April 21, 2025 – As Israel prepares to commemorate Memorial Day under the shadow of the October 7th attacks and the ongoing national crisis, a new study from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem sheds light on how people around the world turn to music—specifically its lyrics—as a tool for navigating emotional distress, grief, and isolation during times of crisis.

The study, led by Prof. Renana Peres and Adi Levy from the Business School and Prof. Roni Granot from the Department of Musicology at Hebrew University, reveals that the words in songs—more than melody, rhythm, or tempo—play a central role in helping individuals regulate their emotions. Whether to process sorrow, feel less alone, or maintain emotional balance, listeners turn to lyrics that reflect their internal states.

Analyzing over 2,800 “coping songs” chosen by people from 11 countries during the first COVID-19 lockdown, the researchers identified clear patterns between lyrical themes and the emotional goals of listeners. Songs containing lyrics about loss, life and death, belonging, or soul were consistently selected by those struggling with sadness, loneliness, or a desire for personal reflection.

The study found that people seeking distraction from crisis were more likely to choose songs with themes of loss, while those trying to alleviate loneliness were drawn to lyrics evoking belonging. In contrast, the acoustic features of the songs—such as tempo, harmony, or key—showed no consistent connection to emotional goals.

“This research offers a new perspective on how people use music not just for entertainment, but as a meaningful tool for emotional self-regulation,” said Prof. Granot. “As Memorial Day approaches, we are reminded that lyrics often give voice to emotions that are difficult to express—grief, remembrance, and resilience among them.”

The authors emphasize that while music in general supports emotional coping, lyrics carry particular psychological weight. The findings offer potential applications for therapeutic practices, music streaming algorithms, and public well-being initiatives.

“This is the first large-scale empirical study to link lyrical content to emotional coping strategies,” said Prof. Peres. “At a time when many are dealing with personal and collective trauma, understanding the emotional power of lyrics can help us better support mental health—both individually and as a society.”

The researchers suggest that the findings could influence how music is used in therapeutic settings, memorial services, and even in designing algorithms for personalized playlists that support emotional well-being.

The research paper titled “Lyrics do matter: how ‘coping songs’ relate to well-being goals. The COVID pandemic case” is now available in Frontiers in Psychology and can be accessed at https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1431741.

Researchers:

Adi Levy1, Roni Granot2 and Renana Peres1

Institutions:

  1. The Hebrew University Business School, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
  2. Musicology Department, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel