Brain imaging studies show that our favorite songs stimulate the brain’s pleasure circuit, which releases an influx of dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin, and other neurochemicals that make us feel good. The more we like a song, the more we get treated to neurochemical bliss, flooding our brains with some of the same neurotransmitters that cocaine chases after.
Music lights these sparks of neural activity in everybody. But in young people, the spark turns into a fireworks show. Between the ages of 12 and 22, our brains undergo rapid neurological development—and the music we love during that decade seems to get wired into our lobes for good.
I disagree. When I was a teenager, I loved Green Day, Nirvana, The Offspring, and The Sex Pistols. I went through a heavy phase in my early 20s.
While I still like those artists and songs, there are other bands and songs that I like more now. (The Rumjacks are a great band if anyone’s looking for something new).
The music I listened to when I was in my teens and early 20s will always be special to me, and shaped my tastes, but now that I’m in my 40s, my life is vastly different to how it was back then, and other songs speak to me more now than those songs do.
Yeah there’s other music that I enjoy more now, but I put on Nevermind the other day and my voice was hoarse within ten minutes. Sang that whole thing through at maximum volume in the car.
Interesting. What did you listen to in your 30’s? Do you remember it as vividly as you do the music you listened to in your teenage years? Can you sing along the same way? How will the music you listen to now compare when you’re in your 50’s?
Not saying the music is objectively better or suitable for all points in life. Just pointing to studies saying teenagers have a huge emotional response to music. IIRC there have been studies showing dementia patients kind of wake up when you start playing music they listened to in their teens.
It’s “better = more suitable here and now” vs “better = more impactful” I guess.
I agree with you. Back then my preference was pretty narrow, but I still love most of what I listened to. Now there’s something in almost every genre that I really like.
The best songs we’ve ever heard are the ones we listened to as teenagers. You’ll never get a dopamine rush like that again.
https://slate.com/technology/2014/08/musical-nostalgia-the-psychology-and-neuroscience-for-song-preference-and-the-reminiscence-bump.html
I disagree. When I was a teenager, I loved Green Day, Nirvana, The Offspring, and The Sex Pistols. I went through a heavy phase in my early 20s.
While I still like those artists and songs, there are other bands and songs that I like more now. (The Rumjacks are a great band if anyone’s looking for something new).
The music I listened to when I was in my teens and early 20s will always be special to me, and shaped my tastes, but now that I’m in my 40s, my life is vastly different to how it was back then, and other songs speak to me more now than those songs do.
Yeah there’s other music that I enjoy more now, but I put on Nevermind the other day and my voice was hoarse within ten minutes. Sang that whole thing through at maximum volume in the car.
Yeah, there’s no denying that it’s a fantastic album :)
Interesting. What did you listen to in your 30’s? Do you remember it as vividly as you do the music you listened to in your teenage years? Can you sing along the same way? How will the music you listen to now compare when you’re in your 50’s?
Not saying the music is objectively better or suitable for all points in life. Just pointing to studies saying teenagers have a huge emotional response to music. IIRC there have been studies showing dementia patients kind of wake up when you start playing music they listened to in their teens.
It’s “better = more suitable here and now” vs “better = more impactful” I guess.
I agree with you. Back then my preference was pretty narrow, but I still love most of what I listened to. Now there’s something in almost every genre that I really like.
Holy crap, that’s not Green Day. I don’t know if those first few seconds were representative but really not my interests.
That’s kind of the point ;)