Music's Social Powers

[Influential artists for the LGBTQ+ community and awareness (Keeley, 2017)

It is critical to our understanding of the LGBTQ+ social movement that we analyze what exactly music has to offer in terms of bringing about social change.

Music Represents Society

Music is a powerful messenger of social commentary. Songs have always held a mirror to the world, reflecting the things going on around us. Music has been used timelessly within social movements seeking change. A classic example of this is the freedom songs used in the American Civil Rights Movement (Reese, 2015). A combination of powerful lyrics, strong melody and rhythm can hook listeners into feeling connected to the music, and it’s reality in their lives.

Music Triggers Powerful Emotions

Music can stir up strong emotions and lead to the formation of group identity and understanding within communities, this can engage audiences and amass people to take action. Without music and its invigorating qualities, we would be machines, robotic and rigid in our movements, thinking, and feeling. Perhaps one reason for this is because music is performed by real people, which we can relate to and empathize with. When we feel emotionally connected, this emotion becomes the vehicle for social change. This becomes incredibly prevalent in the LGBTQ+ movement as we see queer artists moving people to take action with them.

Music Has A Platform For Creating Connections

(Tamel, 2017)

In our day and age of technology, music is able to be carried across the world, instantaneously. Therefore, music that has a platform can have powerful social influences. This has the ability to carry a message to masses and excite the thoughts of people, and can ask people to look at a perspective they may not have otherwise considered, and further urge them to seek change.

​On a broader scale, music unites Individuals and creates personal connections. Music has the power nowadays to make us feel connected to all of humanity. We use music to bind us together, and this greatly increases the potential for increased empathy, social connection, and cooperation.

Music Communicates Important Messages

Music communicates important messages, and when we feel moved by a piece of music, and become personally connected to the message, we are more likely to take action and participate in making change.

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