The Use of Music in Promoting Mental Health
The Use of Music in promoting Mental Health
Student’s Name:
Institutional Affiliation:
The Use of Music in promoting Mental Health
Introduction
Music has revolutionized within a very short period in the world, and composers have started making music to reach a certain audience and achieve a desirable outcome. Listeners all over the world of different types and genres of music also have become picky in the different types of songs that they listen to and always aim at listening to specific songs at different times depending on the mood and even functionality of the songs. I picked a playlist generally used for personal reflections, prompts memory, and gives the listener pictorial flashbacks of different moments savored in their lives. The ten-song pick was a process that was accompanied by serious scrutiny of the song in general, the lyrics it contains, which takes us to the message, and even the different kicks and snares which determine and affect the entire sound of the tracks in general. The playlist was selected and functions to deal with mental health as per the different functions that every track plays in the playlist. The providence of a sense of individual realization on different matters gives peace of mind to listeners who indulge in listening to the playlist. Thus, the playlist is purposefully working to enhance the mental strength of individuals; the playlist also aims to give self-reflection and reassurance to those in dire need of reassurance from their loved ones in life generally. Reassurances allow the listener to overcome fears and concerns about certain issues. Researchers have gone far to the point of concluding that music can be used to achieve certain desired outcomes. Schäfer (2016) argues that different types of music listened to by different people can be used to attain specific goals in the various situations tied to them. This implies that music can be composed to play certain roles (Schäfer, 2016). Music has proved to have a psychological effect on different listeners; some music gives the listeners some neural relaxation. Perception of music and perception of language are mainly discerned at the neuroanatomical level (Platel et al.,1997). Therefore, music can be desired to achieve relaxation desires that contribute to good mental health. I created my playlist by putting in place a list of tracks from the RNB/Soul and pop genre, with a few tracks from the pop and hip-hop genres. These tracks are categorized as one of the best productions of the songs in the specified genres. The major aim of my playlist is to relax the mind and prompt beautiful memories filled with reassurance, hope, and motivation for a better tomorrow. The first five tracks of my playlist were carefully selected and aimed to play the different roles of reassurance, expression of gratitude, hope and drive to push, and expression of love, respectively. The other five tracks were randomly picked from a class of well-composed tracks that take the listener into a world of fantasy and help in relaxing the brain.
The Playlist
Below is the list of tracks that I selected for the creation of my playlist and the artists:
Always – Isak Danielson (2018)
Get you the moon – Kina ft Snow (2018)
Rags to Riches – Rod Wave ft Lil Baby (2020)
Flashlight – Jessie J (2015)
All of me – John Legend (2013)
You Are the Reason – Calum Scott (2018)
Girl of My Dreams – Rod Wave (2020)
Lose you to Love Me – Selena Gomez (2020)
Good Days – SZA (2020)
Letter From Houston – Rod Wave (2020)
Always – Isak Danielson (2018)
Always is a track that leads in the playlist as it is a pop-rock hit song where the main subject seems to be reassuring their loved one. The tracks include a combination of instrumental output driven by guitars and drums, hence the rock genre's consideration. However, the production incorporates an intersection of mainstream pop music, as seen through the powerful vocal hooks (Regev, 2013). Reassurance is a key element in mental health, as it gives one peace of mind. Peace of mind is key, ensuring one's mind is calm and relaxed. Isak, in the song, Always tells their loved one that they will always be together through highs and lows and every step of the road until the dark days. This song pick was my topmost in the list as listening to it always makes me feel calm and prompts some memories that I previously shared, and gives me happy thoughts; hence; mind relaxation is a key step towards attaining mental growth and psychological well-being (Walsh & Shapiro, 2006).
Get you the moon – Kina ft Snow (2018)
The second track in my playlist is an RNB/Soul production by Kina featuring Snow. The song is considered the Soul of the artist's ability to bring out her intense deep vocals, and the key RNB notes are noticed in the rhythm and flow of the entire production (Ripani, 2006). The song is about a character trying to show gratitude to their loved one as they appreciate everything they have done in their life and the amazing impact they have had on their lives. The artist expresses gratitude and says that if they could get the moon and gift it to their loved ones, they would. The track plays a self-reflective role as it gets me, as a listener, to think back and reflect on all the beautiful things that people close to me have done in my life and offer them gratitude and appreciation from the bottom of my heart. In the same way, the track brings out a reason to possess stable peace of mind, which is a key step towards attaining good mental health.
Rags to Riches – Rod Wave ft Lil Baby (2020)
The third song in my playlist brings a new touch of hip-hop and rap music. The song is a rap song that American rapper Rod Wave features Lil Baby. There is rap that is accompanied by a flow of rhythm synchronized with beats. The artist explains how he came from a humble background as they started not doing well off but turned out to make an actua
