February 04, 2011
Want to feel better? Listen to pop music
Hamilton, Ont. February 04, 2011—An analysis of U2, one of the most commercially successful and influential bands of all time, suggests music can play an important role in bettering the health of individuals and society as a whole.
In an article published in the journal Health & Place, Gavin Andrews, a professor in the Department of
Health, Aging & Society at McMaster University explores mechanisms ranging from the band’s direct
activism and celebrity diplomacy to its music that promotes health causes, or is otherwise used by
listeners to enhance their wellbeing on an everyday basis.
“Some celebrities such as Bono are becoming de facto new public intellectuals, among the few
people who seem able to effectively deliver messages and challenge large audiences. Yet few
popular celebrities have the training to engage with issues in the detailed manner typical of
academics and policymakers,” says Andrews.
“On another level attempts to create healing places in and around music have always been part of
musical composition and consumption whether it be music by Mozart or by a rock band such as U2. In
this sense, the music does not have to openly mention health, but wellbeing can result from its
consumption,” he says.
Andrews’ work on U2 is only the start of a much larger project on music and health with colleagues in
New Zealand and British Columbia.
They are currently working with other academics on a wide-range of topics including music therapy
programs, technologies, music personalities, specific genres and identities—including Indie, Punk
and Reggae—and other bands such as The Smiths and Oasis.
McMaster University, one of four Canadian universities listed among the Top 100 universities in the
world, is renowned for its innovation in both learning and discovery. It has a student population of
23,000, and more than 140,000 alumni in 128 countries.
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For more information, please contact:
Michelle Donovan
Public Relations Manager, Broadcast Media
McMaster University
905-525-9140, ext. 22869