I have listened to music since as long as I can remember. A radio was placed near my crib and turned on, during my nap times and again during the night, while I slept. Because I became accustomed to listening music at bedtime, as an infant, I continued to do so growing up. Today, music is my refuge. I listen to it for various reasons including anger, sadness, mediation, studying, enjoyment, energizing, boredom, while driving, as a distraction, while exercising, to alter my mood, as well as relaxing with friends or alone. I became so engulfed in music that I learned how to play several instruments, composed two songs, and tutored other students.
Certain songs, I can listen to over, again, and as loud as the component will allow. Some of these songs include Michael Jackson’s “Ben,” Creed’s “With Arms Wide Open,” Phil Collins, “Tonight, Tonight, Tonight and In the Air Tonight,” The Cranberries “Dreams,” Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody and Radio Ga-Ga,” Santana’s “Hotel California,” John Lennon’s “Imagine,” as well as Ringo Star’s “No No Song.” Conversely, other songs affect me the same as someone scratching their nails across a chalkboard. One of those songs is The Doors, “Light my Fire.”
Music is a source of stimuli that contributes to arousal and energization (Deckers, 2010). If affects everyone differently. For example, two individuals can listen to the same song. One will love it, while singing or dancing to it. The second is affected negatively, hating it, and cannot wait until the song ends.
Music can also stimulate other physical changes, such as making an individual tear or give goose bumps, when a listening to a certain type of music, such as