There is no one that doesn’t love music as it plays an integral role in our lives. Be it the music playing low and slow on the way to work that sets the mood for the day, the motivational music that pushes us as we workout, or the background score to music in a particularly tear-jerking part of a movie that pushes our emotions over the edge, it can alter moods and weave a. To say music is a communication medium between cultures is hardly an understatement. Recently, the health implications of listening to music were also discovered.

The love for music can stem from a very early age. Many studies have shown that an early music education can help stimulates the child’s mental capacity in ways that help improve verbal communication and visual skills. For younger children, this materializes in the form of a better grasp of language skills and for slightly older children, this helps them develop a higher IQ. For aging people, music acts as an exercise, keeping the mind sharp and allowing for better memory, even in people who have had brain damage. It is also a well-known fact that music helps regulate heartbeat and blood pressure by releasing endorphins inside the brain, irrespective of the music you listen to.

Apart from the physical benefits of listening to music, the psychological benefits are immense. In fact, listening to the right kind of music can aid in the release of dopamine, a feel-good chemical which lifts your mood. Similarly, music can help fight off depression and mental illness, at the same time strengthening the immune system and making the listener more immune to pain. Soft music has also been known to cure mild forms of insomnia and get a better quality of sleep, something that is imperative to a happy, functioning human. So plug in your headphones and listen to your daily dose of happiness.

Music genres come and go; sometimes, they stay a while and sometimes they are lost before they hit the ears of their audience, smothered by mainstream music. Whatever the reason, there are some emerging genre that have a small but faithful following, creating a cult rather than just a music experience, but whose roots still lie in more conventional songs. 2016 has been a great year for emerging artists and DJs, with a plethora of remixes hitting the shelves and more importantly, becoming successful. Both upcoming and established artists have chosen this to be the year they decide to color outside the lines.

Rock and Pop remain two of the most relatable music genres of all time, so it comes as no surprise that many spin-offs like Air Pop, Progressive Heavy Electro Rock and the more undiscovered Conspiracy Rock have emerged. With big, modern beats like those found in Electronic Dance Music (EDM) tracks and dubstep, along with live guitars, Prog Heavy Electro Rock is sure to get hair flying, while Conspiracy Rock will fuel the paranoia element by adding deep lyrics about Illuminati and even trippier guitars. For people who appreciated the experimental pop band of yester years, Massive Attack, Air Pop is an extension of the genre, with several established artists venturing into it.

For Moby-inspired music, the Glitch Soulazz offers jazz and blues with an electronic backdrop, giving it a definite dance floor feel. Keeping with the dance floor theme, country dance music has made a new comeback. CDM bring all the floor-thumping associated with country music and merges it with an electronic beat. Avicii is a master of this genre, but more artists are getting into the groove. To finish off, here is something for those who love TSO – Orchestral IDM. Unlike the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, it is an adventure into Trance Rock but backed by an extraordinary orchestral medley.