Issue of the day
The rise of white noise
AT the close of a year like no other, music streaming services have revealed a surge in white noise and calming sounds listened to in 2020 as a world in chaos searches for aids to sleep and soothe.
That’s a wrap?
Streaming giant Spotify releases a “Spotify Wrapped” list to users at the year’s end, allowing them to recall what has formed their soundtrack to the months gone by. Although usually regarded as a fun noteworthy item to share online, this year, a notable rise in the number of users listening to background noise and ambient music hint at the challenges of a pandemic stricken year.
Wellness?
Spotify said that “as people started to social distance, we saw an increase in nostalgia-themed playlists and work-from-home-themed playlists, and in people listening to wellness podcasts such Unlocking Us with Brene Brown and
Get Sleepy: Sleep Meditation And Stories”.
White noise?
Users were quick to share their own top-10 lists online and one of the most popular tracks turned out to be Celestial White Noise, a three-hour broadcast of what essentially amounts to a fuzzy frequency. Other “most listened to” tracks include “long meditation drones” – hypnotic pieces where notes or chords are continuously sounded.
Stormy weather?
Sounds of nature, rainfall and thunder have risen in popularity as well. Pop star Grimes revealed her most listened to track of the year was a three-and-half- minute recording of rainfall. Other frequently listened to tracks include “crackling fire”, “beach storms” and “ocean sounds”.
White noise machines?
Combining all audible frequencies together, white noise machines have also risen in popularity this year, offering a repetitive whooshing sound that is similar to television static.
It’s not just adults tuning in?
A whole section dedicated to “Baby Shushing” features tracks such as Shhhh Mama’s Here Ultimate Soother and Babu Shusher, which is described as a “looped smooth noise” and has nearly 12 million hits.
A fire in the hearth?
Another current Youtube hit is an ongoing live stream featuring instrumental piano Christmas music with a roaring fire, telling viewers to “Feel the Christmas mood while watching the fireplace and listening to the crackling with soothing music for meditation, relaxation, sleeping and stress relief.”
Finding calm in the chaos?
Dr Shelby Harris, a behavioural sleepmedicine specialist in New York, said the shift in listening habits is no surprise: “Stress levels are high and we have active and busy minds that are hard to turn off. Sometimes just going back to nature in a steady, repetitive, non-threatening sound can help quieten the active brain.”