INTERNATIONAL STRANGE MUSIC DAY
International Strange Music Day on August 24th encourages people to listen to a type of music they don’t usually listen to. It’s also a day to discover strange and bizarre kinds of music.
Experiencing various types of music benefits us in many ways. Listening to different kinds of music helps to broaden horizons. Also, it promotes seeing things from a different perspective. Some people call this “listening without prejudice.”
Studies prove that different genres of music affect the mind and body in different ways. For instance, smooth jazz is known to relax the body. Pop music helps to improve endurance. Metal music provides a stronger sense of identity. Of all the types of music, classical has the most positive effects. Classical music fights depression, sparks creativity, relieves pain, and supercharges brainpower. However, one study showed hip hop improved the flavor of cheese.
Besides different genres of music, there are other kinds of music. There’s music made by whistling, blowing into a kazoo, or banging pots and pans together. Some music is just downright bizarre, like clucking chickens and deep-sea creature sounds.
HOW TO OBSERVE #InternationalStrangeMusicDay
If you only listen to heavy metal, you might want to try country music. You might be pleasantly surprised by how country music has changed over the years. Maybe you’ve never listened to jazz music. Today’s the day to jazz things up a bit and give it a try. If you really want to go all out on International Strange Music Day, you may want to give some of these odd genres a try:
- Mathcore
- Chiptune
- Spacesynth
- Epic doom metal
- Russian Chanson
Or, you may want to stick to more familiar genres like hip hop, folk music, or gospel. Just make sure it’s a type of music you’ve never experienced before. Go ahead and test the theory that music affects people in different ways. How do you feel when you listen to country music? How about music by 80s hairbands?
Another way to observe International Strange Music Day is to search the internet for bizarre kinds of music. You could even create your own strange music. This is a great day to celebrate with kids. It’s the perfect opportunity to share with the music you listened to as a child. Chances are, they have never heard folk music!
No matter how you choose to observe this day, be sure to share #InternationalStrangeMusicDay on social media!
INTERNATIONAL STRANGE MUSIC DAY HISTORY
New York City musician, Patrick Grant, is credited for creating International Strange Music Day in 1998. Grant is a graduate of Julliard. He believes that when you broaden your spectrum of music, you change the way you look at other aspects of life.
