Music : Why It Matters

As countries went into lockdown in 2020, people turned to music for comfort and solidarity.Neighbours sang to each other from their balconies; people participated in online music sessions that created an experience of socially distanced togetherness. Nicholas Cook argues that the value of music goes far beyond simple enjoyment.Music can enhance well-being, interpersonal relationships, cultural tolerance, and civil cohesion.At the same time, music can be a tool of persuasion or ideology.Thinking about music helps bring into focus the values that are mobilised in today’s culture wars.Making music together builds relationships of interdependence and trust: rather than escapism, it offers a blueprint for a community of mutual obligation and interdependence. Music: Why It Matters is for anyone who loves playing, listening to, or thinking about music, as well as those pursuing it as a career.