When you really think about it, the way in which music works seems absurd. These combinations of sounds and projected voices can either make us feel like a pinball zooming in a machine, or a depressed stuffed animal dropped from a flimsy claw. Many people are exposed to music from the day they are born until they die, from lullabies to elegies. This cacophony of sounds, categorized as “music,” has been profoundly influential and addictive in our culture since the dawn of civilization. At Milton, music remains ubiquitous: students often sport AirPods or headphones in the Stu or in the library, and one of our most popular school-wide traditions, Beatnik, features a litany of musical performances. Our relationship with music has evolved into an asset that we cannot shut out, even if we want to.
Music influences the emotional and mental development of students. A 2019 Common Sense Media Study showed that 82% of 1600 teenagers in the US spend an average of two hours listening to music each day. Streaming our favorite songs for that long isn’t as simple as the pursuit of an ephemeral dopamine release. Even if one is not super enthusiastic about music, just listening to your playlist on your way to class can change your behavior in class for the rest of your day. Bella Davis ‘29 shared that listening to music adds color to her life. When Davis listens to her favorite artists like Drake in the morning, she feels energetic. Most upbeat genres like rap and pop usually have a higher frequency, a characteristic that appeals to the neural system of your brain and is associated with the hormones and dopamine released, as cited in a National Library of Medicine Study. But the scientific aspect correlates with the emotional aspect. When listening to your favorite songs, artists, or playlists, it elicits the emotions you’re feeling or bound to feel – whether it’s as simple as a pregame vigor or more complex, internal conflict like an existential crisis. Sometimes, these anthems and ballads curated by creative minds can evoke feelings that the human mind cannot verbalize out—that inexplicable feeling when a song engulfs you into a trance. Between nirvana and epiphany, nostalgia and dread— you melt into the song’s ambience.
Music can be an invisible string that connects people. Having a similar music taste and perception of music with someone else can bolster relationships and sometimes even offer a glimpse of their character. According to UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center, “listening to music and singing together has been shown in several studies to directly impact neuro-chemicals in the brain, many of which play a role in closeness and connection.” Instead of discussing music, enjoying and participating in concerts, karaoke, and Beatnik, can strengthen bonds as well and create great memories. Alexander Landis-Arnold ‘26 loves to listen to international music. Not only does he utilize music as a creative aspect and personal outlet, but he also uses music to connect with people from other countries like South Africa and Spain. People who are separated by language can be united through music.
Sixty Milton students responded to a poll about their respective relationships with music. Pop/Indie, with 29 votes, was the most preferred genre, followed by rap with 25. Other prominent categories included R&B with 14 votes, rock with 13 votes, and classical music with 17 votes. Sayles Thielscher ‘28 enjoys listening to music, especially indie, as it makes her a more positive person, and brings back cherished memories. Music has influenced Samuel Dabora ‘28 through his jazz class. During long work periods, he indulges in jazz music, which grants him a break from life—a pause in time. Nora Lu ‘29 described that the music she listened to in the past has shaped her into the person she is now. When she listens to specific songs, she feels like she’s reaching nirvana, a spiritual state where she’s transported somewhere else. Across Milton students, music embodies an escapism which bolsters their everyday lives.
Evidently, music is an integral part of student life: a special elixir of color in a black and white world. Being able to acknowledge that each student in Milton perceives music in a different and personal way divulges the complexity of us.