Today Online
Study Finds That ’80s Pop Music Is Great For Reducing Stress
Today Online Staff
February 19, 2021
Music from the 1980s can help beat stress, according to new research.
A study from the Turkish-based cosmetic surgery center Vera Clinic asked 1,540 adults (ages 18-65) volunteers to listen to a number of Spotify playlists composed of several popular genres of music — including tracks from the 1960s ‘Golden Oldies’, 1970s rock anthems, and 1990s R&B — to see how it affected their blood pressure.
The experiment also included less mainstream genres, such as dubstep, jazz, and modern classical.
The findings revealed that those who listened to artists such as Wham! and The Pet Shop Boys became calmer with 96 percent reporting a decrease in blood pressure and 36 percent saying they felt their heart rate drop.
Researchers relied on Spotify playlists, including one tied to the UK’s Channel 4 drama, It’s A Sin, which includes hits from the ’80s, including Joy Division’s Love Will Tear Us Apart’, Blondie’s Call Me’, Wham!’s ‘Freedom’, Bette Midler’s Wind Beneath My Wings’ and Pet Shop Boys’ ‘It’s a Sin’.
What’s the most stress-inducing music genre? When listening to techno, 78 percent of the volunteers experienced an increase in blood pressure. Strangely, those exposed to a heavy metals saw an 18 percent and 89 percent drop in heart rate and blood pressure, respectively.
The Vera Clinic’s Dr. Omer Alvanmis believes the feelings of positive nostalgia associated with ’80s records help to ease stress. He said: The results may seem surprising on the first inspection — but medically they make a lot of sense. [These] 1980s pop hits could have positive nostalgia attached to them for many people, and their upbeat, party-like sounds can induce the release of endorphins and serotonin in the brain, both increasing feelings of happiness and calm. — BANG
