It's a question that comes up all the time, and it's one I've been thinking about for a long time.
I’m not talking about "at work," or "when you're on the subway," or anywhere else where people might be with you. I am talking about playing your music when you're alone in your own room, or maybe even at home—when no one else is there to hear it.
So when does music become more than just background noise? When does it become something that you listen to on its own terms? It can be hard to answer this question in general, but we think we have an answer: if the song is meaningful enough to you.
If you're like me, the first time you felt like a song was about you was when you heard it for the first time and felt that familiar sense of recognition. You might have been listening to a song by a band you had never heard of before, or maybe your friend shared it with you on Spotify. Either way, something about the music made you feel like it was talking directly to your heart, so much so that it became impossible for other songs or sounds not from that artist to get through to your brain.
So what makes music "meaningful"? Well, there are probably a million different ways to define this word, but our definition is pretty simple: when someone's music speaks directly to your soul and leaves an indelible impression on your mind and heart.
You don't have to be a musician—you don't even have to be a listener—but if your song is meaningful because it's something that means something to you personally and makes you feel something, then that's good enough for us.
But why should this matter? Why should listening to music that means something be worthy of praise? Because meaning is powerful. Meaningful music can make us feel better, it can help us get through rough times, and it can connect us with other people or inspire us to do great things. That's why when we talk about meaning in music, what we mean is more than just "I like this song."
When do you play your music? When there are no other people around? Sure! You can do that. When there are people around? Sure again! You can do that too. Just remember that if people are around, even if they're listening in on earbuds, it's still not okay for you to blast music out of your phone or computer—even if they're not really listening because they're only using their earbuds so they don't disturb anyone else. And what about when nobody is around? Well, then it's up to you! Do whatever makes YOU happy!
Did you know that when you're listening to music, your brain is actually working?
When you put on headphones and listen to music, your brain gets a signal. Your brain interprets this signal as meaning that something good is happening. The signal also tells your body that it's time to relax and enjoy yourself.
Your brain isn't just waiting around for this signal—it has lots of other things going on in the background while you're listening to music!
So when do people usually play their music? In my experience, most people are playing their music when they want someone else to hear it. They want their friends or family members to know what they're up to so they can come check out what's new with them!
I'm not saying it's always about singing along with the beat—sometimes people just like having a little background noise while they're working on something or trying to get some work done.
When I was growing up, I used to love to play music in my room. I would put on my headphones and just listen to it. My mom and dad would come home from work, and they'd hear the music playing in our family room and think that I was doing something wrong because they could hear me singing along with it.
Now that I am older, I am more comfortable with playing music. It's actually a huge part of my life now! Sometimes I'll be working on one song while listening to another one on YouTube or Spotify. Sometimes I'll listen to an album all the way through—but most often than not, it's random songs that come on shuffle when I'm driving or cleaning my room or whatever!
I've always loved music, but this is by far the best time in my life to be able to play it so freely.
When do you play your music?
You may be wondering why this is such an important question—and it's because I'm going to tell you that it isn't very often that we play our music in the right way.
The answer is simple: whenever and wherever you want to. The only limit is your imagination, and the only rule is that you have to be respectful of other people's space. When we do, though, we find ourselves enjoying it more than ever before—and that's what matters most.