Music is a big part of a lot of people's lives. Whether you only listen to one genre of music or many genres, music has the power to evoke feelings and memories. Certain sounds, chords, or how something is sung or played, can take you back in time to when you first heard the song. Maybe it reminds you of a particular person or place. I'm getting a little off topic here but I just wanted to point out how powerful music really is.

The main point of my article is music from other countries. A lot of my friends and family only listen to a couple genres of music. It seems like they don't enjoy anything out of their comfort zone because they are so used to listening to the same old stuff on the radio. Being a music graduate, this pains me but I have learned to accept it. Even more frustrating is that a lot of people won't even give international music the time of day. Now I know understanding the words of a song can be important, but there is so much to gain from just listening to chords and how they change. How certain sounds make you feel even if you can't understand words. Maybe by focusing on how the individual sings and the emotion they have in their voice.

I listen to a lot of Japanese music. I feel it's important to fully immerse yourself into a culture the best that you can and this is one of the ways that I do it. Obviously I listen to a lot of music and always go back to my favorite bands, but I've also come to love a few Japanese artists in particular.

There is so much musical talent across the globe and I think it's good for people to expand their musical interests. Especially if there is a particular culture you are interested in. I think exloring the music (new and old) of a country can be a great way to feel and learn about the culture itself.

So feel free to explore another country's music! You may find something you reall like!