Music on Mental Health

Mental health and Music, something you wouldn't normally put together. But. surprisingly, they go together very well. Music Therapy is on the rise, and so is musical education.

Analysing peoples favourite lyrics from songs can actually say a lot about us as people. Listening to music boosts your mood as much as 60%, and music therapy is said to be more effective than councelling alone.

But, there is debate; is music therapy a 'real' source of therapy? Well, yes, it is. It's used to help kids and grown ups a like with autism and mental health issues, the amount of people asking for music therapy has doubled in the past 12 months.

It can also help people with dementia, relaxing the brain and helping them remember a more simple time. For example, play an 80 year old with dementia a song from his/her childhood, and guaranteed their face will light up a room and they will be dancing and singing to the song.

I will be conducting research myself on how music therapy can effect the mind, and the positive outcome it can have on us as human beings, and the psycological effects it can have on our lives.

Our lives are shaped by the people we know and the jobs we have, but can music influence our lives as much as the world around us?

Some people are sceptics, 'how can playing instruments have such a positive impact on us? They're just wood, metal and strings?' - wrong. The amount of concentration involved actually almost distracts us from the outside world, and helps us channel our emotions into our new found talents.

I believe everyone has a musical talent, you just have to find the motivation, dedication and passion to release it.

I will also be researching how Music had an impact on one of pop cultures most well known artists, Andy Warhol, and how his art has been used on various album covers throughout the years.

Andy Warhol's impact on music in the 60's music scene was no doubtedly massive, launching the careers of The Velvet Underground and Nico. he also impacted New York's early pop punk movement, and artists such as David Bowie, and created over 50 album covers before his death in 1987 aged 58.

Here is a list of album covers he helped design:

1. Sticky Fingers by The Rolling Stones

2. Count Basie by Count Basie

3. Thelonious Monk by Monk

4. The Academy in Peril by John Cale

5. Menlove Ave by John Lennon

Referenced below is the website I used to gather this information, you can also see the pictures of the cover art for the above albums and a handful of other one too, browse at your leisure: https://thevinylfactory.com/features/cover-versions-25-of-the-best-andy-warhol-record-sleeves/

Andy Warhol was no doubtedly one of the most influencial artists of the 21st Century, bold, eccentric and quirky, gathering fans alike from all across the world interested in his collection of colourful art, holding multiple Art viewings in and around New York during his career, and having a book written about him called A, by himself, a transcript written out from recordings he did in the 70s, I'll link it below incase you're interested in buying the book:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Novel-Vintage-Classics-Andy-Warhol/dp/0099528789

Having read extensively on Andy Warhol and his impact on pop culture, music and mental health, I've realised that Art can have the power to help people, and have the magic to bring people together in times of crisis. I think it's amazing how the world is in such relentless chaos right now, and with Artists such as The 1975 releasing new music, it's bringing fans together to give them a kind of comfort and something to look forward to, even when times like these are extremely tough.

Music truly is one of the things that unites us all.