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Why We Go To Concerts: The Science Behind Live Music

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There are many reasons we all go to concerts: to see and/or meet our favorite band, to meet other fans in the crowd, to escape the stress of school/work/life, and to ultimately have a good time. However, concerts (and music in general) actually benefit us in more ways than we might think, especially when it comes to our psychological health.

So, here’s a few reasons why going to concerts is good for you – or a list of reasons you can use to justify your live music addiction.

#1: Our brain values experiences over material possessions:

This is no shocker; I think we all can agree that going to a show would make us more happy than buying a new pair of shoes. According to research, our brain treats money as a drug, and its favorite thing to splurge on is experiences, rather than things. Psychologists Van Boven & Gilovirch found that people report feeling more fulfillment when spending money on experiences, such as a concert, live sporting event, or play vs spending money on a material item.

This article said it best: “A surfing trip creates more pleasure than a new board, entering a cycling race makes us happier than buying a new bike, and going to a concert is likely to make us happier than buying a ton of music.”

#2: Physical benefits

In a U.S. News Health report article, attending live concerts can reduce stress by lowering the cortisol levels of concertgoers. In addition, when you become excited as the music starts, the brain releases positive endorphins that essentially work to block pain. Let’s not forget – going to concerts is good exercise: between all that standing, jumping, screaming, moving around, and sweating in a hot venue, within a few songs you’ve already exercised the equivalent of 30 minutes spent on the treadmill.

#3 Emotional wellbeing

Going to concerts is a community event. Even if you go alone, you are surrounded by hundreds, maybe even thousands of other people who love the band on stage just as much as you do, and this gives us a sense of connection and wellbeing. In addition, hearing certain songs can make us nostalgic for different parts of our life and bring back memories. Thomas M. Beaudoin of Fordham University states: “It’s an opportunity to revisit something inside of you and think about where you are with that [emotion] now. It’s almost like what you’d do in therapy.”

In conclusion, going to concerts brings positive benefits all across the board to our mind and body, not to mention our hearts. So next time you’re debating whether or not you should buy that ticket, just remember… it’s good for you!

1 COMMENT

  1. I like what you said about going to concerts since it can give you a sense of connection. My brother has been telling me about how he wants to get out more in the coming months. I’ll share this information with him so that he can look into his options for seeing some live musicians.

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