A growing body of research suggests listening to music has a positive impact on our health and wellbeing. We use music in at least seven different ways to regulate our emotions, including for entertainment, comfort or reflection. And it’s not just feelgood tracks; we also turn to music to sit with feelings of grief, sadness or frustration.

One of the more powerful ways we connect with music is through song lyrics. Sometimes, the lyrics of a song can feel like they’re reaching into the very depths of our soul. They can help us feel seen or inspired, or pick us up when we’re feeling down.

How lyrics facilitate emotion regulation was the question at the heart of our recent research, published in Psychology of Music. Even a casual listener of pop can tell you songs of love and loss frequently top the charts (à la Taylor Swift). But not every song is about a love story or a breakup.

We wanted to understand what it is within popular songs that so many of us are connecting with.

Basic psychological needs

Richard Ryan,........

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