1. You risk your life everyday
It’s hard being a music lover. I’ll be the first to admit it. I’ll also be the first to admit that listening to music on the way to work is a risky business. I’m blaring my music, jamming out, preparing myself for a long day at work. It’s understandable that I might swerve a little, right?
Okay, so this is completely unsafe and don’t worry I’m working on it, but we’ve all done it. The music is blaring and all of sudden, you’ve veered off into the other lane. Causing you to jerk back to the right and continue singing through your wide eyes and forced smile, trying to pretend like you didn’t almost just die.
2. It effects your mood
This one is easy, and everyone can relate. I mean, you’ve had a bad day, or maybe you’re in a relationship hell hole, and so you pop in some Adele or Sam Smith. And boom. You’re in a deep, deep well of depression. Singing along with Adele about how you’ll just try to move on and find someone like them. Or cry your eyes out (also liable for the whole swerving scenario mentioned before) while my boy Sam Smith reiterates your doubts that your mate is faithful.
It can go the other way too. Trust me, I turn up those worship tunes and the world is all cupcakes and rainbows. My mood can change in an instant and it’s all because of my music. Ed Sheeran has this same effect on me, but also that guy is just a gift from God. He is so talented.
There’s nothing like a good, old-fashioned T-Swizzle song to get me bobbing my ponytail back and forth, sun glasses on (I don’t have a ponytail, I have short hair, so ignore that and keep the image of me shaking uncontrollably. P.P.S this is yet another safety risk of driving to music).
3. It’s an activity in itself
I will actually find reasons to drive around so that I can listen to my music. If I am in a mood and need resuscitated, I take the keys and plug my phone into the car. Sometimes, me and my friends will literally go on short trips for the sake of listening to our music together. We don’t have a destination, just a goal: belt out as many show tunes as we possibly can in the few hours we have.
On the other side of the spectrum, I love finding a new album and just sitting there, or laying there, eyes closed, listening to the music. It’s an actual experience I look forward to when a favorite artist or group of mine comes out with a new album.
Sometimes, my favorite part of showering is pretending like I'm in a music video in the rain. Probably some sad song about love and loss. Who cares, because in my head I'm Selena Gomez singing, A Year Without Rain.
4. It’s a bonding thing
When someone else loves a band or obscure artist/song, we immediately become best friends. I would trust that person with my life. No lie. It’s such a great connection that is created when you randomly find people who love the same artists as you.
Then, you can go to concerts, which thus creates another opportunity to listen to music (both on the way down and at the actual concert, but duh).
5. You’d spend an obscene amount of money on tickets
Yes, we may all be poor, lowly college millennials, but boy will we waste our money if it’s to hear music we love. Not even just concerts, but shows too. Hearing music live is one of the best experiences I’ve ever had. It’s like a dream when I get to see and hear my favorite performers sing.
Yes, the album is good, but if you’re a music lover, seeing it live is always better. It’s not just the music, but the experience of the performance and the impact of the lyrics. Honestly, it’s like sung poetry sometimes.
6. It’s inspiring
Sticking with the whole mood and poetry stuff, music inspires me. When I write (before, during, and after), I listen to music. Always. Without the music, my mind wanders, which sounds like a good thing for writer, right? Wrong.
One second I’m sitting there asking myself what my protagonist would do when dumped and the next thing I know I’m going over in my head that one time that Melissa McCarthy sang Colors of the Wind on Jimmy Fallon and there was all that confetti and stuff.
Music keeps me focused and helps alter my mood to the tone of the story I am writing. It fuels me with emotions and honest/genuine reactions to heartbreak and joy. It sounds extremely cheesy, but it’s true.
So, if you’re a music lover and you’ve experienced all of this, then just know you’re not alone in your very dangerous and expensive life. I too find myself veering a lot, but music brings me back on track and keeps my mood in check.
Sure, without it I’d have a bit more money in my bank account and a lot less risk whilst driving, but I’d be unhappy a whole lot more too. So, you tell me which is better.