The past few months have been a tough time for so many people around the world. Suffering and grief have been recurring keywords since 2020. Netflix, Instagram and Spotify were safe havens, as they offered an escape. Artists produced content that sought to divert audiences’ attention away from the suffering around them – content that was eagerly consumed for those very reasons. Music can be freeing, evocative and nostalgic. In an age of destruction, music is a means of protection.

Despite a seemingly pessimistic introduction, this article is actually a collection of thoughts about what music can actually do to elevate one’s mood or even provide agency when all other avenues have been exhausted. I often unwind and de-stress by blasting a playlist on my speaker and dancing it off, or putting on my headphones and turning the volume all the way up to drown out the world around me. I use music as an escape, and I know many people do the same.

In times of war, music has served in a lot of different ways, apart from just serving as a safe space. Music has been used in the armed forces to instill patriotism and courage through marches and anthems. Some songs written and produced during wartime have aimed to unify a nation and promote values of conformity. Brahms’ “Triumphlied” for instance, was written to depict the Prussian victory in 1871. Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony also came to be known as a motto of victory during World War II.

It may seem like music can be futile when so many people are suffering around us; there is a certain ethical paradox that arises, where artists continue to make art when fellow human beings are oppressed. However, listening to music and using it as a form of escape does not make the act ethically questionable, because everybody deserves some form of break, whether the worries are big or small.

Music is inherently uncontroversial. It is a universal language that surpasses the bounds of nationality, religion, gender and other potential differences. It is an abstract art that anyone can enjoy, especially during times of suffering, thanks to its unique ability to transport one to a faraway place where worries dissolve. Naturally, not every song is transportive or restorative; some songs actually hit where it hurts, but ultimately music is healing, and it is necessary in times of chaos and uncertainty.

Listening to music in wartime is not “fiddling while Rome burns”. It serves to unify and connect people, just as there is a bond between fans of a particular artist at a concert, despite being complete strangers. Music reminds us that despite political differences, we are all human and we all seek peace and freedom. It does not necessarily prevent war, but it helps us survive it and look to the future, to a time when division does not manifest in suffering.

Music in fact redeems the quality of humans that fuels violence. We create art both because we want people to enjoy it and because it helps our individual processes, whether that is grieving, growing or liberating ourselves. It is an art that seeks to explain and understand the ugliness of human nature, while appreciating the beauty of life and seeking happiness in little things. Naturally not all artists and not all songs convey similar meanings, but the general idea is that music helps us survive difficult times.

I turn to music when I have a bad day, and it reminds me of the times back home when I would put on my earphones to drown out the noise of the outside world. This article is not about debating whether listening to music when your city is under fire and people are hurt is ethical or not, because that is a lens that many people look through. Instead, it acknowledges that music is a communal experience that has not only mobilized people but provides comfort.

Nina Simone was an important activist musician, as was John Lennon. Songs like “This Little Light of Mine” were used as theme songs of protests during the civil rights movement, and the NDR orchestra in Germany recently played the Ukrainian national anthem to stand in solidarity. Not only is music used as a tool of protest and liberation, it helps us survive trying times.