Here’s why longer songs are a good idea: They may be better for your mental health.
There’s been a years-long trend of songs–especially pop songs–getting shorter. The thinking is that people don’t have the attention span to sit through longer tracks. Those that do will overcome a song’s shortness by putting it on repeat. That’s important in an era of streaming where more repeats equals more royalties.
Look, there’s definitely a time and place for two- and three-minute songs. Sometimes that length is just perfect. But there’s a mental health argument that can be made for longer songs as part of a balanced musical diet.
There’s a recent study from the British Academy of Sound Therapy that looked at using music for mental and physical well-being. Drawing from a sample size of nearly 8,000 people, they determined the following:
- 89% of people believe that music is good for you (You have to wonder what the remaining 11% are thinking.)
- Happiness and contentment can arrive with as little as nine minutes of music listening.
- The optimal state of relaxation comes after 13 minutes of listening to music. The best music for this features “slow tempo, simple melody and no lyrics.”
- Sad? You need about 13 minutes of music before the clouds begin to part.
So you could string together a bunch of short songs to reach that 9-13 minute goal, but it’s also easier (and perhaps more beneficial) to reach that length using fewer (i.e. longer) songs.
Give it a shot and get back to me, will you? (On a related note, check out this article on the importance of circadian rhythms.)
(Via Ted Gioia)
