I considered putting this in the music sub forum and it can be moved if you want, but its not a discussion of different types of music, its more philosophical.

 

 

 

I read somewhere once that people enjoy music because it reminds them of their mothers heartbeat while they were in the womb. I don't really know whether this is a thorough enough explanation to explain the wealth of time, money and effort people pour into listening to and making music.

 

 

 

So why do you think the music industry is so huge? What is the attraction for humans to music?

 

 

 

Is it the heartbeat thing?

 

Is it used as an accentuation of your personality? (EDIT: an anarchist may listen to punk etc)

 

Is it just white noise?

 

Is it an appreciation of the culmination of multiple people striking things and making a coherent set of noises?

 

Is it something else/all of these things?

Will leave this here for now, but if it turns into a discussion about what kind of people music like, it will be moved. Thanks.

Entertainment and it has been around for a long time :).

 

Universal language etc

"Music's the language we all understand!"

 

 

 

 

 

For me, it's a form of entertainment that lets my mind relax a little, even if it's metal :P

 

 

 

That's how music appeals to me.

Seeing as a major portion of the world population listens to folk songs and classic music without a "beat", it really can't be the deciding factor...

 

 

 

That being said I'd think a lot of people just appreciate the artistic value of any given song. Others just see it as a way to pass time.. For others it provides a living & salary in their bars, nightclubs, etc...

 

 

 

There isn't just a single reason why people listen to music. If you wanted an all-elusive answer, it's safe to say almost every person who chooses to listen to music wants to relax and have fun.

Seeing as a major portion of the world population listens to folk songs and classic music without a "beat", it really can't be the deciding factor...

 

The majority of folk songs have very prominent beats...

 

 

 

Correct me if I'm wrong, but as far as I know, all music has rhythm.

Maybe music helps you find friends/people that have the same interests as you.

 

I'm pretty sure the music I like has helped me find some friends that have the same hobbies as me.

it's safe to say almost every person who chooses to listen to music wants to relax and have fun.

 

I was really hoping to discuss how a series of noises can provide these things though. It seems like maybe I was wrong, and that there is no explanation why music is so popular

 

Seeing as a major portion of the world population listens to folk songs and classic music without a "beat", it really can't be the deciding factor...

 

The majority of folk songs have very prominent beats...

 

 

 

Correct me if I'm wrong, but as far as I know, all music has rhythm.

 

I thought traditional folk songs were used primarily to pass on stories and create shared experience. but in my experience you are right, they do have beats.

Seeing as a major portion of the world population listens to folk songs and classic music without a "beat", it really can't be the deciding factor...

 

The majority of folk songs have very prominent beats...

 

 

 

Correct me if I'm wrong, but as far as I know, all music has rhythm.

 

 

 

I can only speak for balkan and russian folk music from direct life & childhood experience, some (a lot) of the songs just have an accordion and singing. Also from the brief encounters I've had with tibetan and chinese folk music, some of them don't have an intrinsic "beat" at all.

 

 

 

I made the same observation when it comes to western classical music (an entirely different genre); The 'beat' formula is absent from many classical music pieces (which also lack the entire voice element).

But the accordion and singing have to follow a rhythm or metric structure, otherwise it's just background noise and spoken word.

You can have arrythmic structures of music, but 99.9999999% of popular music is rhythmical, even if it lacks a drum beat.

I think that music is a bit like drugs. Drugs make you feel a certain emotion, and so does music (usually to a lesser sense). Why do noises lead to emotions? That's more difficult. Especially as the same music can lead different people to feel different emotions (even if most people find something uplifting, there will be some people who do not).

Music allows us explore our humanity. Musicians tap into our shared humanity, even if it's a bit of an exploitation.

 

 

 

It's a good thing.

Music is probably the only interest shared by everyone.

Humans are pattern seeking animals - We enjoy a good pattern. I think that's relevant when discussing why we enjoy music.

 

Is it the heartbeat thing?

 

I don't believe so, the human heart doesn't beat that fast (normally)(Deathmetal anyone?)

 

Is it used as an accentuation of your personality? (EDIT: an anarchist may listen to punk etc)

 

This personally doesn't apply to me as I listen to EVERYTHING (I mean from Willie Nelson to Akon to Cannibal Corpse) but I can see how some people do seem to have a correlation (the classic "emo" to "screamo" stereotype)

 

Is it an appreciation of the culmination of multiple people striking things and making a coherent set of noises?

 

An appreciation of the creativity it took to make the music I think

 

I believe music is a way that we can express how we are feeling, and reflect our personality. Each different style represents a different personality, and people can identify with that. We all enjoy music because it really helps represent who we are inside.

 

 

 

OT: Finally got 1000 posts. 8-)

Music makes me feel a lot of emotions I wouldn't normally feel. I can be having the best day ever, and a slow sad song can slam be back to reality. I also attach a lot of memories to songs. If someone plays a song often when I'm around them then I'll end up thinking of that person or something we did together when that song was played.

Music makes me feel a lot of emotions I wouldn't normally feel. I can be having the best day ever, and a slow sad song can slam be back to reality. I also attach a lot of memories to songs. If someone plays a song often when I'm around them then I'll end up thinking of that person or something we did together when that song was played.

 

 

 

I'm the exact same way on both of those. I could be having a bad day, and an upbeat song can make me feel a whole lot better.

I can't speak for anyone else on this, but I listen to music because it lets me think without distracting noise in the background. It also provides a tempo to my thoughts.

Humans are pattern seeking animals - We enjoy a good pattern. I think that's relevant when discussing why we enjoy music.

 

This is much better than my ideas, probably the explanation i agree with most thus far in the discussion

The universe itself is musical, it is energy pulsating, and we subconsciously feel the rhythm. Maybe one of the reasons we like music is that it brings us closer to universe as a whole, makes us more attuned to the world around us.

 

See also String Theory.

For me, the appeal of music is the sheer variety you can get.