By no means has that dreaded word disappeared from the world. However, there was once a time when it seemed we’d never get back to some normality. The world stood still, and it felt like the dark and gloomy trap we were in, was here to stay. Music offered a huge escape. Even those who hadn’t realised the power of song before, soon found themselves relying on it.
Hearing music you love releases a feeling inside you. It can turn the most boring, mundane tasks, into something fun and more enjoyable. People listen to music everywhere. On the commute, while cleaning or exercising. Listening to the songs you love can turn a bad day into a good one. Sometimes, you need to just belt out your favourite track, and before you know it, you’re back feeling like yourself. Music brings us together. It’s a really powerful tool. Often, its power is overlooked. But, there’s no denying, the power it had throughout the pandemic. When we couldn’t go outside, and the world was a dark place. We had music to lift us back up again.
Music can impact our mental health
Being unable to go outside, or socialise with our loved ones meant the things we do to get by were suddenly taken from us. Many people found themselves withdrawing from every day life. Everything felt the same. Routines became boring because there was simply nothing to look forward to. We had no idea when or if we’d return to normality, so we couldn’t focus on that. People that had never previously suffered with mental health concerns, suddenly felt themselves in a low they couldn’t get out of.
Music became an escape. You could throw on your headphones and get lost in a track. Or, blast your music out loud and have a dance, let go and be silly. There were no rules around music. You might not be able to go outside, or visit your favourite places. But, music was always there. Singing along to an upbeat song can really boost your mood. In fact, sometimes, even singing along to a deep, meaningful song can help. You might cry it all out while singing, but you’ll likely feel better afterwards.
Research has been conducted throughout the years, and it’s been found that music can reduce pain, depression and anxiety. That’s exactly why music therapy is often a favoured alternative to traditional methods. You’ve likely felt it yourself. On the days when you don’t feel so much like yourself, music can be uplifting. It’s no wonder people relied on it so heavily during the global pandemic. It gave people a time to discover new artists and try out new genres. Listeners are known to feel relaxed when listening to certain music. Sometimes, they might feel inspired. Overall though, it boosts their mood.
Why we relied on music during the global pandemic
Obviously as mentioned, music makes us feel better. It can improve our mood. Most of us, if not all, felt distanced and lonely during the pandemic. Whether you live with others or were on your own – everyone felt disconnected from the world. We all missed out on events, weren’t able to see loved ones and many even lost some of the people closest to them through this horrible illness. People needed an outlet. They needed to be able to express themselves, but it wasn’t always something they could do themselves. Instead, they expressed how they were feeling through their song choices.
Have you ever heard a song where the lyrics are perfect? They describe exactly how you’re feeling or your situation. Well, many people have those on repeat when facing challenging times. This is because it’s nice to be able to relate to someone. You know through the lyrics, someone feels the same way you do. You’re not alone. Not only that, but you can disassociate from your own world. You can almost live through someone else rather than focusing on your own downfalls. It acts as a way to escape reality. We’ve all had those stare out the window, main character in a music video moments. Daydreaming while listening to music, imagining you’re somewhere else, can sometimes be what you need.
How our use of music changed
We were no longer able to dance along to songs within clubs. Festivals were looking like they’d never return. Could you have imagined a large social gathering with thousands of people crowding into one place? No. That’s exactly where we lost hope of being able to watch our favourite artists perform live ever again. So, we all had to get creative. Artists began performing live across multiple social media platforms. It was almost a way of them connecting with their fans despite the world saying no. Not only was that beneficial for the artists, but the fans suddenly had something to look forward to again.
With people working from home, they started using music as a background noise, which is a brilliant way to find new artists. You can’t get distracted by singing along to songs if you don’t know the lyrics. So, why not try new music you’ve never heard? It became a way to connect with friends again too. Heard that new track? Or, joining artist’s live together and talking about it afterwards. People started creating quizzes and games to play online with friends. Remember Zoom? That seems a thing of the past, but no one would have got through the lockdowns without it.
