As the calendar turned to November, the radio industry trade publications began noting that stations in different cities across the land were switching to all-holiday-music programming. This itself is nothing new. What is new is this changeover came a good two weeks earlier than in previous years!
Why? Because after experiencing lock-downs and isolation for more than half a year, so many are ready to hear it — ready for a sense of normalcy and something familiar and comforting to which they can anchor! You see, there’s a fact that I’ve known and seen first-hand on more than one occasion: Certain types of music carry tremendous therapeutic benefits!
Some Therapeutic Benefits of Music
“Music carries a matchless power to soothe, heal, inspire, induce a smile, transform despair to hope.” … “All this despite the fact that music by itself has no power to represent anything particular or external.” Those words from author and neurologist Oliver Sacks, who goes on to say in his book Musicophilia, “[music] has a unique power to express inner states or feelings.”
Furthering this point … at a conference in 2017, Jillian Levy, who’s identified as a Certified Holistic Health Counselor, shared these six major health benefits of music therapy:
- Music therapy reduces anxiety and physical effects of stress
- It improves healing
- It can help manage Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease
- Music therapy reduces depression and other symptoms in the elderly
- It helps to reduce symptoms of psychological disorders including schizophrenia
- Music therapy improves self-expression and communication
For example, looking back to the days when I was at the management level of an individual station, we’d hear from drivers reporting that while our format might not be their most favorite music, our station was their choice during commuting as our music provided the calming feeling needed while driving in heavy traffic for an extended period.
Therapeutic Holiday Music
Sean Ross in his recent Ross on Radio column about radio stations featuring all-holiday-music wrote … “the years when there might be a reason not to listen to Christmas music usually turn out to be its biggest ever. This year, the consensus is that listeners need a little Christmas. Right. This. Very. Minute.”
The program director of Star 92.9 in Raleigh, North Carolina, Jud Heussler, which made the switch to holiday music on the first of November, commented when asked why they made the move so early: “We spoke to SANTA. He said he’d seen enough of 2020 and it was time to spread the happiness of the holiday season.” Sort of a tongue-in-cheek answer, but it’s a proven fact that listening to music is a good treatment for mental health issues. With the circumstances of the COVID -19 pandemic seemingly only worsening, people are looking for comfort and relief from the gloom, and radio’s diet of non-stop holiday tunes appears to be a major therapeutic remedy.
“Mr. Christmas Music”
If you’ve read my memoir, RADIO … My Love, My Passion, you know my connection to music goes back at least to the early elementary school years of my life. While I have no degree or training in music or apparent musical performing talent, my entire life and career are intrinsically tied to music, so this subject is close to my heart … which you’ll see as you read on.
Three years ago, in these very musings, I wrote of the mighty significant role music plays in many lives. Particularly when analyzed from the aspect of the melodies of the Christmas season:
“Looking back to the 1960’s, I was ‘Mr. Christmas Music,’ as in 1963 in Philadelphia, I conceived the idea of playing non-stop Christmas music on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, something that didn’t appear to being done at the time. And, we began including holiday melodies in our music mix immediately after Thanksgiving, with the percentage increasing as the days passed.
“Compare that to 50 years later, when at least one radio station in every market of any size across the country plays non-stop Christmas music for as much as six weeks leading up to Christmas.
“As his was one of those stations for many years, I asked Chuck Knight, the former program director of that same station, B101/More FM, his opinion on why the all-Christmas radio station format continues to be so popular in cities throughout America, considering that the country’s population is becoming more secular and less Christian as each year passes. I found his response to be quite insightful:
“It’s all about tradition. At almost any of our ages, the holidays are universally a trip down memory lane to a happy, simpler and easier time.”
Music: The Key to Happiness
From my perspective, a major key to happiness in the human psyche is music … the more melody the better, as it creates harmony! Picking up on Ms. Levy six points listed above, let me cite a few examples that I feel confirm what she writes:
Music Lighten the Hardships of Life
Looking back 150 or more years ago, African slaves were forced to work from sunrise to sundown on plantations throughout the southern U. S. To lighten their hard life and achieve some peace of mind, they turned to melodies drawn from their various backgrounds, many called Negro spirituals like “This Little Light Of Mine” … which has been a personal favorite of mine since I first heard it in my youth.
Music Can Improves the Quality of Life for Seniors
Another case where music plays a major role is bringing a person out of his or her shell, even if for just a few minutes … something I witnessed first-hand on more than one occasion. These occurred in nursing homes where my wife Alicia, who was a professional singer possessing great empathy and compassion, would present concerts featuring songs that the residents could relate to … bringing to the fore memories from a earlier time.
Usually the last person to come into the room would be wheeled in by a staff member, and would not be showing much evidence of being cognizant of where they were or what was happening. However, after my wife began her performance and would sing something like an old church hymn or familiar pop song, the person in question would begin singing along. The remarkable part of this story occurred after the concert ended – a staff member told us that the individual hadn’t been heard to utter an audible sound for a while… sometimes not for weeks! Hearing a familiar tune dug deep into their soul and connected them to the present if only for a couple of minutes … the power of music, doing something nothing else could achieve.
The Power of Music Goes Much, Much Further
Let me leave you with this final thought from Dr. Sacks:
“Music can move us to the heights or depths of emotion. It can persuade us to buy something or remind us of our first date. It can lift us out of depression when nothing else can. It can get us dancing to its beat. But the power of music goes much, much further. Indeed, music occupies more areas of our brain than language does–humans are a musical species.”
In my memoir I quote the wonderfully appropriate slogan of the former major record store chain, Tower Records:
“No Music … No Life!”
Yes, there is an elusive magic in music! May the music you hear and the lights decorating your neighborhood, your community brightens this otherwise tough holiday season for you and yours!
Again, if you’ve read to this point, this may be your lucky day! I’ve alluded to the life-long career that I have been so fortunate to have had the privilege of experiencing in the radio broadcasting industry and the world of music. To the first 20 persons who send me their name and address with “1980” in the subject line, I will send you a signed copy of my memoir, RADIO … My Love, My Passion – send to marlin@marlintaylor.com!
