You Should be Listening to Foreign Music, and Here's Why

I can honestly say that on January 17th, 2016, my life changed. It was on that day that I watched my first k-pop music video: Mr. Simple by Super Junior.

You might be familiar with some scientific benefits of listening to music in general, but adding foreign music into the mix brings up a whole new batch of positives. It wasn't until I started listening to Asian music that I really saw the positive effects foreign music brings. From my experience and the experience of others, these are just some of the benefits of listening to music in foreign languages.

Exposure to Foreign Languages & Cultures

You're probably like, duh, listening to foreign music exposes you to foreign languages. No brainer. But how does that lead to being exposed to cultures? It's a natural progression after you start listening to foreign music that you become comfortable hearing that language, and begin being more open to learn about the culture of where that language is spoken.

The connection between music and language helps you start to learn the language, whether you try to or not. You'll eventually begin recognizing words and phrases. This is called passive listening. Passive listening definitely won't make you fluent, but it helps to hear the language, its sounds, and its structure. Even if you don't know what a specific word means, it's a part of your brain now.

Gamcheon Culture Village in Busan, South Korea

Decrease of Xenophobia

Xenophobia is the fear of people from other countries. While we might not realize it, we all have a xenophobic side of us to some extent, especially if we're not familiar with foreign cultures. We like to stay inside our comfort zone when it comes to our interaction with others.

Exposure to language and culture through music can be a "cure" for xenophobia. Your cultural comfort zone greatly expands which makes it easier to make friends with people from other countries. Having foreign friends also brings even more opportunities that you would never have otherwise. One thing leads to another!

Korean street vendors in Myeongdong, South Korea

Desire to Become Involved and Travel

Involved in what, exactly? Your community? The world? The correct answer is yes.

This one is a bit different from person to person and depends on what individuals can do, but listening to foreign music makes you want to get up and go to events such as parties, concerts, or joining clubs.

Beyond that, foreign music definitely has the power to inspire travel. Traveling gives you experiences that you will never have from the comfort of your home. Honestly... I was never interested in traveling to Asia before I started listening to Asian music. That changed almost immediately after watching just a few music videos. Now that I've had the chance to live in South Korea and visit Japan, I can say that Asia is one of the coolest places and I hope everyone has the desire to travel there.

Gangnam Style statue in Gangnam, South Korea

There are many more reasons you should listen to music in foreign languages, but these are some of the basic benefits that help you become a more open-minded citizen of the world. Browse through the LIS'n account on Spotify, and remember to add some songs to your own playlist to help you feel closer to other cultures, to other people, and to the world.