Unlock Memories Using Music

Remember when your MySpace profile music choice was a serious statement about who you were as a person? If you're anything like me, hearing those old tracks now sends you straight back to specific moments - complete with the questionable fashion choices and emotional dramatics.

Think about it. The first dance at your wedding. The song that got you through your A-levels. That embarrassing tune you and your mates belted out during karaoke at your local. Music doesn't just accompany our memories - it preserves them in startling detail.

I discovered this by accident when my flatmate's ancient iPod turned up during a clear-out. One shuffle play later, and suddenly I'm transported back to our tiny kitchen, dancing to Soul to Soul while attempting to make pasta at 2 AM.

This isn't just nostalgic nonsense - there's proper science behind it. Music activates the same areas of our brain that handle memory and emotion. It's like having a mental time machine, except instead of a portable CD player, you've got Spotify.

Want to try it? Here's how to use music to unlock your memories:

Make a timeline playlist. Start with your earliest memory-triggering song and work your way up to present day. That progression from S Club 7 to Stormzy tells its own story.

Pick one song from each era of your life.

What was playing when you passed your driving test?

What album got you through your first breakup?

What song makes you think of your best mate?

Write about the concerts and gigs you've been to. Even if the music was rubbish, those nights often mark specific moments in time. (Like that time you queued for hours in the rain at Reading Festival, convinced you were having the time of your life.)

Don't just focus on the good stuff. That song you now hate because your ex ruined it? That's part of your story too. The cheesy pop song you're embarrassed to admit you know all the words to? Pure gold for memoir writing.

When you're ready to write, put on the song from the era you're focusing on. Let it transport you back.

Write about where you were, what you were wearing, who you were with, what you were feeling.

Music has a way of bringing back details you thought you'd forgotten - the smell of cheap aftershave, the feel of new shoes rubbing your feet, the taste of whatever questionable alcopop was popular at the time.

The brilliant thing about using music as a memory trigger is that it bypasses our tendency to overthink. You're not just remembering what happened - you're remembering how it felt. And isn't that what makes a story worth reading?

Plus, creating a soundtrack to your life is a good laugh. You'll probably cringe at some of your past music choices, but that's half the fun. Your terrible taste in the Third Year is just as much a part of your story as your carefully curated playlists now.

Remember - you're not writing the next best selling novel here. You're just using music as a tool to unlock memories that might otherwise stay buried under layers of adulting and responsibility.

So go on, dig out those old playlists. Create a musical timeline.

Let yourself remember. And yes, absolutely include that one hit wonder you were obsessed with in 2007. Future generations need to know what we were thinking.