Do you listen to music that matches your mood? Or to change your mood?

@TheHorse (218828)

Walnut Creek, California

December 1, 2015 11:30am CST

This post grew out of a conversation I am having with @yalul070 in the Comments section of one of her posts. She said (more or less) that she listens to happy music when she's feeling down, because it picks her up. I said that I listen to music that matches my mood, because it "validates" the way I'm feeling, or inspires me further. If I'm feeling sad, or missing someone, I might listen to a sad Country song, or maybe a lilting Irish song, and wallow in my sadness for awhile. If I'm feeling underappreciated and kind of "martyrly," I might listen to Handel's Messiah or a Bach Cantata. If I'm feeling some attitude, and want to "save the world" or just get stuff done, I might listen to Gil-Scott Heron's "The Revolution Will Not be Televised." Or maybe an up-beat Grateful Dead tune. When I'm feeling "intellectual," and grading papers, I listen to classical or jazz. Do you listen to music that matches your mood? Or do you try to find music that will change your mood? One music and psychology scholar (Daniel Levitin, who wrote "This is Your Brain on Music") suggests that "matching" is best, but I'm curious about what most people do in the real world.

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36 responses

@Asylum (47893)

• Manchester, England

1 Dec 15

I suppose both of those options apply to me. I often select music according to my mood, plus playing a certain type of music will effect my mood accordingly.

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@TheHorse (218828)

• Walnut Creek, California

1 Dec 15

Sometimes a certain kind of music won't work for me. For example,when I'm on the way to a softball game, I want to have some attitude. So I'll play Hendrix's Voodoo Child (Slight Return). That wouldn't be a time for Handel's Messiah. If I'm grading papers, Hendrix wouldn't work. I'll go to Pat Metheny or Keith Jarrett (jazz). If I'm missing someone, I'll go to some sad Country Music.

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Júlio Cassoma Carlos

@Juliothemadpoet (90)

• Bangalore, India

1 Dec 15

@Asylum I never tried opera before. It never came to my mind. but now that you say... I am curious. Thanks.

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Júlio Cassoma Carlos

@Juliothemadpoet (90)

• Bangalore, India

1 Dec 15

Music has that power. @asylum

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@Jessicalynnt (50523)

• Centralia, Missouri

4 Mar 16

this popped up on a sidebar, and I had to pop by and comment, I have a sad day playlist, for songs that help me feel better.

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@Jessicalynnt (50523)

• Centralia, Missouri

24 Apr 16

@TheHorse depends, sometimes I need upbeat, but often when depressed, moody songs make me feel better, rather like cleaning a wound, gotta let some of the angst out

@TheHorse (218828)

• Walnut Creek, California

23 Apr 16

What kind of songs make you feel better? I still prefer songs that match my mood, in general.

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@AbbyGreenhill (45494)

• United States

1 Dec 15

Hum, good question. I listen to country music so whatever songs are playing that's what I listen to. I don't play music much in the house - mostly in the car or outside.

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@TheHorse (218828)

• Walnut Creek, California

1 Dec 15

Got it. I sometimes listen to a song on YouTube while working at my computer (if I don't have the stereo going). That's when I'll go for a sad Country song (like Everything that Glitters is not Gold) if I'm feeling sad or lonely.

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@AbbyGreenhill (45494)

• United States

1 Dec 15

@TheHorse I don't often feel sad or lonely, which I'm thankful for.

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@TheHorse (218828)

• Walnut Creek, California

1 Dec 15

@AbbyGreenhill That's a good thing. Around the Holidays, I often miss relatives and friends that aren't around any more.

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@birjudanak (14320)

• India

1 Dec 15

its very nice question because if i have lots of music i will change the music till my mood not set but if i have only few music so i will change my mood according to music.

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@TheHorse (218828)

• Walnut Creek, California

1 Dec 15

So it depends on what music you have available to you at the time? Or your mood when you decided to turn on some music? (Or both?)

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@TheHorse (218828)

• Walnut Creek, California

1 Dec 15

@birjudanak Right now, as I relax before lunch, I'm listening to classical.

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@birjudanak (14320)

• India

1 Dec 15

@TheHorse yes what music available at that time ,so i have option then i can shuffle them.

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@dorianna (509)

• United States

2 Dec 15

Oddly, though I may not listen to sad music deliberately each time, it depends on the extent of my ruefulness. For example: there are times when I just want/need to let the sad out. On those rare occasions I will play music that matches my mood to let the tears out and heal. Most of the time, however, I like to put on upbeat songs to get me out of the funk. When I study I like to listen to quiet instrumental music. If I do not have music in the background I have difficulty concentrating.

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@TheHorse (218828)

• Walnut Creek, California

2 Dec 15

It may be similar for me. If I'm on the cusp, I'll listen to something thoughtful (jazz or classical) and get stuff done. But if I'm missing someone, I might just go down sad Country lane and listen to "Go Rest High Upon that Mountain" by Vince Gill.

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@Lucky15 (37374)

• Philippines

2 Dec 15

When i feel down..i listen to the piano guys. They uplift my spirit. Hope i can share them here soon

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@TheHorse (218828)

• Walnut Creek, California

2 Dec 15

Which piano guys? Rubinstein playing Chopin Nocturnes? Keith Jarrett doing jazz standards? Someone doing Mozart well?

@kiran8 (15348)

• Mangalore, India

2 Dec 15

I have 2 or 3 playlists on my computer that I keep adding on to and deleting and normally I listen to them.They have a mix of Hindi, Western,Tamil,Kannada and classical songs and so I get to listen to a variety..

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@kiran8 (15348)

• Mangalore, India

2 Dec 15

@TheHorse Yes sometimes, funnily enough I play sad songs when I am sad which actually helps because I shed tears and cry for a bit and am back to normal after that lol...

@TheHorse (218828)

• Walnut Creek, California

2 Dec 15

Do you play different lists depending on your mood?

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@marguicha (223001)

• Chile

23 Apr 16

I like music that will get me in a better mood when I´m down. I don´t like to be down.

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@marguicha (223001)

• Chile

23 Apr 16

@TheHorse As I live alone, I don´t like to get into depressive moods. But I have found different kinds of music depending on suble mood changes

@TheHorse (218828)

• Walnut Creek, California

23 Apr 16

I find that music that validates my mood is cleansing and puts me in a good space.

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@crossbones27 (49436)

• Mojave, California

2 Dec 15

Most of the time I listen to songs that match the mood.Now and then I need to listen to a more positive song or album to get me out of a funk sometimes, if you know what I mean.

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@crossbones27 (49436)

• Mojave, California

2 Dec 15

@TheHorse Funny, but Blues music does not really make me blue. It actually motivates me for some reason. Especially when it is a funky up beat tempo.

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@TheHorse (218828)

• Walnut Creek, California

2 Dec 15

It seems like it's about 50/50 as far as listening to upbeat music to get out of a funk v. listening to sad music to validate the funk. Right now I'm listening to Miles's Kind of Blue as I work on progress notes.

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@TheHorse (218828)

• Walnut Creek, California

2 Dec 15

@crossbones27 Blues music can have some enjoyable double entendres in it. I love Koko Taylor for that reason. "My meat man he's a sweet man/brings me steaks all night long..."

@cmoneyspinner (9219)

• Austin, Texas

18 Apr 16

I listen to music that matches my mood and that can change my mood. But mainly, the end goal of any music I'm listening to is for uplifting my spirit. Link to interesting article.

http://health.usnews.com/health-news/family-health/brain-and-behavior/articles/2008/07/17/music-as-medicine-for-the-brain

health.usnews.com

http://health.usnews.com/health-news/family-health/brain-and-behavior/articles/2008/07/17/music-as-medicine-for-the-brain

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medical science

@TheHorse (218828)

• Walnut Creek, California

23 Apr 16

Thanks for the article. I hadn't realized that music therapy was being used for people with disorders like Parkinson's.

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Anne Marie Guyer

@LeaPea2417 (37353)

• Toccoa, Georgia

1 Dec 15

Yes, I do tend to listen to music that is like the mood that I am in.

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@TheHorse (218828)

• Walnut Creek, California

1 Dec 15

I find it "cleansing" to listen to sad music when I'm already sad. And happy or rockin' music when I'm happy makes me want to go out and get fun stuff done.

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@norcal (4889)

• Franklinton, North Carolina

2 Dec 15

@TheHorse Elvin Bishop said "When you're feelin' bad turn the music on and let it soothe ya. When you're feelin' good, turn the music up and let it move ya."

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@Drosophila (16571)

• Ireland

1 Dec 15

I listen to music to either think or to relax.

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@Drosophila (16571)

• Ireland

2 Dec 15

@TheHorse My work music is Mozart, but now you mentioned miles davis, I will check him out. Anything with a piano works better for me, cos I type of the rhythm. Relax I listen to chill out session by kygo or any sax oriented music. I only listen to it when am under pressure to solve complex issues.

@TheHorse (218828)

• Walnut Creek, California

2 Dec 15

Are your relaxing and thinking music the same? I needed to get some work done, so I put on Miles Davis's Kind of Blue. It's thoughtful music, and it's also familiar enough to me that it doesn't "interrupt" my work.

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@norcal (4889)

• Franklinton, North Carolina

1 Dec 15

I usually listen to KVMR, my local eclectic radio station. It plays such a wide variety of music, you might hear any genre there. Sometimes it fits, sometimes it doesn't. Unless I am hosting some kind of gathering, I rarely select music to listen to.

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@TheHorse (218828)

• Walnut Creek, California

2 Dec 15

The station I mostly listen to alternates betwen classical (most of the day) and jazz (evenings).

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@TheHorse (218828)

• Walnut Creek, California

2 Dec 15

@norcal Have you heard of Houston Jones? They're a local (Bay Area) Americana band that really rocks.

@norcal (4889)

• Franklinton, North Carolina

2 Dec 15

@TheHorse I guess my favorites are blues, folk or Americana.

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Júlio Cassoma Carlos

@Juliothemadpoet (90)

• Bangalore, India

1 Dec 15

I listen to music to 'steady' my mood and control my thoughts. Sometimes I listen to classic music to think and create, as well as blues, soft rock, alternative rock and so on. But if i want to get deep into my thoughts when they are too confusing or turbulent, I will up the scale and beat untill i finally reach the top, that ranges from deathcore to melodic deathcore or higher, untill it gets stable and I get the clear picture, and then I naturally come down. If I am sad I just listen to Dave matthews band, (Pay for what you get), or BLK JKS (Standby and Cursor) or Blue October. When I want to have fun, I go for german bands as J.B.O and Die Artze or Rammstein.

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@TheHorse (218828)

• Walnut Creek, California

1 Dec 15

It sounds like you have pretty diverse tastes in music. I haven't heard of those German bands!

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@TheHorse (218828)

• Walnut Creek, California

1 Dec 15

@Juliothemadpoet I assume they sing in German?

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Júlio Cassoma Carlos

@Juliothemadpoet (90)

• Bangalore, India

1 Dec 15

@TheHorse OHHH they are the three legendary German bands. They are really funny, specially JBO, Rammstein is more of a rock thing, and Die Artze is more of 'educational' rock. But there is another, Die toten hosen, that is actually really good also. If you find me in the street, I will be carrying a headphones. I am hard-wired to music since i was 13. Just look at my picture. Music is my second blood. hahhahaha. That's the why of the 'diverse taste'.

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@dodo19 (47317)

• Beaconsfield, Quebec

2 Dec 15

I do listen to music according to my mood. It definitely affects my music of choice.

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@TheHorse (218828)

• Walnut Creek, California

23 Apr 16

Same here. Sometimes I'll listen to something dark and funny, like James McMurtry's Choctaw Bingo, when I'm in a grumpy mood.

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@sofssu (23662)

•

4 Mar 16

I always listen to uplifting music. I find that makes me feel even better.

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@TheHorse (218828)

• Walnut Creek, California

23 Apr 16

What music is uplifting for you?

Nanette Piotrowski

@nanette64 (20364)

• Fairfield, Texas

2 Dec 15

I love all kinds of music (except for head-banger and hip-hop) @TheHorse , but any time of the day or night; regardless of mood, I love something to dance to. The 50's, Jazz, Big Band; I am boogie-woogian around the house. My cats think I have lost my mind.

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@TheHorse (218828)

• Walnut Creek, California

2 Dec 15

I'm with you on head-banger and hip hop. The jazz I listen to tends to be of the mellower variety. If I had cats here, they'd probably sleep to it.

@Rohvannyn (3098)

• United States

4 Mar 16

I will do both, depending on the mood, and what I'm doing. I will also sometimes listen to music that adds to my current mood, like good heavy metal when I'm exercising.

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@TheHorse (218828)

• Walnut Creek, California

23 Apr 16

Metal would make sense while exercising. But I never listen to metal.

@JudyEv (339930)

• Rockingham, Australia

2 Dec 15

Although I say I like music, and I do, I prefer to work in silence mostly. Otherwise I listen to whatever Vince is listening to. Luckily our preferences mostly match very well.

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@TheHorse (218828)

• Walnut Creek, California

2 Dec 15

When I'm working, I prefer to listen to something that's relaxed (like jazz, especially Miles, Pat Metheny, or Keith Jarrett) and really familiar.

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@danicapaige (30)

• Bloomington, Illinois

19 Feb 16

I listen to music to change my mood most of the time. If i am sad, i listen to something i know will brighten my spirits. My go to is worship music because it can cure any mood. Crying out to Jesus with my love of music is something i truly love.

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@TheHorse (218828)

• Walnut Creek, California

23 Apr 16

Some of the sad music I like has religious roots.