Concerts attract about 52 percent of Americans every year. Obviously, there is something about them that is alluring to half of the U.S. population- whether that be the crowds of people bonding over the communal love of an artist, the deafening but oh so pleasant music, or the magic of getting to see a famed performer in the flesh
An Australian study which involves 1,000 people shows that those who attend concerts regularly are actually much happier with their lives overall than those who do not. The study said that going to concerts, “explores the connection between habitual music engagement and subjective wellbeing,” meaning any type of live music from going to small concerts to huge music festivals.
Melissa K. Weinberg and Dawn Joseph’s If You’re Happy and You Know It: Music Engagement and Subjective Wellbeing states that “These hedonic properties of music have important implications for subjective wellbeing (SWB), the scientific psychological term for general mood ‘happiness’, which is positive, stable, and consistent over time.” Expressing one’s love for music through dancing and attending concerts truly did end up having higher levels of subjective wellbeing.
When determining course of treatment for patients with mood disorders and depression, psychologists look at their measure of wellbeing. One of the treatments for mood disorders and depression is engaging with music meaningfully, which is just what most people tend to do when at these concerts. When listening to music on your phone or in the car, you simply do not receive the same benefits. Truly engaging with the music you are listening to goes far beyond a cellphone. The benefits of concerts come with the involvement of the listener with the artist; with the hustle and bustle of the consuming crowds. Socially participating in these experiences creates a positive impact and boosts subjective wellbeing levels significantly.