Music Makes Us Happy, All of It

by Liz Colville

Music makes us happy, late-breaking surprise of the day. “You’re following these tunes and anticipating what’s going to come next and whether it’s going to confirm or surprise you, and all of these little cognitive nuances are what’s giving you this amazing pleasure,” says a McGill neuroscientist, on why exactly music is such a great anti-depressant. But does this not sound a lot like the experience of pursuing that one (or so) horrible person you once loved who didn’t love you? Who would never give you enough? Whom every girl on campus somehow knew the name of? Whom you wrote a poem for/about, on black paper with green rollerball gel ink, if everyone must know? Whose favorite film was Blue Crush? Who loved purple Gatorade? How can we be sure that the “happiness” these scientists have found isn’t just evil, evil love? Why won’t the music love us back? So which music makes you the happiest/craziest? For me, this. It confirms and surprises me every time.