for 90 days of free subscription.
Many popular songs have something in common
Why does one song become a hit and you don't remember another, even if you listened to it ten minutes ago? It seems that scientists from Georgetown University foundA Statistical Analysis of the Relationship between Harmonic Surprise and Preference in Popular Music answer. They examined 545 songs that were on the Billboard Hot 100 weekly from 1958 to 1991.
The songs that occupied higher positions in the charts or stayed at the top longer than others turned out to be similar in structure. They combined the combinations of chords familiar to the listener's ear and "harmonic surprises" - non-standard moves for popular music. In Western compositions, the C major chord is usually followed by F major or G major. If you change this sequence, it will surprise the listener of the song and will affect the production of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that is
Dopamine and serotonin: Brain chemicals explained an important part of the brain's reward system.Moreover, studies using magnetic resonance imaging and positron emission tomography showed that the release of dopamine when listening to a musical composition occurs precisely on these "unexpected" fragments. If you've ever listened to a new song and felt goosebumps run down your skin, this is it.
Our musical tastes are closely related to the cultural context
The notion that the brain reacts favorably to harmonic consonances by default has little to do with reality. An experiment proved itWhy we like the music we do scientists from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Brendyce University. To make the research honest and reliable, they went to visit an Indian tribe whose members were not familiar with the classical musical tradition.
It turned out that the community members who participated in the experiment understood the difference between harmonious and disharmonious chords. However, they did not give significant preference to any one type. At the same time, the Americans, who also participated in the study, found harmonious consonances more pleasing to the ear. At the same time, the difference was more pronounced among musicians than among those who do not make music. The experiment proved that the brain has no special preferences - cultural traditions decide everything for us.
The service collects personal recommendations in the “Playlist of the Day” - it is updated daily. If you listen to music for 1-2 weeks, open the Premiere playlist: every Friday there is a selection of new tracks that you might like. And in 3-4 weeks, the "Deja Vu" playlist will also open - it contains songs that are unfamiliar to you, similar to those that you usually listen to.
Find out which music is right for you
The songs we loved in our youth stay with us for life
I bet you still get goosebumps at the first chords of long-familiar songs? There is nothing strange here. In adolescence, we are more receptive to new ideas: in boys, the period of such openness to the unknown lastsWe Asked an Expert Why We Stay Obsessed with Music From Our Teens from 13 to 16 years old, for girls - from 11 to 14.
In adolescence we experience many things for the first time, so they can be especially strongly engraved in memory. During these years, we make many decisions that determine our future life, and acquire preferences that shape our identity. This means that the music that accompanied the teenager during this period begins to be associatedWhy the music we love as teens stays with us for life with events and people important to him. It becomes a kind of soundtrack for difficult or joyful times.
How music affects our behavior
If you think it's easier to deal with stress with certain music, you don't. Music really helpsCan Music Help Me Sleep? calm down and even improve sleep. So, if you read the news about the pandemic overnight and now you cannot sleep, include a slow song with a tempo of about 60 beats per minute. Such melodies help to normalize the heart rate: in a falling asleep person, it is about the same 60 beats per minute.
However, you can not get attached to the tempo, but just listen to songs that you like. Even if these are genres like heavy metal, which can hardly be called pacifying. A team of scientists from the University of Queensland conducted an experiment on angry heavy music fans: it turned outHead-banging tunes can have same effect as a warm hugthat the favorite tracks did not provoke the subjects even more, but, on the contrary, helped to cope with aggression and even inspired.
Good news for those who, due to the regime of self-isolation, have switched to a remote location: music can increase productivity and help to tune in to work. If you just can't get to work, include the classics: it helpsThese 6 Types of Music Are Known to Dramatically Improve Productivity reduce stress levels and increase brain activity. Epic soundtracks and compositions with tempos between 50 and 80 bpm will also benefit your productivity, and it is better to leave audio recordings with words or a complex musical structure for the evening: all this will be only to distractResearch Shows Listening to Music Increases Productivity (and Some Types of Music Are Super Effective) the Department.
With it, you can listen to Yandex. Music "tracks that you will definitely like, get access to 6,500 films and series on" KinoPoisk HD ", 10% discount on" Yandex. Taxi "for trips at" Comfort "and higher fares, additional 10 GB for Yandex. Disk ”, discounts 5–12% in Yandex. Drive ”and monthly bonuses for“ Beru ”- up to 1,000 rubles for shopping. A good opportunity to subscribe to all the necessary services in one click, and also save on this.
Promo code PLUSVAM - by the link at the end of the article. Click on the button and you will be taken to the page with the activation of the code - it will already be entered, you just need to confirm the subscription. Offer valid until April 26, 2020 and for new users only.
Activate subscription