Thursday 14 February 2008

Music vs. Mood

OK, here's something to think about. Does the music we listen to change our mood, or does our mood dictate what music we want to listen to? Or is it a bit of both?

For example, while writing this Im listening to The Bluetones and their album "Science & Nature". I didn't choose to listen to it, I just hit random on my MP3 player and up it popped. When I listen to the Bluetones, it puts me in the mood to start writing my own songs again, but also in the mood of performing them... I mean, I love singing along to Bluetones songs because I have a similar pitch in voice and (I think) I sing them quite well. So now, all I wanna do is go home and start playing guitar, singing, maybe writing some stuff. There's an obvious case of music dictating mood.
The other day, however, I was not in the best of moods, and when I arrived at work all I wanted to do was listen to bands like Disturbed, Drowning Pool, Skindred etc. I was in an angry, shouty, growly mood and these songs fit perfectly... but then those songs perpetuated my mood which meant hapless user gimps who wanted help got their heads bitten off... so there is a case of mood dicating music, but also music dictating mood!
Im not too sure where Im going with this post, I think I just wanted to start you all thinking about your own music tastes and how they effect / are effected by your moods... you can tell, its a SLOW day at my desk today...

3 comments:

Mom said...

I don't own an MP3 player. I listen to the radio. It seems to me that all the music on your player was chosen by you as something you would enjoy hearing sometime, so even on random it plays music of your own choosing.
My daughter has playlists to match her mood. She has an angry playlist, one for romance, one happy, silly moods, etc. Sometimes she hits random because she doesn't know what mood she in or sometimes she plays one to help change her mood.
Music is a powerful thing and I believe it can enhance or change our mood.

Unknown said...

I think it is almost always mood dictating music for me.
I will change a song on the radio or mp3 if I am not in the mood for it.
But remember when I was talking about Queen's "You're My Best Friend" being used for a cruiseline advertisement? That is one of a very few songs when heard, makes me feel all happy.

Hope your day goes a bit faster. I am shut in with the ice...

Anonymous said...

I find that it works both ways, sometimes I am in the mood to only listen to certain music like angry music if I have a strop on and at othertimes I can be in a mood and certain tunes can cheer me up and pull me out of my mood...