What kind of music makes you feel better?

Genres don't matter; try what works for you, and don't give up

An iconic heavy metal band, a charismatic frontman who took his own life, a classic Guns N' Roses song and a vintage album by 90s Britpop sensation Blur. What could they possibly have in common? Maybe by the end of this piece, I'll have figured it out.
One morning, a few days ago, while listening to one of my favourite bands, Iron Maiden, I suddenly stumbled upon the realisation that their music, for some reason, calms me down whenever I'm in an anxious or stressed out state. But when I tried telling this to a friend (not a Maiden, or metal fan), she couldn't relate. "It helps reduce the noise in my head," I said by way of explanation. "But their music (rolls eyes) is just noise! How does that help you?" It seemed impossible to elaborate further.
Some days later, I went from my daily dose of Iron Maiden to playing Linkin Park's greatest hits on loop as I along with millions of other fans mourned the loss of the band's frontman Chester Bennington. Tracks like In The End and Easier to Run seemed even more haunting in the wake of his death. What is it about certain types of music that is so powerful and moving? And in Chester's case did his own raw, honest lyrics, apart from mirroring his pain, give him some temporary relief from the issues that plagued his life? We, the fans, sure hope so. Peace out, Chester.
"Modern life is rubbish," declared a young acquaintance with a dramatic flourish, a Linkin Park fan who was all of 23 and seemingly wise beyond her years. I would have taken her seriously had she not been putting her coffee cup on Instagram Story at that very moment. But her statement did get me thinking, as I recalled Blur's brilliant 1993 album of the same name. Is modern life taking away some of our hardiness? Are we losing the ability to deal with issues that were better handled when the pace of development and technology wasn't so frenetic?
I don't know if these questions can ever be answered to everyone's satisfaction, or a permanent solution stumbled upon, but I do know this - in life, in everything, music is a huge help. It can lift you up when you're down and inspire you when you lose hope. Genres don't matter. Try what works for you, and don't give up. One of my favourite songs of all time is Patience, a 1989 track by Guns N' Roses from their album G N' R Lies - Axl Rose's melodic, soulful whistling at the beginning never fails to lift my mood. Give it a listen, and have a great week.
enid@khaleejtimes.com

• Dubai