Stephanie G. Mathis The term ” Open-Earness ” is used by academics to describe our willingness and ability to discover new music. This willingness to explore new music fluctuates throughout our lives.
Children are usually happy to listen to unfamiliar music until around age 11. A decrease in open-earedness marks early adolescence. However, this is accompanied by a dramatic increase in musical interest. The open-earedness of young adults increases but then decreases with age.
A major 2013 study with more than 250.000 participants confirmed this change in behavior. The study also revealed that we are less likely to give music the importance we once gave it after adolescence. We listen to music for a smaller percentage of time in adulthood, down from 20% during adolescence.
Priorities shift
These trends are explained by different theories, which are generally complementary. Some researchers interpret the observed decline in music engagement as psychosocial maturity.
Adolescents use music to identify themselves and navigate their social circles. Adults are more mature and have established their social processes. In this way, the motivation to listen to new music is reduced.
Researchers have found that age-related changes in hearing acuity, specifically a lower tolerance for high-frequency and loud sounds, maybe one reason for some people’s reduced interest in new music.
Adolescents use music as a way to express themselves. jamakassi, CC BY
One explanation for the age-based decrease in music consumption is that adults with more responsibilities may have less time to explore musical interests.
Some scholars are unsure if there is a direct link between the decrease in new music consumption rates and the increase in music intolerance.
Some argue against predicting stagnant music taste based on chronological age without considering how we use and process music throughout our lives. Teenagers are usually very conscious of what they listen to. Adults who listen to music to motivate them or as an accompaniment to activities like exercise or menial chores may not be aware of how much they are listening to new music.
There is agreement amongst music lovers that the first music they hear in their adolescence will have a profound impact on their tastes.
The heightened emotions that accompany puberty also create lasting memories.
Read more: Chills and Thrills: why some people love music – and others don’t
The soundtrack of our lives
Neuroscience provides fascinating insights into how and why musical preferences develop. For example, we know that infants show an affinity for music they listen to in utero.
Musical taste is also a matter of familiarity. Daniel Levitin, a neuroscientist and author of This Is Your Brain on Music writes:
When we love music, we are reminded of other pieces of music we’ve heard and we recall emotional moments in our life.
We think of our “taste”, but it is really a dopamine response triggered by patterns that our brain recognizes, which then creates the expectation of future pleasure based on past pleasures. The link between music and pleasure is broken when we stop actively listening.
Music can trigger memories of our emotional experiences. Mick Haupt
The “music of young people” may take several years to reach this point, but eventually it will alienate the listener and be unappealing.
Are we doomed for musical obsolescence with age? Far from it. According to recent research, musical taste is not something that needs to be calcified but can develop throughout our lives.
Expanding our horizons
Here are a few tips to help you expand your musical tastes beyond “old favorites” from youth.
Listening in different settings: formal (concerts), focused, casual (as a companion to another activity), and social
Make listening a habit
Be curious about the music you listen to. Knowing the story behind music can help you form new neural patterns.
Be patient and persistent. You shouldn’t dismiss a piece because you didn’t like it immediately. Listening to music will help your brain trigger a positive response.
Find a friend who can give you some recommendations. You’re likely to listen to music recommended to you by someone who you admire and respect.
Keep listening to music that you enjoy, but reconsider your long-held beliefs. This is especially true if your musical tastes are negative, such as “I dislike jazz.”
You don’t have to follow the latest music trends. There are 1,000 years worth of music to discover.
