We’re all feeling a bit out of sorts, holed up in our homes with loved ones — hopefully you still love them — talking with two-dimensional versions of friends and co-workers on screens, and worried about blowing through our Netflix watchlists too quickly. If you’re in need of an energy boost and some meaningful social interaction, musical experiences are your answer to feeling good and feeling connected.
You’re not alone
Perhaps we’re all a bit guilty of having taken each other for granted. One day we’re free to get together whenever we desire, ironically spending much of that time buried in our devices, and in the blink of an eye, we’re fully dependent on those very same devices for social interaction.
Although cancelled gatherings, social distancing, and shelter-in-place mandates have become the norm, they feel far from normal. And, if you’re feeling at all uncomfortable with this virtual lifestyle, know that you’re not alone. In many ways it’s bringing out the best in us as we seek even the smallest opportunities throughout the day to feel just a bit more human and to find connection with each other.
There are a lot of options out there to help, and it’s important to note that anything that makes you and your loved ones happy in this challenging time is exactly what you should be doing. Musical experiences, in particular, can have an extremely positive impact on your wellbeing, boosting creativity and happiness, and forming strong social bonds with others — even remotely.
What’s in a song?
What’s not in a song?! There’s proven science linking musical experiences to increased happiness, creativity and social connection. Which benefits you receive, depends on the type of musical experience in which you take part.
For example, say, you’re running low on energy and you decide to spin up a few feel-good songs. As each song is playing, your brain goes to work, not just decoding sound, but referencing your memory database as well as gauging the overall beat, feel and lyrics (if any). As it connects these dots, it releases greater amounts of oxytocin into your bloodstream, giving you a heightened feeling of happiness.
Taking that example a step further, when you experience those songs with others — yes, even virtually with others — the additional oxytocin levels in your body coupled with a release of dopamine produce a feeling of connectedness to those around you. If you’ve ever been to a concert and instantly felt a bond with the people around you as soon as a hit song kicks in, you know this feeling well!
When we write or perform songs together, our brains light up with even more positive signals, stimulating everything from our creative neurons in the frontal cortex to heightened feelings of happiness and connectedness. Best of all, there are countless opportunities to experience these benefits virtually.
Sound like just the thing you need? We couldn’t agree more.
For those about to rock, online
Perhaps the greatest advantage of our current situation is the vast amount of access we have to information at the touch of a screen. And when it comes to musical experiences, there are countless options for you to choose from. Here’s just a few:
Take in a virtual concert – These days virtual concerts are popping up everywhere from dedicated websites to social media feeds. One of the most popular is #TogetherAtHome, a concert series by the World Health Organization and Global Citizen featuring artists like Coldplay’s Chris Martin, John Legend, Shawn Mendes and more performing live from their Instagram feeds. For a more intimate experience, StageIt offers live virtual concerts from leading songwriters worldwide. And, if you just need to let loose and dance, check out Diplo’s ‘Corona World Tour’ streaming live from his YouTube channel
Tune into artist social feeds – In addition to full virtual concerts, musicians worldwide are taking to their social feeds with live engagements on a regular basis. Miley Cyrus’ ‘Bright Minded’ series is live on Instagram weekly, Garth Brooks’ ‘Inside Studio G’ series is live on Facebook weekly, and Death Cab for Cutie’s Ben Gibbard performs songs daily via YouTube and Facebook.
Listen to others’ Spotify playlists – Reconnect with friends and co-workers by listening to their Spotify playlists. Find out what they’re into, discover new music, and start a conversation with them about something other than COVID-19.
Write a song or poem – Sure, you can get fancy with the dozens of professional music collaboration sites out there, or better yet, you can simply write a 4 or 8 line poem to express how you feel. If you’re not a musician, share your lyrics with a friend who is and let them set it to music. You’ll be surprised at how quickly you can write a song, and how gratifying the experience is.
Listen to albums – Ok, so maybe this is a bit more offline for those of you who still have vinyl, CD, or cassette collections. For those that don’t, any music streaming service will do just fine. While modern listening habits have shifted to singles and shuffled music, there are thousands of albums from past decades that were intended as complete works of art. Take an hour, throw on your headphones and truly connect with these recordings by listening front-to-back, start-to-finish. You’ll be amazed by what you discover.
Unite your company, virtually, using music
Companies need to connect too, and there are a number of virtual options when it comes to uniting teams using music.
Remote Team Anthem – Unite your teams anywhere in the world with an online interactive songwriting session led by world-class musicians… [Learn more about Remote Team Anthem]
Broadcast Band – A live, custom soundtrack and charismatic MC for your virtual meetings and events to entertain, boost energy and engage your teams in the same way as a late-night talk show band… [Learn more about Broadcast Band]
Custom Songs – Express your purpose and core values, or celebrate your people with a professionally composed song written and recorded especially for your company by our world-class musicians… [Learn more about Custom Songs]
It’s always the things you can’t have that you want the most. Musical experiences enable you to make meaningful connections with others beyond video calls and virtual meetings. Check out your favourite bands performing live around the Web, dust off an album and listen start to finish, or write a song with others — we promise it will fill your soul.
Book a musical experience for your next virtual meeting or event!