Why do some songs make us happy?

Music is an essential part of all of our lives. Whether you are studying in your bedroom or going on a run, you always have to put in AirPods for the process to feel complete. Sometimes, you might’ve just had a fight with your parents or your friend, but as soon as you get stuck into your playlist, everything starts to feel so much better. But why is that?

Music has a special way to communicate with the brain. Listening to songs can trigger the release of dopamine, the feel-good chemical that activates areas of the brain that are linked to emotions and memories. As a result, music can therefore reduce stress, steady your heart rate as well as brightening your mood.

Another reason music makes us happy is because some songs act as a trigger - sparking cognitive activity and memory as they are often associated with people, places or events that are special to us. For example, the song that was played at your wedding or an artist that you and your best friend used to listen to all the time as kids.

However, music doesn’t always weave its magic and there are times when it may not always relax us and make us feel better - of course, it goes without saying that it has to match our mood and fit contextually with what is happening in our lives. Let’s say you just had a terrible day at work or school, then you head home, put on your headphones and some jolly cheerful pop song kicks in - doesn’t that just make you want to rip them off and smash them onto the floor? This is due to the fact that music has to match your mood in order to have a positive effect on your mental state. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to work out that if you are happy, you are probably best off listening to songs with a positive vibe and if you're sad then vice versa.

In the end, music is more than just background noise, it’s something that connects us to our emotions, memories, and even our physical state. It can lift our mood, calm us down, or give us comfort when we are agitated or anxious. As long as we choose the right songs to match how we feel, music will always make our lives a little more meaningful.