Picture this: A family gathers around a picnic table with a birthday cake. Someone lights the candles, and everyone sings “Happy Birthday” to a giddy little kid. He puffs out his cheeks, blows out the candles and beams as people continue to sing and laugh and celebrate.
This scenario is an example of one way that music connects us. It may sound simple, but singing “Happy Birthday” brings families together and joins us socially and culturally. Of course, there are other songs that bring us together culturally, as well. We sing lullabies, folk songs and religious hymns so often that we learn the words by heart and they become part of us, connecting us to a larger group of people who also know and love the music.
Pop music — think the Top 10 list — has the power to join us together, too. Of course, there are dances and concerts that bring big groups together physically, but there’s also something so fun about listening to a song with your friends and saying, “Hey, this reminds me of the days we worked at that fast-food restaurant during junior year!”
Popular music is a great way to connect with large groups of people, but sharing any type of music with a friend is a surefire way to help you bond. In fact, it’s common to be asked, “What genre of music do you listen to?” just as a way of getting to know you. It’s a relief when you find someone who likes the offbase electro-swing you’ve been listening to lately, and it’s fun to watch your friend’s faces as they listen to it for the first time. That’s reason enough to pull out your headphones and share your world.