21/06/2023
WORLD MUSIC DAY 2023: 12 Facts about Music
1. NOBODY HATES MUSIC : Although some people might feel unconnected to a particular kind of song, everyone surely have songs, or a genres of music in which they truly appreciate, prefer and tend to consciously or unconsciously sing or hum to which can eventually lift or reflect on their mood at a given time.
2. MUSICIANS TEND TO DIE YOUNG: According to a study carried out by a University of Sydney professor, Dianna Theadora Kenny titled: “Stairway to hell: life and death in the pop music industry”, the study in 2014, posited that musicians live shorter than the general population. The study Identified causes of death to include; addictiveness, su***de, homicide, accidental deaths, and failing vital body organs.
In Nigeria, if you take a glimpse at Musicians who died below 50 years, you would get names like DaGrin (25), Goldie (31), Mc Logh (38).Kefee (34), Sound Sultan(44), OJB Jezreel (49), et cetera, Still fresh on our minds is the fair-skinned South Africa rapper Kiernan Forbes popularly known as AKA, who was gunned down on February 10, 2023 at 35 years of age.
3. MUSIC PROMOTES PLANTS GROWTH: A study conducted by Korean scientist from National Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology found out that plants grow better when music is played. E.g Beethoven's "Moonlight sonata" and other classical music were played in a rice field and the rice showed significant growth than those grown without music confirming that plants have genes which enables them hear.
4. STUCK -ON SYNDROME: Frequently heard or listened songs can get stuck to your head making you develop likeness for it easily. A song that gets stuck to your head is called Earworm or Brainworm and that act is known as “stuck on syndrome.”
5. KARAOKE: The word Karaoke means empty orchestra, originated from Japanese word 'Karappo' which means empty and 'Okesutura', a Japanese form of orchestra forming the word 'Kara-oke,' oh yes, the popular Karaoke you know!
6. GRAMMY : Grammy Award, also known as Gramophone Award was started in 1958 in Los Angeles, USA. Each of the gramophone trophies given to artistes who wins a Grammy takes 15 hours to make, according to The New York Times. The 5-pound awards are made of a special metal called “grammium.”
Aside from Wizkid, Tems, and Burna Boy, 7 other Nigerians have won the Grammy before.
7. LOUD MUSIC & DRINK: Loud music can cause one to drink more : A French study in 2008 found that with loud music in the bar setting, people tend to do more drinking in less time, or maybe drinkers love loud music.
8. MOOD ENHANCEMENT: Singing in group can boost mood, when singing in a group, the body releases feel-good hormones like Oxytocin and reduces stress-causing ones like Cortisol causing one to feel happiness, Choral groups best recommended.
9. COWS LOVE MUSIC: Cows tend to produce more milk when listening to slow songs; In 2001, a study by two psychologists at the University of Leicester in the United Kingdom suggested that cow that listened to slow, soothing songs produced more milk than those that listened to rap songs and techno music.
10. FAKING IT: Many musicians tend to believe in the phrase "Fake it till you make it" , from having fake Twitter followers, to posting. Online pictures multi millions worth of mansions, cars and other items, those are mostly done to boost their worth.
Next time you see a musician with millions of followers on Twitter, don’t assume they’re all loyal fans. Many musicians have high rates of fake Twitter followers, Twitter Audit shows only 42% of the followers on Justin Bieber’s Twitter account are real and around 62% of Rihanna’s followers are fake.
11. LARGEST POP GROUP: AKB 48 is the largest pop group in the world, they started with 48 members in Japan but currently has 130 members.
12. MUSIC FORFENDS EVIL: Certain songs can ward off evil people away; according to reports, British Naval officers play Britney Spears songs to scare away Somali pirates off Africa's eastern coast. Her songs "Oops I Did It Again", and "Baby One More Time", are the songs that are used. The rationale of playing these songs is because, supposedly, Somali pirates have a strong dislike for western culture and music, which make Britney Spears' songs a perfect fit to make the bandits move on as quickly as possible.
This year's theme for World Music Day or Fête de la Musique is "Music on the Intersections", highlighting the unifying powers of music on individuals and communities.
World Music Day originated in France in 1958.
What kind of Music do you like?
©️ Imó Etim
