Your favourite playlist might be doing more than you think!

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We spend hours listening to music every day. We listen to it while walking, studying, exercising and more. Many of us even carefully curate playlists for different moods, activities and moments in our lives.

Picture this: you see a TikTok featuring a song about treating people with kindness, with the lyrics displayed on screen. Over time, the song becomes a favourite. As you listen repeatedly, its lyrics stay with you and subtly influence your behaviour: helping out more, giving compliments more freely, smiling at strangers, and supporting causes that matter to you. Perhaps this is not a mere coincidence. Could the music we listen to influence our behaviour more than we realise?

In this blog we’ll explore: 

Music is more than entertainment!

Music has long been used to regulate our emotions. We listen to upbeat songs when we need motivation and slower songs when we want to relax. However, music is more than just sound. Many songs contain messages about relationships, identity, social issues, and how we treat others.

The impact of prosocial music may depend on individual differences, such as personality traits
and social confidence. Some people naturally feel more comfortable interacting with others, while
others may feel less confident in social situations. This raises the question: To what extent does
exposure to prosocial lyrics influence an individual’s willingness to help, and does this depend on
the type of person listening?

Figure 1 Treat People With Kindness, Harry Styles

Figure 2 Oh, What A World, Kacey Musgraves – Performed on Earth Day as a fundraiser for WWF, showing music as a tool for social good

The research

To investigate this research, I conducted an online experiment using the song, We Are The World by
U.S.A. for Africa, known for its message about empathy and global unity. 234 participants, aged 17-56,
were randomly assigned to one of the three groups:

Figure 3 The three experiment groups

Afterwards, participants completed a questionnaire measuring their willingness to engage in helping
behaviour, volunteering, or supporting charitable causes.

What I found

• Prosocial lyrics can make a difference! Participants who were exposed to the prosocial lyrics showed higher intentions to engage in helping behaviour, compared to those who only listened to the instrumental version.

• Seeing and hearing the lyrics was most effective! The strongest effects were found in participants who both heard the lyrics and read them through subtitles, compared to those who either only heard the lyrics or instrumental version.

• The findings were strongest for some listeners! Interestingly, the effects were most pronounced among individuals who reported lower levels of confidence in social situations, compared to those who already felt socially confident. This may be because those with lower confidence needed an
  additional nudge to believe they could help others.

Keep in mind

Like all research, this study has its limits. It used only a 25-second clip, so while effects were found, we cannot know whether the same results would apply to all prosocial music or longer listening experiences. Participants also self-reported how willing they’d be to help rather than actually helping, meaning there may have been pressure to appear kind. That being said, these findings are still a meaningful first step in understanding how music and its format shape its impact.

The bigger picture

These findings have implications that extend beyond music streaming platforms. But what does this mean for you?

• Content creators. Music is more than a way to make content entertaining. The choice of song can promote certain lifestyles and values. On platforms like TikTok and Instagram, captions, subtitles, and lyric overlays can reinforce these messages, subtly shaping how people think and behave over time.
• Organisations. For charities, schools, and social awareness campaigns, music can be a powerful way to get a message across. Pairing songs with meaningful lyrics may leave a bigger impact than using background music alone.
• Everyday listeners. These findings are a reminder that music is not as passive as we think. The songs we repeatedly expose ourselves to can shape our ideas and morals.

A final note

In a world filled with music, the songs we consume may be influencing us in ways we rarely stop to consider.

After all, if a 25-second clip can leave a memorable impression on us, what else might our playlists be shaping?

So, the next time you press play on your favourite playlist, take a moment to consider not only how it makes you feel, but also what it might be teaching you.

This blog is written by Tanaya Nag

Tanaya Bangshall Nag recently graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Communication Science from the University of Amsterdam. She has a particular interest in Entertainment Communication and completed her Bachelor’s thesis on the effects of prosocial music on altruistic behavioural intentions. Beyond academia, Tanaya enjoys writing, dancing, travelling, and exploring the ways media, culture, and storytelling shape how people connect with the world around them.

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