Music: A Shorthand of Emotion
After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music, said Aldous Huxley. It is indeed one of the most universal ways of expression and communication for humankind and is present in the everyday lives of people of all ages and from all cultures around the world. Several types of research suggest that listening to music we hear in our youth helps us recall specific events, reminds us of people we have forgotten, and helps us revisit significant periods in our lives. Why do we love music? Who among us doesn’t have a similar story about a song that touched us? Whether attending a concert, listening to the radio, or singing in the shower, there’s something about music that can fill us with emotion, from joy to sadness. Studies have shown that when we listen to music, our brains release dopamine, which in turn makes us happy. Typically, our brains release dopamine during behavior that's essential to survival (sex or eating). In one study published in Nature