What Is Melomania? – For The Love Of Music
What is melomania? Is it a good or bad thing? Is it a disease? What does it have to do with music (if anything at all)? Keep reading to see what it means, how to tell if you have it, and why it’s important to know!
What Is Melomania? – The Love Of Music?
When we take a look at the definition from dictionary.com, this is what we see:
Other sources tell us that it’s someone who has an abnormal love for music. To me, this definition makes more sense, especially since it has the suffix ‘-mania’ attached to the name.
I had never heard this term before until I was doing some research for this site recently. Labels are sometimes misleading and don’t really capture the essence of what they’re trying to define. This word is spot on. I wrote about Music Addiction Disorder and the two go hand in hand.
Love vs. Addiction
There is a fine line between a love of something and addiction to something. I would argue that Music Addiction Disorder would be hard to really pin down because I don’t really believe that someone can develop a harmful, life-ruining addiction to music.
That’s why I love the word melomania so much. It clearly spells out the fact that some people, me and you guys out there reading this, have an almost uncontrollable love for music. At times it could even come off as insane in some ways.
The Urge To Explore
If only people knew how much music I sift through on a daily basis. In my case, this love manifests in a chaotic form of compulsively checking for the latest releases. I truly feel driven to seek out different types of music and better songs within the genres I already visit on the regular.
On top of the seeking aspect, once I stumble upon something that’s undeniable, something lights up in my brain and I can feel the dopamine start to ooze through my neural pathways.
Symptoms… That You Might Have It
Since there’s really not too much out there on this subject I’ll do my best to piece together a shortlist of possible symptoms you might experience if you identify with this label.
- Irresistible urge to seek out new sounds and music
- Compulsive checking for new and better music
- Euphoria upon discovery
- Furthered euphoria experienced when listening
- The need to tell other people about your recent find
- Attracting skeptical looks on a regular basis (for having an unusually heightened excitement for music)
Now that you’ve seen a few of the most basic symptoms, what do you think? Is it possible you have the bug?
Good Memories & Good Music
Is it possible that someone can develop this affection for music naturally? Sure. I think it’s also possible that there are key points in someone’s life that could help determine whether or not they end up identifying with this term.
For example, let’s say on your tenth birthday it was a sunny day you had lots of friends around you, and you got one of your favorite all time childhood birthday presents. For some reason, you distinctly remember hearing a certain song and now that you’re all grown up you still enjoy listening to that song.
Whenever you press play on whatever the song is, a flood of memories (good ones in this case) come rushing back through your mind. It feels nostalgic and comforting to hear the song and it never gets old.
Are You a Melomaniac?
Now, maybe this only happens for you with one or two songs. If that’s the case, you might not be a melomaniac. If you experience this regularly with a wide range of songs and you can remember where you were and what you were doing in relation to a song, you might have this condition.
I’m definitely not a psychologist but it seems reasonable to suggest that when we associate good memories with certain sounds, smells, tastes, people, or songs it becomes ingrained in our brains and a lot of times sticks with us well into adulthood.
Depending on your past experiences, this could be either pleasant or an unpleasant experience. In the case of melomania, it seems fair to draw the conclusion that a person has associated enough positive memories with songs to develop an overactive love for music.
Maybe some of us are just more predisposed than others. Either way, I know I can’t go very long at all without hearing some sort of music. Just like a life without music would be a mistake, a week without music for me would be hell.
Audiophiles and Music
Without music, it would be hard to enjoy hi-resolution audio equipment. Without headphones and speakers, it would be hard to experience music in any other way (aside from attending live performances).
Is there a relation between music and audiophiles? Can one exist without the other? If you enjoyed this article and want to see how closely they’re related – you can read more about it here!
What do you think? Are you a melomaniac, or a more casual music fan? Leave a comment below to let us know what you think! Thanks for stopping by, hope to see you here again!
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I cannot imagine a life without music and love all types of it. With the exception of country (just don’t like the vocal twang), I listen to just about everything. When I’m at the computer I play Pandora and when I hear a new jam I’ll try to find it on Soundclound and add it to a playlist.
I write to music, I clean to music, and I fall asleep to music. I spend a good portion of every single day listening to music. I’m listening to it right now!
You are so right about how music can evoke memories. I still remember the first time I heard “Smells Like Teen Spirit” and every time it comes on the radio it takes me back to the simpler days of being in high school.
Do you have a favorite genre of music?
If you like reggae, check out “Musical Notes” by Gappy Ranks. It’s a love song to music itself. Here’s a little piece:
“Music I love you, you saved my life.
Never turn your back, you show me wrong from right.
Never seen nothing so kind.
If I never feel the music, I couldn’t sleep at night.”
I definitely agree with you for the most part about country. I find that I like it more when someone who doesn’t strictly make that type of music blends it with other genres, like some of Yelawolf’s stuff for example.
The good ol’ days of being more carefree… Linkin Park does that for me a lot. I wasn’t aware of Nirvana back then like I am now ha.
I don’t necessarily have a favorite genre but usually different variations of metal and hip-hop are my go-tos. I will take a listen to that song the lyrical preview has me interested now. 🙂
Thanks for tuning in, I’m glad we could connect,
Dom
Yeah I’m like that too. I absolutely love all types of music except country, every time I hear a new genre I get excited and I start trying to submerge myself deeper into that genre until i feel like I know everything I need to know about it then I move on to a new genre.
Hi Dom, this is a very interesting review about the love for music. From your article, I can see that you are really deep into it and I’m sure there are others more. I love music too as I am a pianist. But I am triggered by a selection that I like once I hear it and then I feel I want to buy it ASAP and play it and listen to it over and over. I go to Amazon quite often and buy my music there. I have downloaded and compiled a great amount and I have a collection. Yes, music is great. When I hear a piano music like a theme in a movie I download the sheet and play it myself. Music is magic.
Hey Rebecca, thanks for the kind words, I can tell (from your comment) that you probably have some form of melomania, although I do understand the dislike of labels. 🙂
That’s awesome, I can definitely relate to the urge to run out and buy new music as soon as it comes out – (we’re part of a dying breed in that respect).
Collecting music will always be a part of my life and it sounds like it will be for you as well. You’re absolutely right – music is magic.
It’s hard to beat the feeling you get when you hear a song that you like for the first time. It’s even harder to beat the feeling you get when you realize that you’ve been listening to the same song for an hour straight. Songs and albums that have replay value become timeless records that we can revisit as many times as we want.
Sometimes the urge to buy new music could arguably turn into a minor form of music addiction – if it really starts to get out of hand, of course.
I appreciate you sharing your experience, I’m sure there are plenty of other people who can strongly relate. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by, hope to see you here again!
Hi there, I can relate to some of the things you’ve said here but I’m not sure if I am a melomaniac. However I might have been one back in senior high when my life revolved around music: go home, get on your bed listening to entire albums back to back, take a dinner break, go back to listening, sleep.. and that was the cycle. And there are songs that had hit me hard throughout my last four years in college.
I am however a sucker for music that elicits memories. From what little I can remember from my childhood games or favorite shows, it’s usually the music part and I get euphoric to say the least when I find that one video game or cartoon soundtrack and get to listen to it. My taste is broadening a lot these days. I could be listening to Lecrae now, and the next track could be a Mozart piece or something, followed by, say, a qi excerpt.
Music truly is magic. I certainly can’t do without it. Life without music is hard to imagine.
Thanks for writing on this rarely talked about but fairly common phenomenon.