Happy Canada Day
It’s hard to believe that Canada Day is approaching and half the year has snuck on by. For some, you may be busily planning your Canada Day activities or travel plans. For others, maybe you will be having a quieter time celebrating this year. Whichever way you are celebrating, will music be a part of it? Have you thought about creating a Canada Day music playlist to enhance your festivities or day?
Music is the emotional life of most people… Leonard Cohen
In my household, my husband is generally the person who creates and perfects the playlists for our events or travel plans or even holidays and cottage fun. I must say… he is quite good at it. Every song generally tells a story or hits a memory. I tend to get excited in the anticipation of what the next song will be.
When we travelled as a family a couple years back to Northern Ireland…
I jumped at the chance to create a shared Spotify ‘Celtic Craic’ playlist where we all (our whole family) could add to.
It was so fun driving around Ireland and hearing the songs we each picked as it enhanced our vacation mood.
Why is music so important? Why does it spark that joy inside you? Or that memory? Or even make you shed a tear at a lyric heard. Music can tap into your soul and provide you with comfort and happiness.
Benefits of listening to music:
- It connects us – To other people at sporting events like the National Anthem, or churches while singing worship songs, for couples during dating, and even between parents and children with lullabies.
- It can enhance with learning – motivates and stimulates the brain.
- Improve memory – again, stimulating the brain
- Helps with mood thus making your happier– Triggers dopamine and other calming hormones while lowering anxiety and depression
- Stimulates you to exercise – Which in turn benefits your overall health
- Helps you sleep better – listening to relaxing music before bed can help you sleep more sound
- May help Alzheimer’s patient remember – It can tap into their long term memory allowing them to become ‘themselves’ again – stimulating memories
- May help people eat less – playing music in the background during a meal can help people eat slower therefore consuming less
- Stimulates most areas of your brain – your emotions, memory, learning, well-being, and concentration
- Boosts creativity – which in turn helps with problem solving.
So, that got me thinking about Canadian music and creating a Canada Day music playlist – made specifically of Canadian artists. Maybe you are unaware of the outstanding artists Canada has produced. Some of the artists – you may have thought were American even. However, I am proud to say, that Canada has birthed quite a few exceptional Canadian artists in which I will develop a playlist around.
A Sample of Some Top-Chart Canadian Artists:
- Shania Twain
- Drake
- Snow
- Nickleback
- Nelly Furtado
- Anne Murray
- Sarah McLachlin
- Alanis Morissette
- Barenaked Ladies
- Loverboy
- Bryan Adams
- Corey Hart
- Shawn Mendes
- Justin Bieber
- Avril Lavigne
- The Tragically Hip
- Celine Dion
- The Weekend
- Joni Mitchell
- Michael Buble
- Glass Tiger
Those are just a few of the outstanding artists to be born with Canadian blood.
There are plenty more Great White North talent among us gifting us with their music all over the world.
So, as you head into your Canada Day weekend, your summer holidays, or even for your daily pleasure – what music will you be listening to?
Why not incorporate some of Canada’s great talent into your playlist this season. For a sampling of suggestions, see a snapshot of my new playlist – Canadian Maple.
If you have a Canadian song or artist you wish to share with me, click the link below. I’d love some new suggestions.
Sidenote: Speaking of holidays, we are now approaching the serene months of July and August and where I often fill my days with laughter and pack my luggage for adventure. While you may not receive those anticipated Wednesday inbox notifications (or Friday social media posts), you can stay tuned for some great new insights and adventure blogs in the fall. I wish you an amazing summer.
