Do you listen to music by ''moods''?
 

So I was talking to an internet friend about music. He wanted to know some more music and went to me for some reccomendations. The strange thing is, he told me he listens to music that fits his ''mood''.

So if he feels sad, he likes to listen to sad music, if he feels happy, he likes to listen to happy music, if he is angry, he likes aggresive music,etc.
I actually never thought of it that way. I just pick an album and listen.

If I feel like listening to something aggresive, I just feel like it. I can feel totally fine/calm, but still want to listen to some angry music. Sometimes I do listen to happy music when I'm sad though, or music I feel an emotional connection to. so I guess there are momnts when I do this, without me realising it. But mostly I don't really think of what mood it is. I noticed that in my musicplayer, next to genre you can even sort by ''mood'', and tag certian songs/bands/albums with a mood. I guess that indicates more people do this.

Do you listen to music by moods? I generally don't, but I'd like to hear what you guys think.

Sure, my mood determines what I feel like listening to. It's a lot more complicated than "I'm sad so I'll listen to sad music" though. For example, there are times when I'm really in a bebop mood and nothing except bebop will do, but it doesn't really fit under any easy to explain emotion despite clearly being a particular way I'm feeling at that moment.

Yes.

It's a tool.
Percentages.
If you're feeling sad you don't want peppy bs.
You want something you can relate to.

If you're sad and want to be happy, something you can relate to...
that has a message of hope. But, as you said, I agree.

You play what fits your mood. I think so, yes.

Yeah, my example was a bit bare bones. ofcourse I don't mean it that basic, but I was just trying to give an idea.

I used to listen to music based on moods and had specific playlists for certain moods but they weren't like your friend. It was mostly opposite. if I was feeling sad then I would need to listen to uplifting/optimistic music.

Nowadays, I just consume music. I don't have time to wait til I feel like listening to a certain genre. I just take it all in no matter what genre.

I generally let my subconscious pick the music for my mood, meaning I just go with my first implse, but right now, with the worst Canadian winter in years outside, I put on early Beach Boys albums. They take me to summer. And Here Comes the Sun at the end. Just get this winter over with already!

I occasionally listen to certain particular songs that affect the current mood. But more often than not, I let the music set the vibe.

This, except it's more like different artists than genres. Sometimes I just want to listen to some Death, so I'll listen to their albums for an hour. Sometimes I feel like listening to GNR, sometimes it's Willie Nelson, sometimes it's Muddy Waters, etc.

I have a few definite go-to sounds for every mood (or for whatever mood I want to achieve).

If I'm really down I'll listen to the Carpenters because Karen really gets me (despite the fact that she passed away a few years before I was even born). Or if I'm down and angry as hell, I'll listen to the Dresden Dolls. If I'm just sort of pessimistic and lonely, Alan Parsons Project will do.

If I'm tired but comfortable and I need to be happier for whatever reason, I enjoy a good shuffle of 60s girl groups (including, but not limited to: the Shangri-Las, the Ronettes, the Crystals, the Cookies, the Jelly Beans, etc.).

If I've just been in a terrible mood all day, I've got to listen to Sparks.

If I'm super chill, I've gotta have some Steely Dan.

If it's summer time and I'm drunk or otherwise not in a proper state of mind, I've gotta have some 60s psych rock (Strawberry Alarm Clock, Chocolate Watch Band, Electric Prunes, 13th Floor Elevators, Jefferson Airplane, etc.).

I've got something for everything. I think a lot of people do.

My moods are contrary to what I listen to often. If I have low energy I'll listen to metal or if I'm in a pensive mood I'll listen to something a bit cheery or exciting. But I don't really go by something that's specifically emotional.

Now being drunk, I listen to more funk, old school hip hop or metal. I can't do slowed down music when I'm drinking, it makes me fall asleep.

I listen to music on an almost exclusively mood-based basis. Though the selection doesn't always reflect my mood directly, the chain of albums that follows it will all share a certain feeling. Ie. If I start with Hissing Fauna, I'll probably also power through Skeletal Lamping, Scissor Sisters' Ta-Dah, Oracular Spectacular, so on and so forth until I gradually arrive at something quite different. Or, if I started with Wire, I'd follow it with a pattern like This Nation's Saving Grace, Marquee Moon, Sad Lovers & Giants, etc.

I can't listen to music on shuffle. I just don't enjoy it. It's too jarring an experience. I expect flow not only from an album, but from the spectrum of albums I play in a day.

This is me exactly. I usually go for mood enhancement, mood combatant, or some of both. When I'm happy I listen to my lovable angry music. When I'm angry I do the same. When I'm sad I listen to my sad music. When I'm sad and angry I turn to happy things. Also, fuck shuffle.

I don't really listen to music by moods but I have some records that I almost only play during specific parts of the day. I've got 'morning music' to help me get out of bed and start the day feeling good (so I guess cheerful music), music I listen on my way to work (angry music), music on my way back from work (most of the time reggae) 'let's make love music', 'music to read' (mostly instrumental, lately this is Miles Davis), music to sleep (lately Orbital, Slint or Air), etc...

Basically, I don't listen to music according to mood. Even if I've got a bad day, I'd play something upbeating, though that wouldn't make me more happy, long-term-wise.
Music puts me into a certain mood, but only after some time. Listening to one single song doesn't change my mood instantly, but e.g. listening to an album for let's say 50 minutes implies a change.
I'm speaking of listening to music only - music combined with visuals, furnished with sound effects (e.g. movies) will reach you emotionally more easily than music itself.

I don't think much about it. I just listen to whatever I feel like, though maybe that's exactly what it's all about.

This is basicly how it works with me.

I sometimes listen to music in trends, similar to how Pedestrian noted. But very rarely does my emotional mood come into it.

I sometimes like watching classic videos vs just listening to the music itself. The videos along with the music helps transend my mood and memories back to a particular time and era. Especially music videos from the 80's and 90's.

That OP happened to me as well, i remember talking about music with a friend and he said the same thing that is all about the mood you're in but for me it's like pedestrian said it's not always about the mood of a song sometimes you just wanna hear a song with no specific mood attached to it.

And sometimes a song can change your mood for exmpl im not a dancer but everytime i hear this song i get all happy and want to dance

I rarely let my mood play a significant role about what I am going to listen to at a certain moment. Even when I'm sad or happy, I could still listen to anything and enjoy it. Normally I try to listen to every album equally, instead of listening to the same albums over and over. In fact, I rarely care about my moods in general. I try to stay calm, and do things in a normal/natural way. So that'd be the same case for when I'm listening to music.

That's what i thought too but if you look at all the post in this thread some ppl don't it's not always about the mood

Is it just me or is this exact same post on the last page everytime I check this thread? It's creepy 0.o.

I think the whole thing is nonsense.
If you're sad and listen to a happy song, it's because you want to raise your mood.
THAT is your mood = I am sad and want to feel happy.

Unless you just wake up and hit 'random'...your mood determines what you play.
Sometimes your mood is, I don't give a ****.

Sometimes your mood is contrast, the basis of most art.
Impossible to just say 'mood means nothing' when there are so many different shades, and complexities in 'mood.'

''Sometimes I do listen to happy music when I'm sad though, or music I feel an emotional connection to.'' I think you didn't read the ''though'' in there. That means that I admit that this is one of the few times I let my mood decide what I want to listen to.

I don't think you read the part where I said, if your 'mood' says '**** it let's play random'....it's still your mood that determines what you play.

I've always liked the idea of methodically listening to my library. Going through and making sure I do everything 10 times, or going back chronologically over my music, but I can't enjoy the experience unless I'm in a particular frame of mind: the right mood. And that never lasts long enough to commit to those kinds of listening projects.

I listen to whatever I feel like listening to, lol (bad pun?)

No, I don't listen to music based on my mood. One minute I could be listening to Metallica, the next, Paul Simon. Honestly, it's really unpredictable what I may be listening to at any one time.

I feel like the only 2 ways album-listening is not whim-based is A) if you listen to shuffle, or B) if you have an inflexible systematic method. We're all slaves to affect.

I have no idea what you just said. I'm american and it's too late for me to think about what you mean, or look it up.

Basically he means if you have a strict system, e.g. a chronological rotation.

Right. Sometimes when I'm feeling ambitious, I promise to give every album in my library due attention by choosing one at random and listening to it ten times consecutively before moving on.

Never lasts long though. Sometimes you really don't feel like finishing your Kate Bush marathon.

It's a two way street for me. Sometimes my mood dictates, and sometimes the music dictates my mood. I'm ok with that. I'm not really into having a "process" about something like listening to music. I just let it happen naturally and spontaneously.

I once tried listening to every Beatles album and single in chronological order. But I was so sick of the early stuff after A Hard Day's Night that I skippedBeatles For Sale and Help! and went straight to Rubber Soul. The rest was easy. :D

The early Beatle stuff is better than the later stuff, I would rather listen to Let Me Borrow Your Comb over Helter Skelter any day.

Alll depends. My problem was that I was doing a marathon, and the early stuff all sounds rather alike, whereas you get a lot of variety post-Rubber Soul. BTW, Helter Skelter is one of my least favourite Beatles songs.

TBH I just play Lana Del Rey all the time. I get so obsessed with one artist/band at a time. I have to listen to it over and over so I continue to get musical enjoyment.

I do however base my choices by how I'm feeling.

thanks. :)
now i don't have to type.

I may not explain specifically but definitely and obvious that we all listen to music depending on the mood and definitely not intensionally, it all happens when it comes to music. I mostly listening to various genres of trance depending on the time and mood, surfing soundcloud mostly.

NO I don't. I listen to whatever will make me happy. And most of my favorite songs do just that....no wait all of my favorite songs do that.

My playlists are almost all divided up by my mood/genre. I say mood/genre because I find that more often than not, one genre can make up the majority of a mood centered playlist. So if I am in an f'ed up mood, Rap, all melancholy, Indie/folk, freaky/lovey, R&B, Happy, Alternative Rock or Electronica, Dancing Happy, "Party Music" or Trap Music...