The sound of endless waves of the ocean, the singing of birds, the magical sound of raindrops falling on tree leaves, and the beautiful sounds produced by various musical instruments are all music. Some are produced by mother nature and others are produced by humans. Natural sounds existed well before we evolved and started living on earth. Was it music then or was it just sound? Without an appreciative mind, sounds are meaningless. So for music to have meaning it requires an appreciative mind.  

Music is the universal language that can be understood by every human being. You can find thousands of people vibing to songs whose lyrics they do not understand but can relate to the underlying emotion. Search for youtube videos of people dancing and laughing at songs even if they don't understand the language.

The essence of music lies in its melody, harmony, rhythm, and dynamics. You can say that melody gives the music its soul, while rhythm blends the expression of harmony and dynamic feels it with the tempo of passage. These are the key ingredients in the recipe of a song. 

There are many effects of music on our brain, listing a few below:

1. Music influences our perception of effort. You can perform well in physical activities. Know the feeling of putting in more reps with heavy weights or running the extra 5 mins when you are listening to that fire song at your gym. Several studies have shown that music played before or during a sport has a positive effect.
2. Listening to music releases dopamine in the brain. When we listen to music we like, the neural circuits that are activated are the same which regulate motivation and reward.
3. Music can improve sleep and relaxation. The calm and gentle music makes it easier to fall asleep, it also improves sleep quality,it also increases the duration and effectiveness of sleep.

Music is present in all cultures, and it is very deeply rooted in our psyche. Our ancestors probably started the trend of dancing around the bonfire. We also know that music affects our emotions and mood. It makes people want to dance, it also makes them cry. It is also connected to our memories. People can remember song lyrics from decades ago without any effort, the same way I can sing In The End by Linkin Park. Similarly, the emotional connection to music is very subjective. What is music to one can be noise to someone else. A piece of music can give goosebumps to someone and for someone else, it might prompt them to leave the room. 

In any case, if you enjoy your music just put in the headphones and start blasting your favorite playlist.

I am all ears for new song suggestions and new music genres so feel free to mention your favorites in the comments below.