Here’s a chance to participate in an important global survey about music listening habits during COVID-19

Over the last eight weeks, routines and habits have changed. This new normal is not fun. But how, exactly, have people been reacting to this period of isolation?

Researchers at the University of Jyväskylä in Finland have embarked on a global study to determine how our use of music has changed during the coronavirus crisis. I quote:

Coping with stress, anxiety, and sadness are some of the main reasons we turn to music, and most of us can relate in one way or another, whether you express your heartbreak in song, blow off steam by dancing your heart out at a concert to club or just have that one album in your collection that always makes you feel better about things.

It comes as no surprise that people are using music as a way to cope during the pandemic. “We know from our previous research that not only can music be an effective tool for improving mood and emotion, but that some music-listening strategies are more effective for improving your mood than others and can even be linked to mental health,” explains Dr. Margarida Baltazar, post-doctoral researcher at FinMus.

The online survey (which takes up to 30 minutes, but hey, what else is there to do?) asks about your current living situation, your level of stress and anxiety, and how you’ve engaged with music over the last eight weeks.

The researchers want as many people from all corners of the globe to get involved. If you complete the survey, you’ll have the option of going on to phase two, which involves an app that records your mood, your activity and the music (if any) that goes long with that.

The survey can be found here. Past it along to a friend, okay?