We tend to get in the habit of listening to the same music over and over again, and only listening to new music when an artist we already like puts out an album. A study from Northwestern University showed that listening to different styles of music makes you use more parts of your brain, including the emotional part of your brain!
In our day and age, you can find playlists online of music from different countries or genres. Try listening to songs in a language you don’t speak. Can you tell what the song is about by how the music sounds?
Next time you’re in the car, put on some music that you or your kids wouldn’t normally listen to. Talk about it! How does unfamiliar music make you feel? You might discover your new favorite song!
Katie Ball, Gahanna Lab Lead