Music is an art form that has been used for centuries to convey emotion, create memories and tell stories. It is also a common part of our daily lives and can be heard everywhere from traditional folk songs to modern pop anthems. However, what makes a song remarkable? Lyrical content, unique sound and arrangement, or a strong rhythm are just some of the factors that contribute to making a song stand out from the rest.
Musicologists and philosophers have interpreted the meaning of music in a variety of ways. Many believe that there is no one universal definition, because the nature of music varies so widely from culture to culture. However, the broadest definition is that music is “structured sound” that is performed and organized. This allows for the inclusion of a wide variety of musical genres such as Irish folk songs, African storytelling songs, Christian hymns, and heavy metal music. This versatility shows that music can easily form alliances with various extramusical preoccupations, such as the rituals of religious or military ceremonies, with drama (as in folk theater and opera, classical music) and with dance (ritual, popular entertainment, social dancing, ballet).
It has been suggested that the power of a song comes from its ability to capture an emotional resonance, and that this is what elevates it above mere entertainment. It is the fusion of melody and lyrics with harmony, rhythm and arrangement that gives a song its characteristic sound and feel. A well-crafted bridge section, usually starting on a different chord from the verses and choruses of the song, is often what differentiates an average hit from a memorable classic.
The unique appeal of music lies in its ability to convey emotions that other arts do not, and to do so more effectively than speech. Unlike other arts, which are spacialized in time and space, music is closer to the inner dynamism of process, which allows for greater spontaneity and immediate apprehension. It is because of this dynamism that the art of music has had such an intense influence on human life.
Philosophical explanations of the meaning of music have been numerous and wildly varied, from those that see it as a form of play to those that take it seriously as an expression of the divine. For humanist psychologists such as Gordon Allport and Abraham Maslow, music is a means of self-fulfillment and integration; for aesthetic existentialists like the composer Alban Berg and the philosopher Theodor Adorno, it has transcendent overtones; and for expressionists, such as the German composer Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860) and Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900), it conveys moral imperatives.
Music has long been regarded as an effective means of healing and has become a major component in mental health care. Throughout history, people have utilized music to treat diseases of the body and mind, including depression, dementia, pain, and physical injury. In the present day, research has been focused on the therapeutic applications of music in clinical settings.