Rock as Antidepressant: 673 Songs and 14 Years of Music Therapy

Rock as Antidepressant: 673 Songs and 14 Years of Music Therapy

Rock music is not just noise: for thousands of people it is an antidepressant with better adherence than any pill. This is demonstrated by a collection of YouTube links that, over 14 years, accumulated 673 contributions focused on a single goal: fighting low spirits with riffs and choruses. The initiative started in 2002, when a user posted the song that helped him get over a breakup. Since then, the thread became a living repository of power metal, hard rock and punk, with names like Extremoduro, Manowar, Muse, Whitesnake, Skid Row, Kamelot or Alice Cooper. Most of the recommendations come from the same promoter, who even confessed to being "feeling down" and spent the afternoon sharing musical pick-me-ups.

From Personal Catharsis to Military Training Manual

What began as a home remedy ended up revealing an unexpected use: according to the discussion, certain tracks are used in the mental preparation of U.S. Marines for Iraq and Afghanistan. Although there is no official source to support it, the anecdote underscores the power attributed to these songs. The thread also includes lesser-known bands in Spain, such as Irie Revoltes —who sing in German and French— and self-released groups offering their first album for free in exchange for "sarracena support." The generosity of the participants contrasts with the pharmaceutical industry: here there is no prescription or side effect, just an electric guitar and high volume.

No Clinical Data, but 14 Years of Adherence

The thread lacks scientific studies, but its longevity is a fact in itself: 14 years of uninterrupted activity, with peaks in 2013 and 2014. Most of the songs belong to metal and hard rock —genres that, according to some analyses, increase heart rate and generate a feeling of euphoria similar to physical exercise—. There is no clinical trial here, but there are 14 years of musical trial and error. The question floating is whether the health system should take note: the cost of a playlist is zero; that of an antidepressant is not.

What Remains After 673 Replies?

The thread did not close with a verdict, but with the same mechanics as always: one link after another. The last entry is a poem by Lakatos that recalls that "the love you have been looking for is right there, inside your door." Perhaps it is the metaphor of the whole thread: the solution is not in the laboratory, but in a guitar chord. With the mental health crisis on the rise, these informal compilations could gain attention, although their effectiveness remains a mystery as loud as a Manowar concert.