for-the-love-of-the-music-blog

[for-the-love-of-the-music-blog]

Exploitation of Musicians

I am hoping that after reading this, everyone has more respect, a deeper understanding and a more mindful approach towards musicians.

There is an ever-growing unhappiness I see in the musicians' eyes, and just the heartbreak you hear in their voices, despite the lyrics or songs.

I feel a need to make a change in their lives as much as they bring about a difference in mine. I feel that everyone who listens to music should read and share this article. Even if it only reaches a few people this may help to change the view and actions people have toward musicians in a positive and more insightful way.

Musicians are not just entertainers. They too have to deal with life, but we (fans, industry) don't allow them to do anything peacefully and with clear thoughts, I know that I've also been guilty of this. We have put so much pressure on these people. Their lives are always under a microscope. It is not always possible for musicians to stay sane when they are continually pushed and placed under stress and scrutiny, I will elaborate on this later.

Looking at it deeper as discussed, we place a lot of pressure on these musicians. Pressures to be on tour, pump out new music, promote their music through interviews and social media with the expectation set of each album being better and crisper than the previous. This can cause anxiety, high-stress levels, and depression. They then turn to Substance abuse to cope and keep them going, etc. Talented people are left in this cycle running down a rabbit hole leading them deeper and deeper into self-destructive patterns/behaviour.

For a better understanding of the point I'm trying to make, below I’ve summarized facts that I found during my research for this article.

The truth is that not everyone can be a musician: dedication, hard work, talent, persistence, and perseverance set them apart from everyone else, as with any career where people are good at what they do. There is a deep understanding and passions, but apart from that, I’d like to share some studies done on the differences between a musician and a non-musicians mind so everyone can understand how special they truly are.

Differences between a Musician & Non-musicians Brain:

Using Frequency Following response (FFR) experiments, scientists found that musicians may have a better musical memory as well as enhanced verbal memory compared to non-musicians.

 Areas within the brain responsible for motor control auditory processing & spatial coordination is larger in musicians’ brains.

The Corpus Callosum of musicians is larger. These nerves make it possible for both hemispheres of the brain to communicate with each other.

In the book Musicophillia, that Dr Oliver Sack wrote he said, "Anatomists would be hard put to identify the brain of a visual artist, a writer, or even a mathematician – but they could recognize the brain of a professional musician without a moment's hesitation."

Everyone has read or heard that music is good for your soul and so on, but below, I have listed how important and good it truly is.

Effects music has on us:

Chemistry - When you listen to 'pleasant' music, for instance, this can lead to the production of serotonin and dopamine, which are the happiness hormones.

Chronic headaches & migraine remedy

It improves sleep.

In Sync - One thing that research tells us about music is that it can 'entrain' our brainwaves.

Increases verbal Intelligence

Listening to certain music can actually alter the way you perceive (see) another persons face.

Mozart's anti-seizure effect- The latest 2014 study revealed that listening to Mozart K 448 (Sonata for Two Pianos in D major) reduced the seizure recurrence and epileptic form discharges in children epilepsy.

Music greatly affects and alters our moods.

Music has the power to enhance some kinds of higher brain function: Reading and literacy skills, Spatial-temporal reasoning, Mathematical abilities, and Emotional intelligence, Recall of autobiographical and episodic information

Music improves concentration and attention.

Music improves mood and decreases depression.

Music improves neuroplasticity – this is the brain's ability to form and reorganize synaptic connections, especially in response to learning or experience or following injury.

Music improves overall health.

Music improves physical activity and motivation.

Music reduces pain & helps the healing process.

Music reduces stress, aids relaxation & lessens anxiety.

It promotes Post-Stroke Recovery.

It raises IQ, academic performance, memory & learning ability.

Reducing blood pressure

The four central hypotheses explaining music's facilitation of exercise performance include - Reduction in the feeling of fatigue, Increase in levels of psychological arousal,  Physiological relaxation response, Improvement in motor coordination,  Body movement and coordination, Music helps to work more productively.

Tinnitus -Music therapy in the early stage of tinnitus can prevent tinnitus from becoming a chronic condition.

***Interesting Fact - Specific frequencies induce different states in our brain:

Beta Waves

Hertz Level: 14–40 Hz

Effect:  Awake, normal alert consciousness

Example: Actively conversing or engaging in work

Alpha Waves

Hertz Level:  8–14 Hz

Effect: Calm, relaxed.

Example:  Meditating, reflecting, taking a break from work

Theta Waves

Hertz Level: 4–8 Hz

Effect: Deep relaxation and meditation, mental imagery

Example: Daydreaming

Delta waves

Hertz Level: 0–4 Hz

Effect: Deep, dreamless sleep.

Example: Experiencing REM sleep

It is now clearer how music & musicians enrich our lives, offering more than we realize to us.

There are a few factors to consider when thinking of people within the music industry. They are placed under huge amounts of scrutiny and stress to live up to expectations, having to deal with life, and demands to make sure to stay relevant and at the top.

Studies found that due to fame many people suffer, and struggle. Although this is, what musicians want and work very hard to achieve these studies have concluded that the reason people strive for fame usually is due to a deep need for feeling accepted, loved and appreciated. When the realization that the void isn’t being filled becomes clear, it can lead to feelings of dissatisfaction, disappointment and heartbreak. The dire need to try to fill the void expands and deepens. This is not to mention the detrimental effects that fame has along with the pressure, and trying to deal with this "void" daily.

Effects fame can have on people:

No Privacy

Intense scrutiny if it is their personal lives or in their career.

Huge amounts of pressure usually unrealistic expectations from fans as well as the industry/labels/managers, etc. to stay relevant and achieve.

Paranoia increases

Feeling suffocated "like a caged animal"

Lost sense of self

Feeling unfulfilled /Loss sense of challenges

Fear of becoming irrelevant

Feeling inferior or undeserving.

Feeling alienated and isolated intense.

This can lead to:

Self-doubt and higher levels of insecurity within work- and personal life.

Self-destructive behaviour occurs.

Depression and anxiety levels rise.

Mental instability and stress heighten.

Due to above-mentioned musicians turn to substance abuse and alternative coping mechanisms, they are just humans that are expected to have god-like abilities in the sense of juggling everything in their personal and professional life. Trying to cope, keeping everyone happy, staying sane and at the top. 

The most frightening aspect isn't the abuse of anything but that supposedly “caring” fans, the "industry" and their management teams watch from the sidelines how the out of control spiral happens. No helping hand is extended as it is a "do whatever is needed” industry. If it is required to take something to stay at a certain level or achieve a goal, it will be catered for or even sourced, leading to a dependency in some cases.

Effects of long-term Substance Abuse:

Due to numerous factors, depression, paranoia, and anxiety, form or worsen this also means that the kidneys, liver, heart and lungs start developing deadly problems. Now, this is a bit of a catch 22 situation. Is the depression or substance abuse a result or a cause and vice versa.

Ways to Manage Stress, Pressure and Anxiety along with the reasons musicians struggle to break the cycle:

Take time out — Being on the run and having to be relevant doesn't allow proper downtime.

Eat healthily — when you are in the studio or on tour doing shows, eating healthy isn't always an available option.

Limit caffeine intake - When you need to stay awake Caffeine is usually option one.

Exercise daily — again on tour or having to be in the studio allow little to no time for exercise.

Get enough Sleep — again on tour, having to be in the studio, having to work on new projects there isn’t time available to get enough sleep. 

Don't Use Drugs & Alcohol — Dependency is usually created due to the need to stay awake, calm nerves when performing or whatever the case may be, this is already a lost cause. 

If you break down the Pressure, Stress, Anxiety, and Depression - all these require good sleep patterns, eating healthy etc. that is nearly impossible if you are on tour for months at a time or busy with new projects or just in the studio recording new material. Consequently, this spiral just continues daily.

Furthermore, according to the site "weheartmusic" from the 1st of January until the 4th of September this year already 439 musicians have passed away, in 2017, 589 musicians were lost and in 2016, 603. I find this very sad and heartbreaking to say the least. I will be adding the reasons and causes at a later stage.(As this is a lot of data to work through)

So, in conclusion, I truly hope with all the information gathered and presented that everyone that reads this, will be more caring, more aware, considerate and conscious in what they expect, and the demands they place on the musicians they adore or actually just musicians in general.

Below are interviews with just a few musicians we lost in 2017. When no one was listening.

Chester Bennington

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZC_-zeWYMYo

Col Bruce Hampton

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNezyaXlMjM

Chris Cornell

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMtDwjUXtsY

Gregg Allman

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-Xuf_pkpUQ

 In the future, I would like to conduct interviews with a few Musicians and get their views and their feelings about their own lives within this industry, so everyone can understand where they are coming from and going through on a daily basis.

Please see the reference list below:

“Do Musicians Have Different Brains?”

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/eyes-the-brain/201006/do-musicians-have-different-brains

“Musician Psychology Accounts for Talent, Success”

http://online.notredamecollege.edu/psychology/musician-psychology-talent-success/

“Behind the music: Why are musicians more likely to suffer from depression?”

https://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2010/dec/17/musicians-depression

“Insomnia, anxiety, break-ups … musicians on the dark side of touring”

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/jun/25/musicians-touring-psychological-dangers-willis-earl-beal-kate-nash

“The Psychological Consequences of Fame”

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/genius-and-madness/200903/the-psychological-consequences-fame-0

“The psychological impact of being in the spotlight: the emotional struggle of celebrities”

https://drchristinavillarreal.com/2010/03/26/psychological-impact-being-spotlight-emotional-struggle-of-celebrities/

“Fame is a Dangerous Drug: A phenomenological glimpse of celebrity”

https://www.saybrook.edu/blog/2012/02/18/02-18-12/

“Music Affects the Brain for the Better”

https://blog.bufferapp.com/music-and-the-brain

“Music and the Brain:”

https://www.consciouslifestylemag.com/music-and-the-brain-affects-mood/

“How Music Affects Us and Promotes Health”

http://www.emedexpert.com/tips/music.shtml

https://examinedexistence.com/the-effect-music-has-on-the-brain/

“How Does Music Affect the Brain?”

http://www.healthguidance.org/entry/17143/1/How-Does-Music-Affect-the-Brain.html

“9 ways music can improve your life”

http://theweek.com/articles/448464/9-ways-music-improve-life

“5 Ways Music Affects Your Life For The Better”

https://finds.life.church/5-ways-music-affects-life/

“How Music Affects Your Life”

http://www.syncrat.com/posts/5060/how-music-affects-your-life

“Musician Reveals 5 Ways How Music Changes Your Life”

http://www.michaelgregoryii.com/2015/06/musician-explains-how-music-changes-your-life/

“Musicians Who Died in 2017”

http://weheartmusic.typepad.com/blog/musicians-who-died-in-2017.html

“Musicians Who Died in 2016”

http://weheartmusic.typepad.com/blog/musicians-who-died-in-2016.html

“Musicians Who Died in 2018”

http://weheartmusic.typepad.com/blog/musicians-who-died-in-2018.html

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[for-the-love-of-the-music-blog]

Beautiful song

[for-the-love-of-the-music-blog]

This is so true