The Musical Impact

Whether sitting on the floor of my room and staring at the white paint on the wall while listening to a catchy folk song or singing out loud to throwback pop songs in the steam of a scalding hot shower, music influences and affects me. Through the ups and downs of college life, I’ve found myself listening to many different genres of music. Sometimes when I’m overwhelmed with all that’s going on around me, I amplify my emotions with a somber playlist and sink into the melancholic tunes that mirror my day. Other times, I’ll pick myself up with hopeful and uplifting gospel music from my “Jesus Jams” playlist. Every now and then, I’ll come across a song that I find particularly moving, or that has a sound I really like, and I will share it with my friends.

Aside from the simple purpose of enjoyment, listening to and sharing music with others is a significant way for people to connect with each other. No matter what I end up listening to in any given moment, in some way music can always connect me to where I am. As a form of art, music is unique in its ability to evoke and sync with human emotions in everyday life.

Outside of national and international artists whose songs we are familiar with, exist new and rising local artists around Virginia Tech and on campus. Having small concerts in public or other campus venues, they reach out to students with their music.

As I listen to new songs and discover new artists, I’ve come to learn more about what music means to me. What we listen to and what we share with others can say a lot about us. Maybe it shows where we are emotionally, what is important to us, or simply what we enjoy. Different types of music can reach people in different ways, and it can do so directly as new artists begin to share what they make. Music is an amazing form of art with an ability to move through people in such a way as to make a unique impact on the listener and connect them to the people around them.