Why are songs associated with memories? We have all experienced moments of deja vu, or going through old happy and sad memories Whether it be a hot summer night in mid July, driving  on the highway listening to a song you will associate with that night forever, or it be a party you went to years ago blasting nostalgic songs like party in the USA. Memories can be held by songs, different songs can easily take you back to a different period, event or person in your life. Your brain creates links between the circumstances and what you are experiencing in the moment with the way it touches our hearts and souls.

Music stimulates your limbic system, which is responsible for your emotions and body parts that process sounds. Music sets the stage for memories to be encoded with more detail and emotion, hearing a song again after experiencing it in a moment will then trigger the memory to replay. This could be hanging out with friends, parties, sports, studying, sad or happy moments and everything in between. When songs from the past are listened to it can create a sense of nostalgia to the listener and can create a link to our younger selves. Familiar memories, places and experiences shape ourselves and our future while linking us to previous moments and eras in our lives.

Music is often used in therapy as it can help to access memories that might otherwise be impossible to remember again. This can show that memories are linked more closely to audible things rather than only visual and physical. Embracing the power of music can take you on a journey through the memory lane, making memories feel more alive, which overall associates songs with memories more. An example of how a song can be associated with memories comes from Sophomore Amoni Burns said, “A memory I have had was a song called blue by Beyonce and it made me feel very sentimental and made me have a bigger outlook on music with it being a slow based song with a steady beat. A memory I have tied with that song was me and my sister sitting together one day and expressing ourselves about all the things we have been through since we were little kids.”  

Music can show the power of letting one show their self expression. Music being a central part of nostalgia and memories, can also be a part of someone’s life that helps them open up and grow as a person. Songs can also be tied to new experiences which can make them feel so much more memorable, and missed.  When Junior RyeLynn Conklin was asked about a song she felt was nostalgic, she said, “One song I like is Team by Lorde. It gives me that specific nostalgic feeling with one memory being when I was with my friends and it was summer, and we were staying out late driving around in a car with the windows down. It was so much fun.”