FMS Music❤

Written By: Adalyn TenEyck, a reporter for the Fruita Feed, 2/3/26

It's no secret that music is pleasing to the ears, but song is actually much more than just noise. Music is not only impactful on our emotions but also on our minds and relationships. 

While listening to a song on the radio, you may experience feelings of joy, thrill, and maybe even annoyance from hearing the same song for the millionth time, but the power of music on humans’ emotions goes much further than what we hear through our ears. In fact, an article by the National Library of Medicine titled, Dopamine Modulates the Reward Experiences Elicited by Music stated, "Previous research has consistently shown that music-evoked pleasure is accompanied by physiological changes in the autonomous nervous system as well as modulation of the mesolimbic reward pathway.” This shows how listening to music can give you the same feeling as, say, eating food or receiving and earning a reward, like money. These things all contribute to the mesolimbic pathway, often referred to as the brain's reward system. In short, listening to music helps not only our bodies but also our minds experience feelings of joy, emotion, and thought. On top of that, this evidence also suggests that music induces pleasure because a song has a positive effect on physiological changes in the autonomic nervous system. Which is the system that controls the balance and shifts between the “fight or flight” feeling in the body? This reveals that music can soothe and relax the body on a neurological level. 

Furthermore, music also connects millions of people through emotional understanding and communal unison. This can be seen in the article, Exploring Music’s Influence on Society and Culture, when the author, Lia Peralta, who is a part of the Music Education Advisory Board, states, “Humans often feel that 'no one understands them' or knows how they 'truly feel.” Many resort to music to find connections with others to express themselves of find a sense of understanding among peers.” This evidence shows how music fosters a sense of community and compassion, serving both those longing for belonging and those who simply want to dance with friends.

 Ultimately, listening to music, no matter the genre, time, or who you're listening with, is an amazing experience that affects our emotions, thoughts, and relationships. Simple melodies can induce joy, pleasure, tranquility, and sadness. Song and dance can shape relationships and bring people together through shared thoughts, views, and languages. Music is undeniably a powerful and transformative force.