It should go without saying that music is one of the most important things in our lives as human beings. That’s because music moves emotions and takes people’s minds to all new places. Music also has advantages for the people listening to it.

Studies have shown that music can lighten a person’s mood, reduce anxiety, improve a person’s response to pain, help them work more effectively, build task endurance, and boost memory.

Those are a lot of benefits for something that can be enjoyed virtually for free. It’s also the reason why the 1st of October is observed as International Music Day — a day when people are encouraged to listen to music from around the world.

The History of International Music Day

In 1949, the International Music Council was created. This council was an associate organization of UNESCO, also known as the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization.

UNESCO is a UN agency that promotes international cooperation through science, culture, and art. The International Music Council, headed by Lord Yehudi Menuhin, proclaimed the 1st of October as International Music Day.

The reasons for marking the holiday were to encourage the promotion of musical art throughout society, to motivate the application of UNESCO’s ideals of friendship among all peoples, and to encourage the mutual appreciation of cultures.

The first International Music Day was held on October 1st, 1975, and over 150 countries across the planet took part. It was a day for all people to come together and cooperate in the name of music. Since its creation, this holiday has continued that goal all over the world.

Incredible Facts About Music

Below are some facts about music that we’d like to share with everyone as they enjoy International Music Day. We feel the following facts are entertaining, interesting, and above all, educational. Let’s take a look at them below.

• As of 2021, the global music industry was worth over $26 billion.
• The world record for the largest performing rock band was set by The Beijing Contemporary Music Academy in 2016. Their band had 349 singers, 154 guitarists, 100 bassists, and 151 drummers.
• The world’s longest concert by multiple artists was performed from March 17th to April 5th, 2017, as a part of Canada’s 150th-anniversary celebration.
• AKB48 is the world’s largest pop group. It originally had 48 members, but now they have 130 members.
• The nine parts of a violin are made of over 70 pieces of wood.
• The Japanese word for karaoke means “empty orchestra.”

Observing International Music Day

On this day, everyone is encouraged to take the time to enjoy music from a variety of different sources. It’s also a day when people are encouraged to introduce their children to different types of music from around the world. And people can spread the news about this day using the hashtag #InternationalMusicDay on social media.