Reasearch and Planning: My Music Consumption

I would say 70% of my day I am listening to music. Whether I am doing work with in in the background, commuting or anything of that sort where I can play music. I really
like music and think its really important so I listen whenever I get the chance.

My iTunes

I usually listen to music on my soundcloud (which I really like because its so easy to discover good new music), my iTunes, my phone (which has a more condensed version of the music on my iTunes) or sometimes on YouTube.

Before and after school, I use music to pass time on my journey, particularly after school  because I have quite a long walk home. I find that when I'm at school and choose to put my headphones in it would be if I really wanted to concentrate and block out any surrounding noise distractions. The time of music I listen to when I'm doing work usually has no words because I find it would become distracting and I'd start singing along if it did.

My Soundcloud

If I'm getting ready to go out I don't really tend to listen to music because I am usually rushing to get ready and if music was playing I'd start dancing/sweating which would waste time/not be very nice. However once I'm actually going out to a party/to see a friend and I'm on public transport I probably listen to more upbeat music because it'll put me in a good mood for time ahead. 

Me and my best friends have a group soundcloud where we put all the music we find because its easier than linking it to each other on Facebook or iMessage. I find that my group of friends all have similar music tastes which makes it really nice when we go to music festivals because we usually want to see the same artists/bands and can therefore have nicer and more memorable experiences altogether. I really enjoy live music because usually on an individual level I would have made a connection with a song and then experiencing it performed live, with my friends around me always makes it more special and unforgeable; so I go to gigs when I can.

I think I listen music for quite a few reasons

• Distraction/Escapism - if I am thinking something that I don't want to think and I just want to block it out, I put on quite loud music in some sensory overload attempt which hopefully means I won't be able to think about what was bothering me even if I tried. 
• Maintain a good mood/Wallow in self pity - If I'm in a really good mood or a really bad mood, I rarely listen to music to change my mood. Rather, if I'm happy I will just continue to listen to happy music or if I'm sad I am very comfortable listening to an entire playlist of sad music and feeling sorry for myself. 
• Add music to a gathering - I think even if I'm with one friend, I will always put on music because then if there is nothing to talk about I just think its nice to sit in silence, listen to music and enjoy each others company. 

3 tracks that mean a lot to me:

Childhood

I remember watching this music video on TV and thinking it was really cool. I also remember knowing all  the words to it with my brothers and sister and my older brother helping me to put it on my first phone.

Early Teens

When I was around 13-15 me and my best friends loved Paramore and went to see them twice and this was the song that we all knew the words to and had on our phones.

Currently

This song means a lot to me at the moment because it reminds me of a lot of special people and things in my life at the moment and the lyrics relate as well.

From looking into my own music consumption, I have understood that there is a lot more to consuming music than just playing a song and listening to it. I will bare this in mind with my own project.