Summer is here! That means different things to different people – pool days, family grillers, sleeping in (all of the above?). One thing that it means to me is a change in playlist. Listening to music has a profound impact on my mental health. It is a protective factor for me, meaning that it provides a buffer against stress, trauma, or negative outcomes. I have a playlist for every mood and season.
This article by Kirsten Weir of the American Psychological Association talks about some of the fascinating, recent findings regarding the effects of music on our brains. Most fascinating to me is how music kicks our medial prefrontal cortex into gear. This area of our brain has influence over things like our values and internal goals. Another interesting topic she discusses is the “Reminiscence Bump”, which explains why we take more “ownership” of the music we listened to as adolescents.
Weir goes on to explain how music as therapy is gaining steam in the clinical treatment setting. It can be designed in unique ways to cognitively or emotionally aid patients diagnosed with autism, cancer, dementia, and traumatic brain injury. Recent, ongoing research is showing encouraging results for those folks.
I could go on and on about the benefits of listening to music, and I am sure you feel it, too, in your own, personal way. Instead, I’m going to share with you a portion of my summertime play list. Feel free to enjoy poolside, grillside, or anytime you find yourself in the sunshine this summer!
1000 Julys – Third Eye Blind
Doin’ Time – Sublime
For A Little While – Tim McGraw
Mr. E’s Beautiful Blues – Eels (Explicit)
Ocean Avenue – Yellowcard
Shotgun – George Ezra
Summertime Clothes – Animal Collective
Stay On – Sugar Ray
Amber – 311
Summertime – DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince
Missing Piece – Vance Joy
Lady Demeter – Tim Armstrong
Kokomo – The Beach Boys
Summer of ‘69 – Bryan Adams
The Boys of Summer – Don Henley
Margaritaville – Jimmy Buffet
Summer Breeze – Seals and Crofts
Cruel Summer – Taylor Swift
Lovely Day – Bill Withers
Rockaway Beach – Ramones
Summer Girls – LFO
Endless Summer Nights – Richard Marx
Primary Source: Weir, K. (2026, March 1). Music and the mind: What the science of music reveals about cognition, emotion, and identity. Monitor on Psychology, 57(2), 46. American Psychological Association. https://www.apa.org/monitor/2026/03/science-of-music