Curating The Perfect Playlist For Any Mood

By Sylvia Eastman

FRAU G. / @fraumuller1985 on Pinterest 

Listening to music is both a communal and individual experience. Being a fan of a certain artist or genre not only creates a sense of community but a fan base — thousands of fans who don’t even know each other brought together through their shared love for an artist, only able to truly celebrate this online or at the occasional concert.

However, despite the incredible experience of sharing the same taste in music, everyone enters a different world while listening to the same song. People indulge in various songs because of how they make them feel and what lyrics they can connect to. Interpretations of lyrics vary across the audience based on the life experiences people face and how they connect their encounters with the emotions the lyricist portrays.

Regardless of the reasons people listen to music, there is key evidence that it is good for mental health. Certain rhythms and beats release endorphins, reducing stress and anxiety and boosting your mood. Hearing relatable lyrics helps people process their emotions and know they aren’t alone in what they’re feeling. Listening to soothing tunes before bed can also help you fall asleep faster and improve sleep quality.

The many benefits of listening to music are why so many people walk around wearing headphones all day. The escape from reality gives people a sense of acceptance and willpower to get through the day.

REA / @krenaresh22 on Pinterest 

That being said, it’s crucial to create the perfect playlist for any mood. Curating a list of your favorite songs is key, but it’s also important to sort them into playlists based on different states of mind — ones that allow you to wallow in sadness when needed while still lifting you back up when you’re ready to move on.

For example, you might lean toward rock when feeling the angsty teenager boiling inside of you, when nothing seems to be going right. You may gravitate toward EDM and throwback pop songs when you’re ready for a nightly dance party in your room, giving your best performance to your stuffed animals. Classical or lo-fi music is ideal for studying, and some soulful, slow tunes will help you relax while winding down for bed.

Music helps us cope with our emotions in many ways, both good and bad. Sometimes, we get distracted with our spunky, upbeat songs, or we surrender ourselves to emotional, sad songs for too long. While listening to music has a few cons, the positive benefits outweigh the negatives by a landslide.

Whether you listen to more popular or underground music, finding your music taste is essential for coping with the ups and downs life throws at us. Everyone’s Spotify Wrapped looks different at the end of each year, but the one thing we can all agree on is that we need music — and there’s a reason why it’s been around for so long.