Almost every person listens to some sort of music. We all have that artist or genre we constantly listen to. This is all we need for a while, and we cannot seem to get enough of it. But on some random day, while you are riding to practice or doing your math homework, that genre, artist or song may feel different. You have the urge to skip songs you have been playing nonstop. This is a frustrating and sometimes confusing problem that is common among everyone. Why does this happen in the first place?
A typical answer is that you may have overplayed your favorite songs. According to the National Library of Medicine, the part of music that makes us love it is the dopamine released when we hear songs that satisfy our minds. After a while, our brains become desensitized or used to this music, and not as much dopamine is released. This makes some songs less enjoyable than they once were and possibly even boring. Another solution is our aging minds and our changing interests. We often want music that reflects how we are feeling. If someone were to go hiking, she might want to listen to a song that reflects the environment or something that feels in tune with her surroundings. If someone were driving home at night, they may want to hear something that helps them wind down and allow reflection. We want something that touches our emotions or energy.
Some ways to branch out and solve these types of problems are simple. Usually, when clicking on an artist on Spotify or Apple Music, there are suggestions for similar artists. These artists cannot give you exactly what the original artist can, but they can add another layer of interest or expose you to something of undiscovered interest. An example would be when you click on Mt. Joy’s profile. Mt. Joy is an indie rock band. Northeastern Globals News describes their genre as “folk-infused yet stylistically flexible indie rock.” When venturing down to “Fans also like,” you will see artists such as Caamp and Houndmouth. Both artists are also considered folk/indie artists but in completely different ways than Mt. Joy. Caamp experiments more with “stripped-down” sound. It is more focused on raw vocals than production. Houndmouth steers more into the alternative indie lane. They focus on alternative blues and rock. They are more similar to Mt. Joy in this way. All three lie under the umbrella of the folk genre, but in such unique styles tailored to themselves. If you decide you enjoy the style of one of these similar artists and want to expand even further, you can click on their “Fans also like” and repeat the cycle.
Another way to branch out is by downloading apps that allow you to discover new music and connect with others to see what they are listening to. Apps such as “Airbuds” allow you to connect with your friends or others with similar interests. You can share your listening activity as well as see others and gain some playlist inspiration. “Magic Playlist” creates a playlist based on any song. There is also an app called “Swipefy.” If you use the music streaming service Spotify, you can put in your login information for Spotify, and the app will generate songs similar to the ones you listen to and give you similar ones. The app plays a snippet of the song for you to decide whether you are a fan. If you like it, swipe right! If not, feel free to swipe left.
There are so many ways to break out of your music rut. There are millions of artists, genres, and styles, and any one of them could be for you. You should never be afraid to try something different than your usual taste. Music can be an amazing way to find comfort in your feelings. By branching out, you expose yourself to the possibility of finding songs that understand you or put your emotions into words you never could. You will always have the ability to come back to songs or genres, so why not add even more to your collection?
