I remember the days of lying in my bed, stereo turned up, listening to my favorite songs. Trying my best to drown out the voice of my mother and her never-ending ability to work my teenage nerves! Now that my son has reached the age of raging hormones, I am constantly reminded of how annoying I must have been to my mother!

 I’m also reminded of how music played an important part in my teen years. The playlist of my adolescence included the music of many genres. With songs that made me feel pretty, sexy, talented, and invincible. Unfortunately, music could also make me feel sad and feed into the negative emotions I was experiencing at that time. 

When it comes to Jaden, I am extremely cautious of what he listens to. So, when I caught him listening to explicit music, I reacted with mixed emotions…

A study showed that American youth listen to music from 1.5 to 2.5 hours per day (1).  Music often provides enjoyment for adolescents, but some studies have shown that the music lyrics and images may have a significant impact on how youth think, feel, and behave. 

Adolescents can use music to explore their identity and how they fit into society. Through imitation, they try on new roles as their personal identity develops. Through all of these changes, music provides a way for youth to express and explore their feelings and emotions. Some research suggests that popular music assists adolescents with resolving unconscious conflicts related to their particular developmental stage (2,3,4) Music selection at this age can also mirror the level of turmoil they are experiencing (3). 

As a teen, music had the power of changing my mood from happy to sad. It set the tone for my day, determining my interactions with those around me. According to neuroimaging studies, music directly impacts the areas of the brain that are most closely associated with emotion (6). While music can elicit strong emotions like sadness, studies have shown that, despite feeling those emotions, music still serves as a safe space to which those emotions can be experienced. Providing a mixture of pleasure, pain, and comfort.

Like many things we are exposed to, music influences our overall state of being—whether negatively or positively. For teenagers, whose executive functioning skills are still in development (7), it’s more difficult to override emotions with rational thinking. Therefore, the effects of music maybe even greater during adolescence.

While some studies show the effects of music on behavior, research suggests the best predictor of risk in adolescents related to music is their self-report of negative feelings or emotions when listening to any type of music. It’s also suggested that what triggers risky behavior in some adolescents is the negative emotional response rather than the type of music (5).

Parents should always be aware of what their child is listening to and not just to sort out explicit content. Music can be used as a bonding mechanism. Showing an interest in your child’s favorite artists or songs can grant opportunities for bonding. Which can open the door to communication and trust. Share your favorite artists and songs with your child, allowing them to hear songs that you listened to when you were their age!

Don’t criticize your teen’s choice of music but ask questions about what draws them to this particular artist or song. As it may be a direct correlation to what they are currently going through emotionally. Music isn’t usually a danger for a teenager whose life is balanced and healthy. It opens the door to safe self-exploration that can lead to the development of healthy coping mechanisms and the ability to process stressful situations. 

While my son and I differ on who’s the best rapper alive, one thing is definitely the same. I was once a music-loving 14-year-old. Regardless of how my mother felt about my music choices, it never changed the music that I connected with during my emotion-filled adolescence.

So, I’ve learned to ease up a bit, ask more questions and use music as our gateway to communication.

RESOURCES

1.     Ward LM, Hansbrough E, Walker E. Contributions of music videos exposure to black adolescents' gender and sexual schemas. J Adolesc Res.2005;20 (2):143– 166

2.     Roberts DF, Christensen PG. Popular music in childhood and adolescence. In: Singer DG, Singer JL, eds. Handbook of Children and the Media. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications; 2001:395–410

3.     Took KJ, Weiss DS. The relationship between heavy metal and rap music and adolescent turmoil: real or artifact? Adolescence.1994;29 (115):613– 621

4.     Diamond S, Bermudez R, Schensul J. What's the rap about ecstasy? Popular music lyrics and drug trends among American youth. J Adolesc Res.2006;21 (3):269– 298

5.     Roberts KR, Dimsdale J, East P, Friedman L. Adolescent emotional response to music and its relationship to risk-taking behaviors. J Adolesc Health.1998;23 (1):49– 54

6.     Arjmand, H.-A., Hohagen, J., Paton, B., & Rickard, N. S. (2017, December 4). Emotional responses to music: Shifts in frontal brain asymmetry mark periods of musical change. Frontiers in psychology. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5723012/. 

7.     Monroe, J. (2019, January 10). Teen brain development. Newport Academy. https://www.newportacademy.com/resources/mental-health/teen-brain-development/.