Music plays a pivotal role in both our personal and society lives. Music is an outlet for many people, especially those who may not have the opportunity to express themselves through words or other means. Music also has profound effects on moods and physiological responses. As such, music can be considered one of the most significant forms of human expression and reflects the culture of a society. Music is often shaped by geography and historical context, as well as the current events that are occurring at a certain time in a society.
Music’s future is also an important part of its past and present because it allows for interpretation into how music may be interpreted in the future. Music has been construed to have profound impacts on behavior, language development, cognitive ability, as well as emotion regulation (Kalverboer & Mengaers 2010). Music provides meaning to people’s lives and no other invention throughout history compares with music because there is nothing else that can affect so many people from all walks of life without saying a single word.
Music evokes strong emotions from listeners; therefore one’s choice of music typically reflects their seemingly personal taste. Music is a reflection of the cultures in which it is produced and affects the behavior and everyday lives of its listeners. History: Music has been around since prehistoric times and has been an integral part of many societies throughout history, both in the past and present day. Music was used to help people work, such as when the Nuer lulled their children into sleeping when they were herding cattle (Boer 2004).
Music also helped people to increase camaraderie between individuals because music brought groups together during social gatherings such as weddings or other celebrations (Boer 2004). Music was also used by leaders to make announcements; therefore it became an influential tool for rulers who used music to convey power and authority (Boer 2004). Music was also used in religious ceremonies, such as in the Christian church during the Middle Ages (Boer 2004).
Music has played an integral role throughout history and continues to do so. Music reflects and shapes our emotions and perceptions of everyday life. Music is a reflection of both its time and place as well as the culture that produces it. Culture: Music varies greatly from one society to another, reflecting the different cultures across the world. Music ranges from lullabies sung by parents to their infants or hymns sung by two people for personal pleasure or spiritual enlightenment (Kalverboer & Mengaers 2010).
Music is not just confined to song; music can be translated into dance forms such as ballet or other artistic expressions such as paintings or sculptures (Boer 2004). Music in its different forms has become a powerful part of many cultures because it is often used to express deep sentiments about these societies. Music can be both entertaining, as well as deeply moving to the people who are listening. Music is not only heard during concerts or played in movies; music also fills our daily lives through advertisements, movies, TV shows, video games, and much more.
Music has become omnipresent in our society to the point where we cannot escape its influence if we so wanted to. Music affects us on a subconscious level through television or radio commercials that use songs with particular beats and tempos to get its message across more effectively than words would alone (Kalverboer & Mengaers 2010). Music is a reflection of culture both in the past and present day. The music reflects the values, norms, and beliefs that society holds dear.
Music’s role is not just to entertain or influence behavior; it also acts as a means of communication between individuals, societies, and cultures. Music allows for people to share their deepest emotions despite where they are located in the world. Music has become such an important part of our lives because we carry music around with us everywhere we go in the forms of iPhones, mp3 players like iPods, portable CD players (Boer 2004).
Music can be defined broadly or limited to certain genres or styles that appeal to specific audiences; therefore there is no one definition of music that encompasses it all (Kalverboer & Mengaers 2010). Music is a complex topic that varies among cultures and societies. The music reflects culture by acting as a means of communication, entertainment, and artistic expression for many different groups of people across the world. Music has become such an important part of our lives because it reflects its time and place as well as its culture of origin.
Music is something that everyone enjoys, regardless of geographical location. Music exists in every nation around the world and can be identified by many traits that separate it from the style of music in other countries. Music acts as both a reflection of society and an influence on society depending on which part of the world you are in. Music originates in society through everyday activities, like work. Music is created based on the people’s daily routines.
Music is an essential part of human life and enhances our experiences by incorporating rhythm with other elements to create sound. Music can act as a reflection of how we live in certain regions because it comes from daily routines that are different for every culture. Music also reflects society because music often forms around or accompanies religious beliefs that exist within societies. Music can change throughout history depending on what religion it follows; Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism all have their own sets of music styles and genres associated with them.
Music also acts as an influence on society through these religions because many times, humans listen to music to connect with God so they feel closer to the afterlife. Music is a common way for many religions to create a sense of unity and bring people together through their similar feelings toward God. Music also acts as a reflection of society because music varies by region such as Africa, Australia, North America, South America, China and Europe.
Music styles in these areas can be identified by certain unique sounds that all countries use yet each country has its own unique twist on those sounds which makes them different from one another. Music across these regions has developed differently throughout history and still continues to develop today due to the different cultures and beliefs within each region. Music throughout history has been known for influencing societies’ behaviors and actions; often times even inciting wars.
Music influences society today just as much as it did in the past and will continue to across the world. Music can also reflect society because of how people write and perform music that reflects their personal experiences. Music is a way for many artists to express themselves and also allows others around them to experience what they have been through which can create a sense of empathy for other individuals who may be struggling with the same issues at hand. Music has been known to influence societies’ emotions such as happiness, sadness, anger, pride, etc.