MUL1010 Music Appreciation Written Assignment 1: The 21 Cha ✓ Solved

MUL1010 Music Appreciation Written Assignment #1: THE 21 Cha

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This assignment is about listening from a referential perspective.

Instructions:

1. Listen to a different song each day for 21 days.

2. Choose the song according to the Daily Songs list below. No two songs can be the same. Songs may be any genre or style and may be selected from course materials or external sources.

3. For each day, provide: Name of the song; Composer(s); Performer(s); Why you chose it; Comments explaining what you liked and disliked, instruments you recognize, and whether you like the lyrics, with specific examples.

4. Fill out the Daily Songs table for days 1–21 using these prompts:

Day 1: A song from your childhood; Day 2: A song that reminds you of your ex-girlfriend/boyfriend/spouse; Day 3: A song that reminds you of one or both of your parents; Day 4: A song that calms you; Day 5: A song that is often stuck in your head; Day 6: A song that reminds you of your best friend; Day 7: A song that reminds you of a past summer; Day 8: A song that reminds you of your first love; Day 9: A song that makes you feel hopeful; Day 10: A song by your favorite band; Day 11: A song from the soundtrack of your favorite movie; Day 12: The song you last heard; Day 13: A song that reminds you of a former friend; Day 14: A song that gets you pumped up (energized); Day 15: A song with which you love to sing along; Day 16: A song that makes you cry; Day 17: A song that makes you want to dance; Day 18: A song you love but rarely listen to anymore; Day 19: Your favorite song; Day 20: A song that someone has sung to you; Day 21: A song that you absolutely hate.

Paper For Above Instructions

Objective and approach: The 21-Day Listening Challenge asks the student to perform focused, referential listening by selecting one distinct song per day for 21 days and recording metadata and reflective comments for each selection. This exercise trains attentive listening, connects music to autobiographical memory, and fosters critical description skills (Levitin, 2006; Janata, 2009).

Methodology: I followed a mixed qualitative approach: (1) deliberately selected 21 different songs mapped to the daily prompts; (2) for each song recorded title, composer(s), performer(s), a short justification for selection, and reflective comments about liked/disliked elements, notable instruments, and lyrical impressions; (3) used repeated short listening sessions (2–4 listens) and made notes immediately after listening to capture first impressions and memory associations (Juslin & Västfjäll, 2008; Huron, 2006).

Rationale: Referential listening ties sonic features to personal meanings. Research shows music often acts as a cue for autobiographical memory and emotion, so documenting why a song is meaningful clarifies how timbre, lyrics, and rhythm interact with life events (Janata, 2009; Svoboda, McKinnon & Levine, 2006). Additionally, describing technical features (melody, harmony, instrumentation) develops analytic listening skills (Meyer, 1956).

Daily Songs (concise entries)

Each entry: Song — Composer(s) — Performer(s) — Why chosen — Comments.

Day 1: "You Are My Sunshine" — Jimmie Davis/Charles Mitchell — Traditional/various performers — Childhood lullaby — Warm, simple melody; acoustic guitar and vocals; lyrics feel nostalgic and comforting (Small, 1998).

Day 2: "Someone Like You" — Adele Adkins/Dan Wilson — Adele — Reminds me of a past relationship — Piano-led ballad; raw, emotional vocals; lyrics are cathartic but painfully specific (Levitin, 2006).

Day 3: "The Sound of Silence" — Paul Simon — Simon & Garfunkel — Reminds me of parent conversations — Sparse acoustic guitar, close harmonies; lyric imagery evokes reflective moods (North & Hargreaves, 2008).

Day 4: "Weightless" — Marconi Union — Marconi Union — Calming ambient track — Slow tempo, sustained pads, gentle synth textures; reduces tension, minimal melody (Juslin & Västfjäll, 2008).

Day 5: "Can't Get You Out of My Head" — Cathy Dennis/Rob Davis — Kylie Minogue — Catchy earworm — Repetitive hook and synth riff; I like the groove but find repetitiveness tiring (Huron, 2006).

Day 6: "Lean On Me" — Bill Withers — Bill Withers — Reminds me of a best friend — Soulful vocals, piano and handclaps; uplifting lyrics and communal feeling (Small, 1998).

Day 7: "Summer of '69" — Bryan Adams/Jim Vallance — Bryan Adams — Past-summer nostalgia — Energetic guitars and driving beat; lyrics evoke youthful freedom (North & Hargreaves, 2008).

Day 8: "Wonderful Tonight" — Eric Clapton — Eric Clapton — First-love memory — Soft electric guitar, tender vocal delivery; lyrics intimate and affectionate (Levitin, 2006).

Day 9: "Here Comes the Sun" — George Harrison — The Beatles — Hopeful tone — Bright acoustic guitar, optimistic melody; lyrics inspire renewal (Meyer, 1956).

Day 10: "Bohemian Rhapsody" — Freddie Mercury — Queen — Favorite band representative — Epic structure, operatic harmonies, dynamic contrasts; admiration for creative ambition (Huron, 2006).

Day 11: "My Heart Will Go On" — James Horner/W. Jennings — Celine Dion — Favorite movie soundtrack — Lush orchestration, soaring vocal line; lyrics sentimental but effective in context (North & Hargreaves, 2008).

Day 12: "Blinding Lights" — The Weeknd/Max Martin — The Weeknd — Last heard on radio — Retro synths and driving beat; production is clean, vocals detached (Juslin & Västfjäll, 2008).

Day 13: "Bad Blood" — Taylor Swift — Taylor Swift — Reminds me of a former friend — Punchy pop production, aggressive lyrics; liked the energy, disliked the antagonistic tone (Small, 1998).

Day 14: "Lose Yourself" — Eminem — Eminem — Gets me pumped — Driving rhythm, urgent rap delivery; motivational lyrics and strong rhythmic propulsion (Thompson et al., 2001).

Day 15: "Hey Jude" — Paul McCartney — The Beatles — Love to sing along — Memorable chorus, communal "na-na" coda; simple structure invites participation (Meyer, 1956).

Day 16: "Hallelujah" — Leonard Cohen — Jeff Buckley (cover) — Makes me cry — Sparse guitar, intimate voice; poetic lyrics and fragile delivery are moving (Sacks, 2007).

Day 17: "Uptown Funk" — Mark Ronson/Bruno Mars — Mark Ronson feat. Bruno Mars — Makes me dance — Funky horns, tight rhythm section; irresistibly rhythmic (Huron, 2006).

Day 18: "Fast Car" — Tracy Chapman — Tracy Chapman — Loved but rarely play now — Narrative lyrics and gentle guitar; I appreciate storytelling but rarely revisit (Levitin, 2006).

Day 19: "Imagine" — John Lennon — John Lennon — My favorite song — Simple piano, direct lyric appeal for peace; timeless melody and message (North & Hargreaves, 2008).

Day 20: "You Are the Sunshine of My Life" — Stevie Wonder — Stevie Wonder — Sung to me by family — Warm vocal timbre and brass touches; lyrics affectionate (Small, 1998).

Day 21: "Friday" — Rebecca Black/Ark Music Factory — Rebecca Black — A song I dislike — Overproduced auto-tuned vocals and simplistic lyrics; catchy but grating to my ear (Huron, 2006).

Reflections and learning outcomes

Over 21 days the practice reinforced how musical features (timbre, rhythm, harmony) interact with personal meaning to create strong affective responses (Juslin & Västfjäll, 2008). Autobiographical connections were immediate for many entries, consistent with neuroimaging findings that music can cue vivid personal memories (Janata, 2009). The act of describing specific instrument roles and production choices improved analytical listening abilities: naming a synth pad, recognizing a harmony change, or noticing a production effect translates tacit perception into verbal description (Levitin, 2006; Huron, 2006).

Pedagogically, the assignment meets several learning goals: it develops referential listening, links music to social and personal contexts (Small, 1998; North & Hargreaves, 2008), and encourages precise written expression about sonic detail. For improvement, students should be encouraged to include short timestamps for notable moments, and to compare two versions (original and cover) to deepen comparative listening skills.

Conclusion

The 21-Day Challenge is an effective experiential exercise for strengthening music appreciation and reflective listening. By systematically documenting song metadata and personal responses, listeners cultivate both analytical vocabulary and an awareness of how music functions as a cue for emotion and memory (Svoboda et al., 2006; Janata, 2009). Continued practice will further refine descriptive accuracy and deepen interpretive insights.

References

• Huron, D. (2006). Sweet Anticipation: Music and the Psychology of Expectation. MIT Press. (Huron, 2006)
• Janata, P. (2009). The neural architecture of music-evoked autobiographical memories. Cerebral Cortex, 19(1), 257–266. (Janata, 2009)
• Juslin, P. N., & Västfjäll, D. (2008). Emotional responses to music: The need to consider underlying mechanisms. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 31(5), 559–575. (Juslin & Västfjäll, 2008)
• Levitin, D. J. (2006). This Is Your Brain on Music: The Science of a Human Obsession. Dutton. (Levitin, 2006)
• Meyer, L. B. (1956). Emotion and Meaning in Music. University of Chicago Press. (Meyer, 1956)
• North, A. C., & Hargreaves, D. J. (2008). The social and applied psychology of music. Oxford University Press. (North & Hargreaves, 2008)
• Sacks, O. (2007). Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain. Knopf. (Sacks, 2007)
• Small, C. (1998). Musicking: The Meanings of Performing and Listening. Wesleyan University Press. (Small, 1998)
• Svoboda, E., McKinnon, M. C., & Levine, B. (2006). The functional neuroanatomy of autobiographical memory: a meta-analysis. Neuropsychologia, 44(12), 2189–2208. (Svoboda et al., 2006)
• Thompson, W. F., Schellenberg, E. G., & Husain, G. (2001). Arousal, mood, and the Mozart effect. Psychological Science, 12(3), 248–251. (Thompson et al., 2001)