Reminiscence Bump
A study found that the "strongest adult musical preferences" set in by age 13 for girls and 14 for boys.
This research tells us that the majority of us, when we are grown men and women, predictably stick with the music that captured us in the earliest phase of our adolescence.
But for most of us adults, the adolescent years occupy a privileged place in our memories, which to some degree is even quantifiable: Give a grown adult a series of random prompts and cues, and odds are he or she will recall a disproportionate number of memories from adolescence. This phenomenon even has a name—the “reminiscence bump”—and it’s been found over and over in large population samples, with most studies suggesting that memories from the ages of 15 to 25 are most vividly retained.
Songs that came out decades earlier are now, on average, most popular among men who were 14 when they were first released. The most important period for men in forming their adult tastes were the ages 13 to 16.
What about women? On average, their favorite songs came out when they were 13. The most important period for women were the ages 11 to 14.
For both men and women, their early 20's were half as influential in determining adult musical tastes as their early teens.
Here are some examples using Spotify analysis of certain songs from various decades:
How does this data affect the choices for entertainment made at any venue looking to positively affect the most patrons, and get them to stay longer? Simply, the older the crowd, the older (or "classic") the music should be to please them. Using the age range of 11 to 14 years old to combine both males and females, if their favorite songs were released in the 50's, they would be between 72 and 85 years old. If 60's music was the favorite decade, these music fans would be approximately 62 to 75 years old. Similarly, 70's music fans would be somewhere between 52 and 65 years old, 80's fans between 42 and 55 years old, 90's fans between 32 and 45 years old, and more recently, the music of the new decade of 2000 is enjoyed most by 22 to 35 year olds.
This is why Jeff Lerner maintains a song list that is catered to these decades. There are over 400 tunes from these decades that will appeal to an audience of 22 to 85-year-olds, and a breadth of material to cover most styles! The songs have headings which indicate the decade when they were released, and the song style such as Motown, Easy Listening, Ballad, Rock, Dance, Country, and Blues.
Think of the enduring nature of Motown and R&B, the tap-your-feet good feelings associated with pop tunes, the laid-back or knee-slapping appeal of country music, and the instant association that classic rock has with some of the most popular musical acts ever, many of whom are still performing and drawing large crowds.
"The Soundtrack of Your Life" is music that was listened to at prom or high school sock hops after football games. At family gatherings, cookouts, road trips in the car, birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, and probably some protest marches! These are truly songs that are associated with life events that will evoke many good feelings when heard, and listeners will want to hear more.
Jeff Lerner can provide "The Soundtrack of Your Life" the way the songs were originally performed and taken to heart and mind. Listeners as old as 85 can be transported back to a time when they were young, and their lives were just starting to unfold. Certainly, as teens, a simpler, more fun time before the impending hardships of adulthood. Who wouldn't want to go on that journey?
Please consider including Jeff Lerner on your entertainment schedule. You will get a massive song list, spartan and attractive stage setup with few cords (light show available upon request), professionalism from years of experience, and upmost respect for the venue and it's patrons.
How Music Makes You Smarter, Stronger, and Might Save Your Life
Your favorite songs aren’t just hummable, they’re healthy
(Men's Health 1/5/16 Bill Stieg)
A review in the American Journal of Public Health calls music “the most accessible and most researched medium of art and healing.”
The review mentions the successful use of music to control pain in cancer patients as well as its role in improving their immune response, decreasing their anxiety, and reducing their psychological and physical symptoms.
In one University of Wisconsin study, heart-attack patients who listened to relaxing music for 20 minutes showed slower heart and respiratory rates and less demand for oxygen—up to 1 hour after listening.
Then there’s this research from the University of Maryland: Music that evokes joy can improve blood-vessel dilation by 26 percent.
For most of human history, music has been making physical labor—from rowing a Greek galley to mowing a half-acre lawn—more bearable. But can it help in the white-collar world?
Lesiuk, the University of Miami music therapist, has found that, generally speaking, if people listen to music of their choosing, they can decrease 9-to-5 fatigue, nervousness, and irritability while at the same time enhance their enthusiasm and relaxation.
The net effect: They become better problem solvers.
Even a tiny dose of tunes can have an effect. One Italian study found that people who listened to up-tempo music experienced the biggest boost in bloodflow to their brains, compared with when they heard slower tunes or nothing at all.
What matters for driving, a range of research shows: Within reason, music that makes you feel good is best for alertness, reaction time, and maintaining a safe speed.
In fact, Australian research suggests that silence isn’t ideal for driving—it lets you think about things other than driving.
Music with a beat leads to a brain process called spreading activation.
That’s a fancy name for when a bunch of neurons start firing at a certain rate, say in response to music, and other neurons that have nothing to do with music start firing in sympathy.
“We’re musical beings,” says Teresa Lesiuk, Ph.D., an assistant professor of music therapy at the University of Miami. “It’s like we’re hardwired for music. We’re ready to take it in, we’re ready to interact with it.”
The inescapable conclusion: The Soundtrack of Your Life is good for what ails you!
